Does the type of access device influence the online buying behavior?: An explorative study

The purpose of this study is to assess whether the device type (smartphone, tablet or desktop) used to access an online shop, has any effect on the customer’s buying behavior and interaction with the site. A field experiment was conducted on the web site of an online retailer, collecting data with web analytics tools over a period of six weeks. To validate the findings and reveal underlying reasons for certain behavioral patterns, a customer survey was used. Our main findings are that online customers use different types of devices to perform different activities at different stages of the customer journey. The device type is essential for the information amount customers receive during a shopping session. Besides, smartphone and tablet usage behavior are not similar although both are touch-screen devices. The study provides new insights into the online customer behavior, presents a new way of observational research and allows practitioners to better optimize their websites