More than 6 in 10 smartphone and tablet owners have purchased download media such as ringtones, e-books, and games via their device, per results [download page] from a Prosper Mobile Insights survey. Entertainment items such as books and CDs see significant – even if less – popularity for purchase via mobile (32.9%), while roughly 3 in 10 have bought gift cards (31.1%) and apparel (28.7%). Electronics, entertainment, and apparel consistently appear among the top items purchased on mobiles, according to studies from BuzzCity, Apigee, and WorldPay.
Looking at some gender breakdowns, the Prosper survey shows that male respondents are twice as likely as their female counterparts (12.2% vs. 5.5%) to say they have bought big-ticket electronic items ($250 or more) on their device, and also twice as likely to have bought small-ticket electronic items (32.3% vs. 12.5%). The results reveal a gender skew towards certain categories, with women 3 times as likely to have bought beauty products on their device (25.6% vs. 7.9%).
Meanwhile, survey respondents who have bought products via their smartphone or tablet, the most common payment method used is a credit card, with roughly 4 in 10 saying they use this method most often for mobile purchases. Not far behind, 31.5% reported most often using Paypal, and about 1 in 4 a debit card.
About the Data: The Prosper Mobile Insights results are based on a survey conducted 1/28-1/30/2013 among 328 smartphone and tablet users on their devices.
