Spending on Tablet(iPad) High but PC-Preferred

Although tablet owners don't represent a large market share, they spend more.  Tablet holiday shoppers spent $325.  However, computers are the preferred way the way to shop according to a news Zmags study. Only 4 percent of consumers prefer mobile apps for shopping.  An Adobe study also showed big spending by tablet owners.

The study shows the new connected consumer who is female and around 40 years old.  52 percent of connected consumers are women with a mean age of 40; and have a mean household income of $63,000. She carries multiple Internet-connected devices In addition to owning a PC or laptop, 43 percent of connected consumers also own smartphones, and 16 percent own a tablet.

Here's what they also found:

• 87 percent of consumers prefer to browse and buy from websites via PCs or laptops.
• 14 percent prefer to shop via mobile websites on their smartphones and nine percent with tablets.
• 53 percent of shoppers for electronics prefer to use a tablet.
• After electronics, shoppers for toys displayed the most preference for tablet shopping (39 percent), followed by clothing (37 percent) and travel (26 percent).
• 87 percent of tablet owners used their tablets for 2011 holiday shopping and spent an average of $325 with their tablets. 49% expect to shop more on their tablet over the next year.
• More than half of tablet owners browse or shop from their tablets at least weekly.
• More than 80 percent of connected consumers are active Facebook users, and tablet owners display a distinct preference for brand engagement and shopping on Facebook. This presents retailers and brands with a powerful opportunity to monetize their Facebook brand presence.

Read full Zmags report.  The survey of 1,500 consumers who own a computer, smartphone and/or tablet was conducted by Equation Research for Zmags during November 10-14, 2011.