Study Reveals Technology Picks for Consumers in 2005
BOSTON and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Communications consultancy Brodeur today released results from a recent survey that puts Digital Cameras, DVD Recorders, HDTV, Digital Camcorders and Wireless routers/modems at the top of a list of more than 15 product categories consumers say they will buy in 2005.
The proprietary study of more than 2,500 Americans, conducted in November for Brodeur by Forrester Custom Consumer Research, probed Americans' attitudes about more than 80 brands, 35 consumer electronics manufacturers, 20 cable/satellite and wireless service providers, a dozen online service companies and more than 15 retailers, both traditional and online.
"This study clears up many of the blind spots marketers have when trying to target communications to consumers about technology products and services," said Michael Brewer, executive vice president, Brodeur. "We now have a much better picture of who exactly is going to buy all the new technologies out there, but more importantly, how they go about gathering information about technology. This will help us develop communications programs for our clients that have more impact in the market."
Mass Confused?
The study follows the various sources consumers use to gather information about technology—from news articles to advertising to web sites to in-store interactions with retail sales people. It also identifies how confused consumers feel about nearly 20 activities considered every day use of technology. A "Confusion Index" created by Forrester for Brodeur puts the average consumer confusion at .277 on a zero to 1 scale with one representing "extremely confused." The activities consumers find most confusing: adding memory to a digital camera and sending text messages from their mobile phones.
Nearly 50 percent of consumers who rate themselves as "extremely confused" say they have delayed the purchase of a new technology product by more than a year from the time they first considered it. While 20 percent of this group says they delayed their purchase because they were confused by it, 25 percent say they bought the product even though they were still confused.
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