New CEA Survey Says Consumers Look To Retailers For Information And Assistance

28-Aug-02

Consumers View Retailers As Knowledgeable, But Rely On Other Sources Before Making Final CE Purchase DecisionsMuch of the decision-making process of the consumer electronics buyer is made well in advance of reaching a store, according to results of a recent survey conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). In most cases, a majority of consumers (68 percent) know which brand and model they will purchase well before going to the store. A product's quality, performance and features, as recommended by other owners, friends or family, have the greatest impact on consumer choice, making it difficult for retailers to influence product choice. ""Consumers weigh a variety of factors when determining where they will shop and what they will buy,"" said Sean Wargo, senior industry analyst for CEA. ""In that environment, the key for the retailer is simply getting the consumer into the store. This survey reveals just how important it is to balance pricing and a positive retail environment with friendly sales staff and strong return policies in order to gain and maintain loyal customers.""According to survey results, consumers do view retailers as a knowledgeable source for product information, but rely on other sources to make their final purchase decision. Almost half of survey respondents say they consult retail salespeople when researching a particular product. Based on consumer perception, among those considered to be very or somewhat knowledgeable, are associates at computer stores (87 percent) and sales people at high-end electronics stores (84 percent). Consumers purchasing electronics tend to be wary of retail staff, with only 15 percent of survey respondents saying they ""completely or somewhat trust"" store salespeople. This falls short of the trust bestowed upon friends or relatives who own the product (84 percent) or the product manufacturer (39 percent). The lack of trust contributes to consumers' reluctance to turn to a sales associate when undecided about which brand or model to buy - only a third of consumers (33 percent) say they do so. However, according to the CEA survey, retailers have other ways of influencing consumers' choice of store. Though respondents say having the lowest price is the most important factor in choosing a retailer, participants also consider past experiences (83 percent), product variety (83 percent) and return policies (82 percent) when determining where to purchase consumer electronics products. Advertising also influences retailer decisions. Once ready to buy, 78 percent of those surveyed say they go to a store that has advertised the desired product. Consumers also look to retailers for available and friendly sales staff, with an overwhelming majority of respondents saying they consider these two qualities to be important factors when choosing a retailer (75 percent and 70 percent, respectively). In fact, 59 percent of respondents say they rely upon retail staff for getting help with locating product in the store. The ""CE Consumer Education"" survey was conducted on the Internet to a representative online sample of 900 U.S. adults during June 2002. For more information, visit www.eBrain.org. For more information about the CEA, visit www.ce.org.

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