When Shopping Online, Do You Use A Computer Or Mobile/tablet More?

Discussion in Computers, Electronics & Gadgets started by Diane Lane • Aug 3, 2015.

  1. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    I the past, I've tended to do the majority my online shopping from the desktop computer, but now that I have the tablet, and it's more functional than what I was previously using, I'm finding that I'm making some purchases from it, as well. Which do you use more when you're shopping online?
     
  2. troutski

    troutskiWell-Known Member

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    Does it really matter? :p Tablets, phones, and desktops/laptops are going to provide the same checkout experience no matter what. A smartphone might provide a mobile version of the website, but that doesn't change much, and you can always force the Desktop version. I use whatever I have on hand while I'm trying to buy something, whether that's my laptop or smartphone doesn't matter to me, or most users for that matter. It's just another personal preference thing.
     
  3. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    It depends on what you are buying, but I prefer my laptop and my finger may slip on the tablet and enter a wrong quantity or something. I have a bad habit of double tapping on my tablet, so again that may cause more issues for me.

    I think it does matter if you like to save transactions on your laptop, which is easier than a tablet (depending on what you have) and also some checkouts have a better layout on a laptop than a tablet.
     
  4. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I usually shop online from my laptop, because it's easier. I don't like to accidentally push any buttons on my tablet where I can't go back. It happened to me in the past, that I brushed against the wrong button and an order went through without me being able to cancel it until several hours later. I don't like such unnecessary hold ups that take me hours or even days to fix.
     
  5. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    I don't really think it matters, but I just prefer to use my laptop because that's what I use for almost all my online activity. Plus it's a lot easier for me than using either a tablet or mobile phone.
     
  6. GemmaRowlands

    GemmaRowlandsActive Member

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    I use my laptop, as I find that it is a lot easier to navigate and switch to other pages when I need to. One of the things that I like the most about online shopping is the fact that I can compare various websites with each other, to see which of them can offer me the best deal. This is what I do to ensure that I am not wasting any money that I could be saving, but to do this is much easier on a laptop, as you can have several windows open right next to each other, which is a great thing. I do shop on my tablet sometimes, though, and it isn't all that bad really.
     
  7. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    The only devices that I will ever feel comfortable using are laptops and desktops, preferably my own. I don't like to use other people's computers or laptops, because I don't want any of my details to be left behind. The reason why I don't like to purchase anything online with my tablet or smartphone is because both devices do tend to crash or freeze up, or sometimes when you click something, it goes through, but you don't quite know that it has. With a laptop or a desktop, it is a much more trustworthy experience - less chance of any discrepancies.
     
  8. obliviousme

    obliviousmeActive Member

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    Online shopping is kind of a big deal for me and i don't know for some reason i don't trust smartphones when dealing with this kind of situation. I feel like the phone's going to crash on me or i might be double charged or worse when you hit the 'pay now' button the phone would freeze so i only use laptop when buying stuff online. It really shouldn't matter though but i guess I'm just paranoid. lol
     
  9. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Before I buy something online I always do some extensive research, compare prices, read reviews, etc, etc. Researching things using a computer/desktop browser is a lot easier than when you use a tablet or phone. That's why I prefer to and always use a computer when shopping online.
     
  10. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    It certainly does matter. From my experience using smartphones, tablets, desktops and tablets, the checkout - or even website experiences - can differ a lot according to the model of the devices that you have, whether or not they are capable of doing what you are requesting of them. A lot of devices don't display websites the same way. Some devices are much more likely to glitch, and then mistakes are made. I don't like anything glitching where my money is concerned.
     
  11. evelination

    evelinationMember

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    I generally use my laptop when I'm at home and am serious about buying something, since it's way easier to navigate than on a phone/tablet. Though when I'm waiting in a queue somewhere, I usually just open my browser quickly and start looking at my wishlist for items that I could buy at that moment. Mightn't seem that way, but time actually passes a lot better than if you waited for your turn! :)
     
  12. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    Me too. If I am seriously going to buy something online, I have to use my laptop. And even then, I am iffy about whether there are any viruses or spyware on the system, since I don't want any of my details stolen. And it is easier for me to upgrade browsers on my laptop too, so that it will display the websites accurately.
     
  13. dandeliion

    dandeliionMember

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    They were talking about this on Good Morning America today! I used to only buy stuff off my computer because entering your information is so much faster but now that so many retailers accept Paypal I use my phone a lot more because it's quick and easy!
     
  14. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    You make another good point there too. It is just so much easier to enter in details when it comes to using a laptop or desktop computer. With my tablet, it runs on an up to date android system, and my smartphone is older but still seems to work with up to date stuff, but the entering in details is nowhere near as polished on those two devices as it is on the desktops or laptops. It is just all-round easier when the tablets and smartphones are not in the equation.
     
  15. Ke Gordon

    Ke GordonWell-Known Member

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    I use my laptop for almost everything. I have never tried shopping on a tablet. I have used a smartphone to shop at times. I have never used a tablet for shopping and I am not sure how that would differ from using another method. I think you use whatever method you feel comfortable with to shop.
     
  16. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    Yes, the experience is definitely different. There are particular sites where I will leave items sitting in my cart until I'm finished shopping, which can be a multi-day process, depending on what I'm buying, and whether it's for me, a loved one, or supplies for the shop. In that case, I've already done the comparison with other websites and determined that those are the best prices for what i'm intending to purchase.

    I almost always use PayPal, so I'm not as concerned about the details getting out, since I feel that's an extra layer of protection. I mainly use apps on the tablet, and use them when I'm shopping. I'm very familiar with them, so haven't used the mobile browser for shopping as much, but I did log into my bank from the tablet the other day, and the mobile browser was a totally different experience from the desktop.
     
  17. Sunshine703

    Sunshine703Active Member

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    I mostly purchase everything online through my laptop because I feel safer ordering through it directly from the desktop version then on the mobile option. Main reason because my laptop has better and faster wifi connectivity then my mobile devices do and it normally does the job a lot faster with wifi connection. Also shopping on the desktop website is just so much easier to view everything. I mean, there's no point in my ordering from my mobile device when my laptop is just sitting right there. So yeah, I prefer the laptop or desktop websites over mobile.
     
  18. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    @Diane Lane@Diane Lane I almost always use Paypal to pay for things that I am going to purchase online too, but even with a website such as Paypal, it displays differently on each of my different devices. Sometimes I have to accept certain certificates, and if I act too quickly and reject them, then the page displays than an error occurred, and then I don't know if the payment has gone through or not, and then I am worried about being charged twice if I try to do the whole thing again lol.
     
    #18Aug 8, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 10, 2015
  19. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    @DreekLass@DreekLass Haha, I hate when that happens. That's when I'll get on the desktop, to verify whether or not the transaction has gone through. I'll occasionally have to get on the desktop also to change default settings. I am not comfortable doing that on a smaller screen, and there do seem to be less glitches when I access it from the desktop. I've had an issue lately where my eBay cart will show the items, but say $0.00 total, so then I'll get on the desktop, to verify what's in there, and whether the transaction is going to go through correctly.
     
    #19Aug 8, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 10, 2015
  20. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    I have done the same - had to get straight on the desktop or the laptop to verify whether or not the transaction has gone through lol. And I feel like what is the point if I have to use two different devices anyway? I'm more like, why not just do the ordering or transaction on the desktop and laptop in the first place. That way there is less chance of any error. I have never accessed ebay on my tablet or smartphone. I just can't, because I don't want any unnecessary problems.