Austin, Texas - January 8, 2009 - Consumers may be understandably thrifty in the first half of 2009, but economy is trumped by entertainment when purchasing technology, according to new poll results released today by the Wi-Fi Alliance in conjunction with Wakefield Research.
Looking ahead to 2009, 85% of respondents reported that the technology products they plan to purchase will be mostly for entertainment purposes. Only 25% of respondents who agreed that when shopping for consumer electronics "I will focus on things that are discounted or price-reduced."
The poll results indicate that consumer electronics are considered high-priority purchases, and buyers don't regret their investments in those products - even during a recession. However, consumers do select consumer electronics carefully, with only 21 percent of respondents reporting that they bought technology products they did not need in 2008.
"Consumer electronics manufacturers may be asking themselves what will keep consumers' appetites for tech devices strong in 2009," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director for the Wi-Fi Alliance. "What's clear from our findings is that while consumers evaluate electronics purchases carefully, price is not the foremost buying decision. Instead, the emphasis is on products that bring the most compelling features and entertainment value to the user."
Wi-Fi technology continues to shine as a must-have for entertainment products now and in the coming year. More than half of the consumers surveyed agreed with the statement that "in 2009 it's unlikely that I will buy a tech item that doesn't have Wi-Fi capability," and 88 percent reported that "pretty soon every high-tech device will have Wi-Fi." In fact, 44 percent of those polled said Wi-Fi is the "best sign that a new tech item is cutting edge."
In another surprising sign of the times, when asked, "If money gets a little tight next month, which of the following would you cut first," 72 percent of those surveyed said they would "cut back on food expenses" before canceling their internet connection. A similar question found that 80 percent of those surveyed would "turn down the heat" in lieu of going without internet service.
"These findings demonstrate how essential connectivity has become in our daily lives," said Davis-Felner. "Even when money is scarce, consumers are willing to make sacrifices in order to stay in touch with friends, family and to work and be productive online."
The online survey was conducted among 803 nationally representative American adults by Wakefield between Dec. 11 and Dec. 16, 2008. Sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percent. More information about Wi-Fi CERTIFIED entertainment products is available at www.wi-fi.org.