Tablet devices, led by the iPad, are the most sought-after holiday gift this year according to a new study by Toronto-based Solutions Research Group (SRG).
The survey of 1,000 Canadians age 12+ saw tablet mentions almost double over last year, with the iPad accounting for 83% of all tablet mentions.
SRG president Kaan Yigit said that while marketing is responsible for increased consumer desire (“Apple is the single most capable marketing machine on the face of the Earth at this point,” he said), it is also being stoked by the confluence of an understanding of, and a need for, mobile technology products.
Consumers, he said, “put a premium on getting things done on the go or relaxing on their own time, and this is the reason why demand in these categories is booming.”
In addition, he said, tablets are emerging as the next growth category for both wireless companies and consumer electronics retailers such as Best Buy. This has been reflected in “unprecedented buzz and advertising” in the category in the past six months.
The iPad was followed on the list by, in order, new clothes, a new TV, a laptop and a vacation. The iPhone, meanwhile, shot up 10 places to 6th on the list, reflecting an overall increase (23%) in desire for mobile phones.
Smartphones accounted for three of every four mentions in the mobile category, with the iPhone garnering the most mentions by what SRG termed a “significant margin” over Android and BlackBerry devices.
The study also paints a picture of “cautious” consumer sentiment heading into the key holiday sales period, with 32% of Canadians saying they will spend more on holiday shopping this year and 53% saying they will spend about the same. About 15% of Canadians said they will spend less this year.
