Photo: UBC Okanagan

With a smartphone or a tablet in hand, we are more likely to treat ourselves with online purchases.

That is the conclusion from a recent study conducted at UBC's Okanagan campus.

“Touchscreen technology has rapidly penetrated the consumer market and embedded itself into our daily lives. Given its fast growth and popularity, we know surprisingly little about its effect on consumers,” said Ying Zhu, faculty of management assistant professor at UBCO, who spearheaded the study. 

Zhu added that the 'use of tactile technologies' is expected to represent nearly half of all e-commerce in 2018, to target the near two-billion smartphone users.

In the study, Zhu, along with co-author Jeffrey Meyer, noted the 'playful and fun nature of the touchscreen', which, as their findings indicate, contribute to the temptation to indulge in buying online. 

“Overall, what we learned is that using a touchscreen evokes consumers’ experiential thinking," Zhu added. “But my advice for consumers who want to save a bit of money is to put away the smartphone when you have the urge to spend on a guilty pleasure.”