somersault

According to a survey by Empathica as reported by Warc, a majority of North American consumers prefer buying products in-store to doing so online.

Regarding purchase habits, 21% of respondents agree in-store experiences are typically better than the online equivalent, 15% take the opposite stance, and 36% state these channels are evenly matched. Despite this, 69% favor making most acquisitions in bricks-and-mortar outlets, while 22% afford the Web a parallel status.

One digital activity that has proved especially popular is using comparison sites, as 72% of contributors have utilized the Net to conduct research, monitor prices, and complete transactions.

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It appears iPad users are marking content during the day and consuming it later when they can lean back and actually read. According to Read it Later (@readitlater), from a study of 100 million articles saved using its service, people use browsing and bookmarking to time-shift the consumption of content to whatever would be prime time for them (typically 6am breakfast, 9am commute, 5-6pm commute, or 8-10pm couch time, the latter being the most prevalent).

When a reader is given a choice about how to consume their content, a major shift in behavior occurs. They no longer consume the majority of their content during the day, on their computer. Instead they shift that content to prime time and onto a device better suited for consumption.

Initially, it appears that the devices users prefer for reading are mobile devices, most notably the iPad. It’s the iPad leading the jailbreak from consuming content in our desk chairs.

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This article in the Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) takes a unique look at the role of e-readers in the expression of one’s faith. Here’s an excerpt:

Many observant Jews do not operate lights, computers, mobile phones, or other electrical appliances from sundown on Friday until three stars appear in the night sky on Saturday. They abstain from these activities because, over the last century, rabbinic authorities have compared electricity use to various forms of work prohibited on the Sabbath by the Bible and post-biblical rabbinic literature, including lighting a fire and building. The difficulty of interpreting the Bible's original intent and applying it to modern technology has rendered electricity use on the Sabbath one of the more contentious topics in Jewish law.

E-readers are problematic not only because they are electronic but also because some rabbis consider turning pages on the device - which causes words to dissolve and then resurface - an act of writing, also forbidden on the Sabbath.

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Fast Company (@fastcompany) reports that “one out of every five Americans plans to own a tablet by 2014,” according to a Harris poll. Most want to use it to browse the Web, followed by accessing their email, reading, social networking, watching TV or movies, conducting business, and playing games. The “reading” category grabs Somersault’s attention: 53% predict they’re going to add devices like the iPad to their schedule of absorbing everyday content. Another reason for publishers to be serious about digitizing their material in innovative ways. Read the full report.