These mobile devices are giving PCs a run for their money in terms of the increase in their use.
The latest tablet commerce projections have just been released by Gartner, which have revealed that the smaller handheld devices are exploding in popularity and that they may overtake laptops and desktops.
The trend has indicated that the current growth in sales is not showing any indication of slowing for several years.
At the same time, while tablet commerce is expected to grow very rapidly and continue to do so for at least several years, it is unlikely that they will become the device of choice for taking on tasks requiring greater productivity. This would require them to be equipped with peripherals and monitors, to the point that they would more closely resemble desktops and laptops than their actual tablet form.
The Gartner report is crediting the lower priced devices with the rapid growth of tablet commerce.
With the falling prices and the fact that they are relatively new to the market, they are expected to overtake PCs – which are already well established and are typically being replaced as opposed to being purchased for the first time – within the next five years.
Experts in the industry are cautioning people not to misinterpret these predictions. While it does look as though tablets and smartphones could start shipping at a rate of 2.4 billion units worldwide this year – an increase of 9 percent over last year – it doesn’t mean that the laptop has seen its day. These devices are all being used for their own unique purposes, and their affordability means that the increasingly tech savvy consumer is purchasing multiple devices as opposed to selecting one over all of the others.
This does, however, represent a meaningful shift in the way that people can shop. It means that they will have a multitude of different devices available to them when they decide to research or even purchase a product or service. For this reason, the rapid growth of tablet commerce will likely becoming increasingly important to retailers and other merchants who wish to maintain their competitive edge by providing consumers the experience that they are seeking and expecting.
BWild |
December 14, 2012
Tablet commerce finding traction during the holidays
Mobile shopping is nothing new, dating back to 1997 with Wireless Application Protocol sites, those that facilitate access to information over a mobile wireless network. Throughout the years, mobile shopping has evolved to become something that is wildly popular among tech-savvy consumers. This is becoming especially true for tablet users, who are beginning to represent a sizeable share of the mobile consumer base. Deloitte, a UK-based consulting firm, as well as several other market research firms, expects that tablet commerce will see a great deal of attention during this year’s holiday season.
Consumers becoming more interested in tablet commerce
Tablet commerce is a form of mobile commerce that refers specifically to the use of tablet devices, such as the iPad. Tablets are becoming more popular among consumers because of their wider range of capabilities, which trump most conventional smart phones. This is especially true in the publishing space, where magazines, newspapers, and other publications are seeing a great deal of growth through the offering of digital editions designed specifically for tablets.
Forecasts predict tablets to account for major financial activity during Christmas season
Deloitte predicts that more than $400 million in sales will be made in the United Kingdom directly through smart phones during the Christmas season. Tablet commerce is expected to perform much better, with Deloitte forecasting more than $550 million in sales coming directly from tablets. Adobe’s Digital Index 2012 Online Shopping Forecast predicts that tablets will account for nearly 8% of all sales made in the United Kingdom during the Christmas season this year, up from the 3% share they held in the same period of 2011.
UK retailers beginning to take mobile commerce more seriously
British retailers are showing more serious interest in mobile shopping for tablets as well. Retailers are beginning to develop services that are specifically designed for tablet devices, rather than smart phones. Applications for tablets are becoming much more common and could help influence more shopping activity among mobile consumers that are interested in using their mobile devices to find and pay for products than participate in traditional forms of commerce and shopping.
