Media Influence on Consumer Choice: TV, Audio, and Home Theater Equipment

From its humble beginnings as a black and white replacement for the all-important radio, television has evolved into a high-tech, multi-billion dollar industry. Consumers buying a television set today need to take more than screen size into consideration as they wade through terms like high definition, LCD, plasma, HDMI and others. The industry switch to digital television (DTV) will push the penetration of digital ready sets.

Many factors play a role in the purchase of televisions, audio, and home theater equipment and this report examines the importance of factors like product quality, product availability, price, brand name, and sales staff.

The report includes extensive detail on the level of influence 15 different types of online and traditional media had on TV, audio and home theater equipment purchases, and reveals significant influence by online product reviews. Online media covered: Manufacturer Web sites, Store Web sites, Other Web sites, Auction Web sites, Videos, Blogs, Product Reviews, Email, and Search Results. Traditional media types covered: Direct Mail, Magazine, Newspaper, Out-of-Home, Radio, and Television.

The report also offers insights on how receptive consumers are to buying online instead of in a store, as well data on the importance of sports sponsorships and support of a charity or cause.