Retailers - and Shoppers - High on Tablet Apps

The New York Times reports that retailers like Sears and Ralph Lauren, along with eCommerce focused companies like Amazon, Gilt, QVC, HSN, Net-a-Porter, and eBay have all introduced tablet apps and see a strong future in tablet shopping even though tablets made up only about 4.4 percent of the computer marketplace in 2010 (noting that Morgan Stanley projects that they will account for about 20 percent of the market within two years). The article notes that while anyone can put up a reasonably good Website, it takes deeper pockets to do a good tablet app, which helps established companies stand out from the cybercrowd. They are also better positioned to make the apps entertaining. And if, as one merchant was quoted, "“People are decompressing after work, maybe had a few cocktails...that’s beautiful, we like that, it’s good for shopping.”