IDG Contributor Network: A new channel challenge for retailers: Dual-screening

In retail, we have seen merged channel, omnichannel and multi-channel, but here's an interesting twist: We are now seeing concrete marketing evidence from dual-screening, one courtesy of a new eBay U.K. report. Dual-screening is where a shopper watches television while also interacting with a mobile device.

Specifically, the report observed that purchases of cooking tools mentioned during a cooking show saw a 67 percent spike in mobile searches and mobile purchases at the moments following the references. That number grew to 133 percent more within an hour after the show.

In other words, consumers seeing a particular curved spatula or kitchen torch would immediately search for it and save it for purchase. That's the 67 percent spike and it's going to hit at different moments for different consumers, depending on which kitchen gadget intrigued them. But in the minutes after the show ended, they were all able to focus on the mobile device enough to complete payment and shipping details, which is why we saw the 133 percent spike.

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