• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, August 18, 2011

While cautious back-to-school shoppers may not be giving retailers much to sing about, this season is providing new insights into how they are using technology, with tablets and smartphones both gaining importance.

The National Retail Federation reports that 39.6% of college shoppers and 30.2% of K-12th grade shoppers with tablets say they intend to use tablets for buying back-to-school products. And 16.8% of college shoppers, as well as 18.8% of K-12 grade shoppers with smartphones say they will make purchases via their device.

Some 51% of those with tablets say they plan to use it for BTS shopping research, with women far more likely to do so (55%) than men (46%.) Conversely, men are more likely to use tablets for actual purchases (36%) than women (25%).