Adobe has announced findings from its inaugural Adobe Digital Marketing Insights report that shows that tablet users were the biggest online spenders in 2011.

Its results announced Jan. 19, the new Adobe Digital Marketing Insights report is designed to provide marketing, e-commerce and retail executives with intelligence about digital marketing. The study evaluated how purchasing behavior is impacted by the device consumers use to visit retail Websites. In the study, Adobe analyzed 16.2 billion anonymous visits to the Websites of more than 150 top U.S. retailers. Results showed that, during the 2011 holiday season and throughout 2011, tablet visitors spent more per purchase than visitors using smartphones or traditional desktops and laptops, suggesting that tablet visitors were the most valuable online customers in 2011.

"Adobe has long championed the need for retailers to optimize their sites for mobile visitors, and the results of this study indicate that tablet devices have become an absolutely critical new sales channel that marketers must address head-on," said Brad Rencher, senior vice president and general manager of Adobe Digital Marketing Business, in a statement. "This study shows the importance of optimizing your 2012 e-tail strategy for tablet visitors to avoid the risk of under serving a highly-profitable, fast-growing customer segment."

Key report findings included:

• Tablet visitors spent 54 percent more than smartphone visitors and 21 percent more per purchase than desktop/laptop visitors
• Tablet visitors were nearly three times more likely to buy products and services online than smartphone visitors and were nearly as likely to purchase as desktop/laptop visitors

Adobe officials said optimizing Websites for mobile devices, such as smartphones, is now becoming common practice. However, with the emergence of the iPad and Android tablets, companies now face additional mobile optimization requirements in order to provide enticing online shopping experiences, Adobe officials said. If retailers treat mobile and tablet optimization strategies alike, they may fail to leverage the power of tablet visitors, who the study suggests convert nearly three times more frequently than smartphone visitors, Adobe added.

Adobe said its study suggests that demographics of tablet visitors, as well as the flexibility of the overall tablet user experience, contribute to higher tablet visitor profitability. Tablet visitors are typically males between the ages of 18-34 years old and tend to be more affluent than other online shoppers. However, higher income levels among tablet owners is just one part of the story, Adobe said. Tablet users also have higher usage rates over the weekend, when there is more time to shop online.

Download the full Adobe Digital Marketing Insights report here.

Adobe has begun to apply its analytics technologies and expertise to the marketing arena as part of a strategic move to restructure to focus on digital media and digital marketing. Other major IT vendors are playing in the digital marketing space, as IBM conducts similar studies with its IBM Benchmark, which is based on the company's Coremetrics technology. As Adobe is betting heavily on its digital marketing play, IBM is going all in with its Smarter Commerce strategy.

For more industry insight from Adobe and top digital marketers and advertisers from around the world, attend Adobe Digital Marketing Summit 2012. The annual event will convene thousands of marketers, advertisers, publishers, agencies and developers in Salt Lake City, Utah, from March 20-23, 2012.

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