Spending too much online? Blame your smartphone

SMARTPHONES and tablets make us more likely to spend online than traditional keyboards, a study shows.

Touchscreen devices lead to more impulse purchases because they are more ‘playful and fun’ than computers.

Researchers gave one group of consumers an iPad and the second group a PC. They found that the iPad users had ‘significantly higher purchase intentions’ for guilty pleasures rather than serious items.

The subjects were given the choice of buying a voucher for a restaurant or grocery shopping, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services reports.

The tablet users were more likely to choose the restaurant

‘Playful and fun touchscreen’

option. In further tests, the Canadian team found they were more likely to opt for a cinema voucher, while the computer users went for the functional item – a haircut and shampoo.

The University of British Columbia researchers said ‘the novelty and fun generated by finger movements’ create warm emotional feelings, which make the user more likely to indulge.

Assistant professor Ying Zhu said: ‘The playful and fun nature of the touchscreen enhances consumers’ favour of hedonistic products, while the logical and functional nature of a desktop endorses the consumers’ preference for utilitarian products.’ She added: ‘My advice for consumers who want to save a bit of money is to put away the smartphone.’