Widescreen Review Webzine | News | Survey Reveals 75% Of TV/Home Theatre Buyers Consider Product Reviews, Online Comments Before Purchase

November 14, 2008

Survey Reveals 75% Of TV/Home Theatre Buyers Consider Product Reviews, Online Comments Before Purchase

[The following is a release from Ad-ology]


	Recent News July 28, 2010 July 20, 2010 July 17, 2010 July 14, 2010 July 13, 2010 July 12, 2010 July 8, 2010 July 6, 2010 July 2, 2010

Three-quarters of recent television, audio, and home theater equipment purchasers ranked online product reviews and comments from other shoppers as having some or significant influence on their buying decision, according to the Fall 2008 Ad-ology Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey.

Consumers were also influenced by information from blogs, manufacturer, and store Web sites prior to buying.

The Ad-ology survey also indicates consumers consider quality, price, and availability the most important factors when purchasing TV, audio, or home theater equipment.

“Considering the importance consumers place on quality, it’s no surprise that product-review Web sites are a major influence on their purchases,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. “Manufacturer Web sites list technical specs, but consumer reviews give real-world experiences – what happens when you get the set home – that consumers feel they can trust.”

Despite doing online research for these products, the study shows 80.3 percent of consumers still prefer to purchase TV, audio, and home theater equipment in-person at a store.

Other key findings from the survey:

* One-third of recent TV/Audio/Home Theater purchasers were somewhat or significantly influenced by blog content
* Newspapers, television, and magazines were the most influential traditional media types
* Twenty percent of purchasers say sports marketing is a somewhat or very important factor in their buying decision
* Older consumers (ages 55 to 64) place importance on factors such as product availability, store reputation, and location

The Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey is conducted quarterly by Ad-ology Research to study on- and off-line media influence on buying decisions.

The full report covering “Media Influence on Consumer Choice: TV, Audio, and Home Theater Equipment,” can be purchased online through Ad-ology. The 58-page downloadable report is $495 and features 24 data charts, consumer-spending estimates by market, and additional marketing insights.

Reason #5 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:
Widescreen Review is a comprehensive collection of articles that help me shape my Home Theatre Experience. The new equipment section is a great resource when planning for new component additions. The equipment reviews also help to identify equipment attributes that may serve well in my environment. As a newcomer to the field of home theatre, Widescreen Review has helped me to understand some of the terminology, and to begin building my home theatre repertoire. In this area, it is helpful to review the reference systems descriptions, which also give ideas on how to set up my room. The DVD and D-VHS release schedule are also useful. All in all, Widescreen Review is a very easy-to-read magazine with great editorial content and a fantastic artistic layout, including great advertisement pages, which in the end helps me gain control of my Home Theatre Experience! - Kenneth Salyards