The Integer Group reported that African-American and Hispanic shoppers are more likely to use mobile devices to research purchases on the web than other demographics, but ecommerce is rising among all Americans.

A report from the Integer Group found that the African-American and Hispanic populations are adopting mobile and web shopping technology more quickly than other demographics. Marketers targeting these audiences should be investing in more aggressive cross-web content marketing as the study shows these users are accessing content on websites and doing so from several different web-connected devices. Overall, digital research and online shopping are becoming mainstream and businesses must plan accordingly.

Twenty-one percent of African-American respondents said they use their smartphones to read shopping reviews, compared with just 13 percent of Caucasians. Similarly, Hispanic shoppers are more likely than others to use their smartphones to compare prices while they’re in stores. While Integer said that Caucasians are more likely to use smartphones, other demographics are getting better use of their devices for shopping.

“Digital shopping tools are illustrative of the continued blurring of the on- and offline spaces. Today’s reality is that shoppers use whatever tools they have on hand to make them smarter, savvier shoppers,” Ben Kennedy, Integer Group

The report also suggests that email marketing campaigns are becoming more popular across the board. Forty-nine percent of all respondents said they enroll in and access email content from brands.

More than anything, Integer believes its survey results suggest shopping is becoming less about online versus offline, with consumers looking for a unified experience.

Typically, ecommerce is associated with consumer goods, as people buy clothing and others items on the web. However, Brafton recently reported that the auto insurance industry is seeing increased activity in terms of online shopping. Attracting new prospects or existing customers with content marketing campaigns can help organizations stand out from their competitors as more people turn to the web”Digital shoppers are just shoppers,” Ben Kennedy, group director of Mobile Marketing at the Integer Group, said in a release. “Digital shopping tools are illustrative of the continued blurring of the on- and offline spaces. Today’s reality is that shoppers use whatever tools they have on hand to make them smarter, savvier shoppers.”

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Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.