Increased tablet use will drive shopping during TV ad breaks, according to Deloitte

The poll of over 4,000 people in the UK, released to coincide with the Edinburgh International Television Festival this week, found that over 50% of people now browse the web while watching TV, with just 22% saying that they never do so.

The report also found that 13% planned to buy a tablet in the next year, which Deloitte said will further drive the relationship between TV and internet use.

Jolyon Barker, global lead for technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) at Deloitte, says: “Television, via a programme or an advert, can provide the impulse for a purchase. This year more consumers will buy tablets, connected and browser-equipped devices, which can work as digital tills sitting on viewers’ laps. Consumers increasingly research on the web prior to purchase.”

The report particularly focused on the influence of TV ads on browsing behaviour and found that for young people (18 to 14-year-olds) the link was strongest, with 20% claiming they had discovered and then bought a product because they had first seen it on TV.

The strongest drivers for purchase were seeing it in shop first (32%) and family and friends’ recommendations (21%). The influence of social media was limited with just 3% having bought something due to seeing something on Facebook and 2% on Twitter.

“Shopping that benefits from further online investigation, for example using comparison sites, such as insurance, telecoms, financial services and travel, will be more influenced by television,” said Barker, “Direct impulse, for example, buying a dress because it was talked about on television or adding a bottle of shampoo to your shopping cart because of a beauty advert, is less likely.”

This story first appeared on New Media Age. For more digital stories and analysis’ from NMA click here now