Purchase of multi-function devices eating into sales of single-function ones: Accenture study

Consumers are less likely to buy single-function electronic products in the next year, while intentions to buy multi-function devices have increased dramatically, according to a new Accenture survey.

According to its new 2013 Global Consumer Electronics Products and Services Usage Report released today, the survey explored consumer usage and spending habits for 16 types of consumer electronic devices, 11 of which perform a single function and five that execute multiple functions.

Consumers' intentions to purchase single-function devices have fallen or remained flat compared with the prior year. For example, the percentage of survey respondents planning to buy BluRay DVD players fell slightly, from 11 per cent to 10 per cent, while purchase intentions for digital photo cameras, digital video cameras, and game consoles remained flat.

In sharp contrast, the percentage of respondents planning to buy multi-function devices in the next year increased significantly, from 16 per cent a year ago to 36 per cent for desktop and laptop PCs; from 27 per cent to 41 per cent for smartphones; from 20 per cent to 33 per cent for HDTVs; and from 16 per cent to 23 per cent for tablet computers.

In September 2012, Accenture conducted an online survey of 11,000 consumers in 11 countries - Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Respondents were equally split by gender and were at least 18 years old. 

The survey focused on consumer electronics devices including: basic mobile phones, digital video cameras, PCs (including desktops, laptops, netbooks and ultrabooks), digital photo cameras, BluRay DVD players, non-BluRay DVD players, digital video recorders (DVRs), eBook readers, game consoles, GPS devices, HDTVs, health and fitness devices, portable gaming devices, portable music players, regular TVs, smartphones, and tablet computers.