TVs top consumers' holiday season high-tech wish lists
From games consoles to tablets, nearly two thirds of Americans are sizing up a new tech purchase as a holiday gift, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.
And while a new television is at the top of most consumers' most wanted lists, the gift most likely to be given at Thanksgiving or on Christmas day is going to be a set of headphones.
The CEA's 22nd Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study forecasts that 28% of consumers will be giving someone a set of earbuds as a present and 27% will splash out a little more on headphones.
Just over one quarter of US consumers planning on buying a tech gift (26%) are looking to purchase a tablet and 25% some form of Bluetooth speaker. In news that will no doubt cheer up computer manufacturers, notebooks and laptops are also being considered as techy gifts by 25% of consumers.
"CEA's 2015 holiday forecast suggests the holiday shopping season that lies before us will be the biggest on record," said Shawn DuBravac, CEA's chief economist and senior director of research. "Coupled with general holiday buying, Americans are showing a strong propensity for tech this holiday season."
And this buying is not confined to the usual devices. Even categories that would have been considered off limits to everyone except the earliest of early adopters just 12 months ago such as a smart home device or wearable are being considered as presents by 33% of consumers.
However, it's tech accessories where most money is expected to be spent, with 58% of shoppers set to be snapping up everything from selfie sticks (9%) and action camera accessories (7%) to video game tie-ins (23%).
Unfortunately, what consumers are looking to buy and what consumers are hoping to receive don't quite tally. A new television set is the most wished for tech gift this holiday season though thankfully, tablets are in the number two position and notebooks and laptop computers the fourth most popular electronic device, just behind a new smartphone and just ahead of a games console in fifth place.
"Whether Americans want the latest upgrade of their favorite tech device or to try out the newest emerging tech on the market, it's apparent that consumer enthusiasm for tech will be substantial this holiday shopping season," said DuBravac.
In all, according to the 22nd Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, the American public will spend a combined $34.2 billion on tech gifts in the closing months of 2015.
