16 per cent of Americans aged 18 and over admit to having shopped online while on the toilet, according to a survey carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of digital gifting company CashStar. Thats equivalent to over 38m Americans engaging in mCommerce whilst engaging in other, slightly less savoury activities. And men are, rather unsurprisingly, more likely to shop on the toilet than women – observational comedians, take note. 

Meanwhile, nearly four per cent have shopped on their phone while in a business meeting, and around two per cent have shopped online while driving a car, perhaps taking the idea of shopping on the go a bit too literally.

Seven per cent of respondents – representing 17m Americans – have used their mobile device to shop while stood in a retailer’s bricks-and-mortar store. This phenomenon is more popular on the west coast of America.

“Smartphones and tablets have enabled consumers to shop and gift on-the-go in more ways and places than ever before,” said David Stone, co-founder and CEO of CashStar. “The retailers who have been paying attention and catering to where and how consumers want to shop by mobile-optimizing their e-commerce sites and offering mobile eGift Cards will reap the rewards this holiday season and have a jump on the competition going into 2013.”