LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Price comparison shopping site PriceGrabber^® just released results of its third winter holiday shopping survey, revealing consumers' expected shopping habits within the tech category this holiday season. When consumers were asked whether they would rather receive a tablet computer or a laptop as a holiday gift this year, 59 percent indicated that they would rather receive a tablet. Seventy-one percent of shoppers also indicated that they believe tablet computers will replace e-readers as gifts this year. Conducted from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, 2012, the survey includes responses from 1,475 U.S. online shopping consumers.

Apple® iPad® and iPad® mini top-ranked overall tablets
The power of the Apple brand is likely to remain in full force again this holiday season, especially with the launch of the iPad® 4 and iPad® mini. When consumers were asked which tablet they would prefer to receive as a gift this year (respondents could select as many choices as they liked), 63 percent said they preferred the iPad® 3 or iPad® 4 and 24 percent indicated the iPad® mini. Twenty-two percent indicated they would like to receive the Samsung® Galaxy Note® Tab; 20 percent cited the Amazon® Kindle Fire HD®; and 13 percent said the Microsoft® Surface® tablet.

This was followed by 12 percent that selected the Google® Nexus 7®, 8 percent who said the Amazon® Kindle Fire®; another 8 percent that noted the Sony® Tablet S® and 7 percent that selected the Toshiba® Excite®. Other tablets, such as the Barnes & Noble® Nook HD® tablet, ASUS® Transformer Pad®, Lenovo® ThinkPad Tablet 2®, Experia® Tablet S®, Acer® Iconia Tab A110® and Best Buy's® new Insignia Flex®, ranked lower.

iPad® mini Wins Consumer Vote in Lower Priced Tablet Category
When PriceGrabber survey respondents were asked to select all of the lower priced tablets they would be most likely to purchase as a holiday gift this year, the iPad mini® came out on top with 45 percent of the vote. Twenty-seven percent of respondents selected the Amazon® Kindle Fire HD®, and the Google® Nexus 7® and the Amazon® Kindle Fire® tied for third place both receiving 19 percent. Six percent of consumers selected both the Barnes & Noble® Nook HD® and the Barnes & Noble® Nook HD+®.

When the 45 percent of consumers that selected the iPad mini® out of the lower priced tablet options, were asked why they would purchase that particular tablet as a gift this holiday season, 47 percent said because of its smaller size and portability. Thirty-eight percent of consumers cited its lower price point compared to the regular iPad®, 35 percent said they love Apple® products and always purchase the latest and greatest as gifts, and 33 percent indicated that it would make a great gift. Twenty-seven percent of respondents noted its lighter weight and 22 percent said that the overall price point is more affordable.

"Tablets continue to grow in popularity as a top holiday gift, especially with the emergence of lower priced tablets in the $200 to $300 price range targeting budget-conscience consumers," said Rojeh Avanesian, vice president of marketing and analytics of PriceGrabber.com. "We expect to see a lot of shopping activity in the tablet category again this holiday season, with retailer's battling it out to win the consumer dollar."

Consumers Cite LeapPad2 Explorer® as Top Holiday Tablet for Children
Tablets for children have become popular over the last couple of years. When consumers were asked which tablet they would be most likely to purchase as a holiday gift for a child this year (respondents could select as many choices as they liked), 23 percent selected the LeapPad2 Explorer®. The iPad mini® came in second place with 22 percent of the vote and the Leapfrog tablet came in third place receiving 20 percent. Seventeen percent of shoppers selected the iPad 3 or iPad 4 and 12 percent indicated they would most likely purchase the Amazon® Kindle Fire® as a holiday gift for a child.

Shoppers select Amazon® Kindle Fire® as top e-reader
While PriceGrabber respondents overwhelmingly favor tablets, consumers were asked to select all of the e-readers they would prefer to receive as a gift this holiday season. Thirty-nine percent of respondents selected the Amazon® Kindle Fire®; 38 percent indicated the iPad 3® or iPad 4®; and the iPad mini® and Amazon® Kindle Touch® both received 23 percent of the vote. Seventeen percent said the Samsung® Galaxy Note® Tab and this was followed by 12 percent who indicated the Google® Nexus 7®. Another 10 percent of consumers noted the Barnes & Noble® Nook® and 9 percent selected the Amazon® Kindle Paperwhite®. Other e-readers such as the Barnes & Noble® Simple Touch®, Sony® e-reader®, Kobe e-reader® and ASUS® Transformer Pad®, ranked lower.

To view all of PriceGrabber's 2012 holiday shopping press releases, visit: http://www.pricegrabber.com/about.php?about=press

Infographics from PriceGrabber's Winter Holiday Shopping Surveys
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INFOGRAPHIC 3: http://i.pgcdn.com/images/infographics/holiday2_infographic1.jpg
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INFOGRAPHIC 1: http://i.pgcdn.com/images/infographics/Holiday1_InfoGraphic1.jpg 

For shrewd holiday shopping on any budget, visit http://www.pricegrabber.com to browse products, compare prices, read merchant reviews, find local deals, online deals, and more. Download the mobile application for smart shopping on the go. 

About PriceGrabber.com^®
PriceGrabber is a leading online shopping site with more than 23 million unique shoppers monthly. At PriceGrabber, savvy shoppers can instantly find and compare over 80 million unique products and services across 25 categories with more than 11,000 merchants. Compare products side by side to find the right retailers at the best prices within popular categories, such as Digital Cameras, TVs, Electronics, Computers, Clothing, Books, and more. PriceGrabber provides shoppers with the right product from the right merchant at the best price anytime, anywhere. Visit us at http://www.pricegrabber.com.

SOURCE PriceGrabber.com