NEW YORK - According to a survey conducted by Nielsen during the first quarter of 2012, the vast majority (79%) of U.S. smartphone and tablet owners have used their mobile devices for shopping-related activities. Smartphones are used more often than tablets for activities on the go: "Locating a store" (73% versus 42% for tablets), "using a shopping list while shopping" (42% versus 16% for tablets) or "redeeming a mobile coupon" (36% versus 11% for tablet owners).

However, tablet owners are much more likely to use their device for online shopping: 42% of tablet owners have "used their device to purchase an item," compared to just 29% of smartphone owners.

One of the most popular activities among both smartphone owners and tablet owners is "researching an item before purchase" (66% for tablet owners versus 57% for smartphone owners). Comparatively few mobile shoppers have used their devices for payments (27% of smartphone owners and 28% of tablet owners), but that number is expected to rise in the years to come as more mobile payment systems roll out nationwide and U.S. consumers get more comfortable with the idea of mobile payments.

Another recent survey by Placecast found that overall interest in mobile phone payments has jumped 8% during the last two years. Thirty-eight percent of all mobile phone users ?" and 59% of smartphone users ?" indicated it??s important to have that ability, Online Media Daily reports. The Placecast survey also echoed the Nielsen one in that shoppers with smartphones used the devices to find a location, look at the retailer??s website, download a retailer??s app, or searched for a coupon.