Teens in Control of Consumer Electronics Purchases
Students looking to buy consumer electronics say they are the ones in control of the budget and brand-buying decisions, according to an online survey of 300 junior and senior high school students conducted by InsightExpress.
“Students are more educated not only in terms of what devices they want to own, but also which brands,” said Lee Smith, president and CEO of InsightExpress, a Stamford, CT-based market research firm. “Teenagers hold a tremendous amount of influence when it comes to the devices they select, and savvy manufacturers will recognize the opportunity this audience represents.”
Devices most wanted by teens include MP3 players, cell phones and digital (still and video) cameras. While students plan to pay for only 30% of electronics purchases themselves, teenagers say they still wield more buying influence than their parents.
Of those polled, 72% reported learning about home electronics through friends, 70% through the Internet, 70% through television, 58% through magazines and 44% through school.
