Consumers are most likely to buy new and complex technology in stores rather than online, says a new study from Ipsos Insight. Focusing on media hubs-also known as media servers or media streamers-that move music, photos, and video via wired Ethernet or wi-fi from a PC to a home stereo or TV-Ipsos found that 57% of consumers said they would prefer to buy a media hub in a consumer electronics store, while 26% said they would buy through an Internet retailer.
“It may seem surprising that people accustomed to operating in cyberspace want to revert to shopping in person, but the uncertainty and complexity of this new technology seems to make people seek out a personal level of reassurance that they can see and touch,” said Todd Board, senior vice president with Ipsos Insight’s technology and communications practice.
Board added, however: “This doesn’t mean the Internet isn’t an important shopping resource in this context.” 57% of consumers said they would use the Internet to search for information on this kind of home electronics and entertainment connectivity, while 26% said they would seek information from store displays.
Ipsos Insight based the study on interviews with 2,369 online Americans.
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