Commentary

Price, Convenience, Reviews Essential To Early Adopters

Price and convenience remain two of the most important messages when it comes to searching and buying products and services -- especially when these services are tied to Amazon, Lyft, and Netflix. Reviews also help to convince consumers to sign up.

These three companies, among others, are categorized as "disruptors"  in a study released Thursday by Toluna,

Toluna, which allows users to create polls, surveyed 1,028 people between the ages of 18 and 55 across the U.S. from its online community of people -- which typically votes in polls to earn cash and prizes -- about their use and opinions around digital disruptor companies.

The survey, which asked consumers to identify themselves in terms of how they adopt technology and services, ran on May 15, 2018 for less than 24 hours. The categories included innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggard. What follows is just a sample of the findings.

The study found that first adopters of new services noted greater use of entertainment services such as Netflix and Hulu. After searching for a way to “cut the cord,” I found DirectTV from AT&T because (for me) it works anywhere on my iPhone, iPad mini, and Roku device, unlike services such as Spectrum, even in rural areas around Wyoming.

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The study suggests that 72% adopted entertainment services; while 66% adopted quick-turn shipping retailers like Amazon and Walmart; transportation services like Uber and Lyft, 55%; conferencing and chat services, 53%; health and beauty, 51%; photo ordering services, 48%; rental, 47%; meal kits, 38%; wardrobe subscriptions like Rent and Runway, 37%; and none, 3%.

Despite all the hype and novelty of services like Rent and Runway that will recommend and deliver clothing styles to a consumer’s front door for a monthly subscription fee, these services and the meal delivery services have not gained traction based on the results. And if they vanished, according to the study, they would not be missed.  

The most likely missed brands, per the findings, are quick-turn shipping retailers like Amazon, entertainment services at 55% like Netflix, and transportation services like Lyft at 36%.  

And while getting people to sign up for services is not always easy, the study found that nearly a quarter of all consumers participating in the survey reporting that they had signed up for or purchased from a “digital disruptor” in the past month. Some 23% said they did so within the past month, 26% said never, 17% said more than six months ago, 12% said they did so in the past month, and 15% said they did between two and three months ago.

Taking a closer look at the subgroups, only 6% who categorized themselves as Innovators said they never having signed up for a digital disruptor brand, while 55% of Laggards had not.

Reading about the experiences of other users motivates consumers to buy and use services. It also helps many consumers overcome concerns and try new products and services.

The study found that 51% of consumers like to read reviews of others before considering making a purchase. Some 46% like to know through those reviews that returns on easy if the product doesn’t fit with their needs, with 44% saying they like recommendations from friends.

Another important message, 40% said they like free trials when considering using a service or product from a disruptor brand.

 

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