Tablets becoming ecommerce tool of choice, study finds

Tablet computers, though still relatively young, are quickly climbing the ladder and carving their niche in terms of function and usability. One area in which the tablet is becoming more popular is online shopping, with tablet owners almost as likely as laptop and desktop PC owners to use their devices to make purchases.

According to a study from mobile advertising firm Jumptap, two-thirds of tablet owners say they use their devices to make online purchases. In comparison, 83 percent of traditional PC owners and 31 percent of smartphone owners do the same

The difference between shopping on smartphones and on tablets is notable, especially considering how much longer smartphones have been on the market. Both devices offer the same capabilities in terms of online shopping, and though users have had a longer time familiarizing themselves with smartphones, they are evidently more comfortable completing transactions on their tablets.

The study indicates that people believe tablet computers are more secure than smartphones. As well, the larger form factor and more conducive navigation makes the tablet an attractive option for online shoppers.

A 2011 report from Forrester Research estimates US ecommerce spending will reach $278.9 billion by 2015, up from $176.2 billion in 2010. As the technology becomes more widely adopted, tablet users will account for a greater portion of this spending.