Survey shows more consumers to buy bigger TVs
It may sound trite, but it’s true: TV buyers are embracing the concept that bigger really is better. About 57% of the consumers planning to buy a TV intend to get one with a 40-inch or larger screen, and many of those buyers (22%) have their sights set on a 50-inch or larger TV.
That’s what we discovered in our latest holiday survey, in which 21% of the 1,000 consumers surveyed said they’d be buying a TV during or after the holidays. Last year, shoppers had more modest aspirations—only 47% were looking at 40-inch and bigger TVs. The steady drop in big-screen prices over the past year could well be the reason more viewers aspire to live larger.
Screen size isn’t the only thing driving purchases, though. Better picture quality with high-def resolution was the biggest reason buyers are willing to spring for a new TV, cited by 77% of those planning to buy a TV. The appearance of the TV also comes into play: 71% want a set that takes up less space than the one they have now or that can be wall-mounted, and just over half said they were looking for a more attractive design.
Where will these new TVs fit into the household? About 70% of buyers are replacing an older TV that is not a flat panel, 36% are buying an additional flat screen for another room, and 20% are upgrading an older flat-panel set.
In some cases, envy is the motivating factor: 37% of the respondents said they want a new TV because their family or friends have one. (The men surveyed were more likely than the women to keep up with the Joneses, 42% vs. 32%. Gee, that’s a surprise.) There was even more of a gender gap in another case: 38% of men polled want a new TV for a sporting event such as the SuperBowl, while only 24% of women voiced the same sentiment.
With a nod to the season, I’m happy to report that there were several heart-warming reasons for the planned shopping sprees. More than two-thirds of the consumers surveyed said their families really wanted a new set, and one-third said they expected to spend more time at home enjoying it. And fully 21% of the respondents said they were buying a TV as a gift.
Are you in the market for a new TV, and why? If you are shopping, be sure to check out our TV buying guide (free to one and all) and our Ratings (available to subscribers). Learn more about consumer holiday shopping plans in another Electronics blog and in our Money blog.
As for me? I have two perfectly good flat panels at home, one of which I love, but I know I’d love a brand new 50-inch plasma with 1080p resolution and Internet connectivity and four HDMI inputs and a USB port even more. (Are you listening, Santa?) —Eileen McCooey
Methedology: The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,001 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place over November 5th – November 8th, 2009. The margin of error is +/- 3.2% points at a 95% confidence level.
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