MUMBAI: Depicting the shifting trend in market, around 32 per cent of smartphone users shop using their mobile handsets, according to a recent report by communication agency Havas Media's mobile marketing network Mobext India.

While 32 per cent users prefer using mobile devices for shopping, 23 per cent pick laptops and desktops as the next choice for the task. The report also states that 15.7 per cent of smart-phone buyers and 16 per cent of tablet buyers prefer not to visit a physical store for purchasing the devices.

Quoting a study 'Role of the connected device in the branding and buying cycle of a consumer', Havas Media Asia Pacific chief executive Vishnu Mohan said, “It goes on to show how connected the mobile device is and plays a significant role in a purchase decision.”

The survey was based on responses by over 2,800 respondents in the country and reveals that almost 80 per cent of respondents held smartphone as their primary device, while 13 per cent consider the laptop or desktop and 7 per cent prefer the tablet as the primary device. The total amount of media consumption by Indian consumers averaged at nine hours with smartphones constituting 44 per cent of it.

Havas Media India & South Asia chief executive Anita Nayyar said, “As consumers are increasingly spending more time on their mobile devices and use them for different purposes, brands have more opportunities to interact meaningfully with their customers.”

The report also stated that mobile device purchase cannibalizes other media consumption habits as 21 per cent of smartphone users prefer not to read a printed book. While 22 per cent prefer to watch less TV, 16 per cent reduce time on the Internet through a laptop and 30 per cent of tablet users read fewer printed books.