43% of Smartphone, Tablet Users Have ‘Showroomed,’ Survey Finds

As online shopping becomes increasingly mainstream, many consumers are using traditional stores as a "showroom" for later online purchases. A survey from CouponCabin.com reveals that more than four in 10 (43 percent) smartphone or tablet owners have "showroomed" — i.e., used their mobile device to research and examine merchandise in a brick and mortar store without purchasing it there, then gone online to search for the same product at a lower price. This online survey was conducted nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from Sept. 18 to Sept. 20, with 2,361 U.S. adults aged 18 and older responding.