Tablets are gaining popularity

Market research firm Conlumino has released a new report concerning emerging trends among consumers in the United Kingdom. The report shows that consumers are flocking to eBay to purchase small tablet devices. Many of these consumers are seeking out more convenient devices that they can use to shop online and participate in mobile commerce. The UK mobile sector has been growing more accommodating of online shopping in recent years and tablets are quickly becoming a favorite device for mobile shoppers.

Tablets may provide a better shopping experience

Tablets have won acclaim due to their stronger processing power and larger screens. These devices have become popular among various types of mobile consumers, but they have managed to find a strong following in the mobile commerce and gaming sectors. The large screens of tablets make it easier for users to navigate websites. This simple feature provides consumers with a more enjoyable shopping experience, thereby making it easier for them to spend money online.

Report shows consumers prefer small tablet devices

According to the report from Conlumino, approximately 60% of all tablets purchased in the UK in the last three months have been smaller than conventional tablet devices. The iPad Mini Retina and Google Nexus 7 have become the most popular of these small tablets. The majority of those purchasing small tablets claim they did so because they wanted a device that they could carry around more easily. These consumers are likely to use their tablets for mobile commerce and 60% said that they would be using their small devices specifically for holiday shopping.

Holiday season proved promising for mobile commerce

Mobile commerce has already had a strong start to the holiday shopping season. From Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday in the U.S., retailers saw a major increase in mobile activity. Similar shopping holidays in other countries were met with promising results in the mobile sector as well. Notably, mobile payments are still more common on smartphones than they are on other devices, but tablets are quickly becoming the favored mobile shopping platform among consumers.

The technology giant has found a unique way to personalize the in store shopping experience.

Apple has now debuted its Bluetooth based in store retail mobile marketing geolocation technology called iBeacon, which gives companies the opportunity to communicate with shoppers who have entered their shops at exactly the moment that they are most receptive to it.

This in store geolocation technology is starting to work its way into a growing number of stores.

This form of retail mobile marketing makes it possible for users of iPhones who have the App Store app and whose Bluetooth device feature is turned on (in a device running iOS 7) to receive messages from a store that they have entered that will help to enhance their shopping experience. It could alert them regarding a promotion that is available in the store, provide them with the information that they need to upgrade a purchase, or even turn by turn in store directions to whatever product the shopper is seeking.

Although the concept behind this retail mobile marketing technology isn’t new, it does have its own Apple spin.

This version of geofencing gives retailers the ability to use this type of technology with much greater ease. When using iBeacon, it means that they can use effective “micro location” targeting. There are also great possibilities being seen by locations that have nothing to do with retail, such as museums, theme parks, green parks, or large events. The immediate success of the tech could mean that there could be a sharp spike in the use of these methods in a very short period of time.

At the same time, though, Apple isn’t the only player in this sphere. Google also has a keen interest in geolocation. However, until now, much of their attention has been placed on NFC technology, which was predicted to be a massive player but that is not experiencing nearly the explosion that many investors had hoped.

The leader in this style of retail mobile marketing has yet to be seen, but it will depend on the willingness of both retailers and consumers to opt in. There are a number of issues that could come into play, here, including the types of technologies that are most readily available, those most commonly used by consumers, and the willingness of consumers to hand over personal and location data to retailers on yet another level.