Americans use computers for online buying

They might be so popular as to be almost an extension of people's arms, but most Americans ditch their smartphones and return to the trusty computer when buying online.

That was the finding of a Gallup survey released on Tuesday which said that 74 per cent of adults in the US with smartphones usually turn to their computers for making purchases on the internet.

The situation is similar when browsing products online or comparing prices: 62 per cent do so on their computers, while only 21 per cent use their smartphones.

Of the six online activities Gallup measured, using social media such as Facebook or Twitter is the only activity Americans say they conduct more by smartphone (44 per cent) than computer (24 per cent).

The survey was conducted via the internet in April-May with 15,776 US adults who said they had a smartphone.

Originally published as Americans use computers for online buying