Source: InPublishing
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of UK based tablet owners who read a magazine on their device in the last 30 days say they would prefer all digital magazines to be formatted in the same way, according to new research from the GfK MRI iPanel - composed exclusively of tablet and eReader owners.

Almost the same percentage (70%) said they would like to be able to buy items by clicking on the ads in a digital magazine.

Research firm GfK MRI asked tablet owners who read a magazine on their device in the last 30 days to give their opinion on several magazine-related topics. Additional findings include:

Asked about digital advertising in general, nearly three-quarters (70%) of tablet magazine readers say they like electronic ads that are personalised to their interests.

A majority of tablet magazine readers (67%) say that, if available, they would rather read an electronic version of a magazine than a paper version. However, 65% of tablet magazine readers say it's more satisfying to read a magazine the traditional way - on paper.

"Although magazine publishers are experimenting with different formats in order to differentiate their digital brands, this is not necessarily resonating with digital readers adopting the new tablet technology," said Risa Becker, SVP Research at GfK MRI. "Another really interesting finding is the seeming contradiction between the fact that most tablet magazine readers prefer to read electronically, and most also say it is more satisfying to read on paper. This may speak to the fact that although the convenience of electronic magazines, including the portability and immediate access, are highly valued by tablet readers, paper magazines still have a special tactile appeal."

Some of the less positive findings from the GfK MRI iPanel are that almost half (48%) of tablet magazine readers say electronic magazines take too long to download, 46% say that videos in digital versions of magazines are "just a gimmick" and 43% claim they find it hard to search for magazines they want to read on their tablet.