Consumers were more likely to research (74% vs 60%) or buy (53% vs 46%) technology products online than in a store in the past 12 months. Generally speaking, the benefits of being able to view a product in the flesh and speak to a sales advisor have not outweighed the ability to compare more models and prices online.

Electrical store retailers may still be suffering from tactics of bygone years, when staff were often incentivised by commission in order to sell technology products. Although employee rewards are now less focused around what they sell, consumers are yet to fully trust in-store staff, with 40% of people believing they are more interested in selling technology products than they are about giving advice.

This report investigates where consumers research and buy their technology products, how this varies by device, and what influences them to pick one brand or product over another in four categories –televisions, computers, tablets and smartphones.

Finally the report looks at consumers’ attitudes towards technology retailers and manufacturers, as we analyse how companies can overcome barriers or make the most of potential opportunities in order to better engage with shoppers.

This report looks at the researching and buying of consumer technology products in the UK market.

Whilst the phrase ‘technology products’ is used to discuss the sector as a whole, the consumer sections of this report focus mostly on the four product categories surveyed and researched by Mintel – televisions, laptop/desktop computers, smartphones and tablets.

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