The IAB Digital Shopping Report revealed that 18-34 year olds were more likely to favour smartphones for mobile retail activities than any other age group: across all age groups, consumers generally purchased using a tablet ( 35%) more often than a smartphone ( 28%). However for millennials, the reverse was true: 43% preferred to use their smartphone to make a purchase, compared with 35% making purchases on a tablet. That age group also preferred to read product reviews on their smartphones ( 44% compared with 32% of the general population), and were more likely to showroom — researching products in physical stores then buying online — with 67% admitted to doing this, compared with half of the general population.

35-54 year olds were more likely than most to use their tablets for a range of shopping-related activities, such as reading product reviews, locating stores and checking store hours and product pricing, as well as shopping ( 41% vs 35% of the general population).

Those aged 55-64 were more than twice as likely to make a purchase on a tablet than a smartphone ( 34% vs 15%).

Anna Bager, senior vice president and general manager, Mobile and Video, IAB, said the study highlighted the contrasts in how the generations shop on digital. She said that these were “significant differences that need to be considered in brand marketers’ strategies”.