1 in 5 Americans Consider Themselves Early Tech Adopters

November 13, 2012

This article is included in these additional categories:

Boomers & Older | Europe & Middle East | Global & Regional | Men | Technology | Women | Youth & Gen X

While 19% of Americans are eager to be among the first to try new technology products and services, the remaining 81% prefer to wait for those products and services to catch on, according to November 2012 findings from Ipsos. This puts Americans well below the global average of 25% who prefer to be early adopters. Predictably, younger Americans are the most avid early adopters.

24% of those under aged 18-35 want to be first in line, but the 35-49 age group is not far behind, at 22%. Just 12% of the 50-64 segment consider themselves rapid adopters.

The study finds that enthusiasm for early adoption rises with income. 16% of those in low-income households want to be first to adopt new technology and services, compared to 20% of those in high-income households. But, enthusiasm is about equal among the unemployed and the employed (19% and 20%).

American women are significantly less eager than American men to be first-in-line for those new products and services (17% vs. 22%). Also true, business owners lag far behind those who do not own a business (13% vs. 20%), and senior executives and decision makers lag those who answer to them (17% vs. 20%).

Emerging Economies First In Line

Comparing regions, consumers in North America, at 18%, are the least eager to be first in line for new technology products and services. Consumers in Latin America and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) are the most enthusiastic, at 31%, with the Middle East and Africa not far behind at 29%, and Asia Pacific at 28%.

Europe and the G-8 countries rank below-average as well (21% and 20%, respectively), suggesting that in well-developed regions where strong legacy systems exist, there is less of an urgency for new technology than exists in emerging economies.

Comparing respondents across the 24 countries studied, Hungarians, at just 7%, register the lowest enthusiasm for early adoption. Hungary was the only country to come in with a single digit figure. Among world citizens, Hungarians appear to be the least dazzled by technology: in a separate survey, Ipsos found that Hungarians at 87% show the strongest preference for in-person sales rather than automated and online sales.

Ranking first in preference for early adoption: Mexico at 40%, followed by China at 38%.

About The Data: The Ipsos data is based on 12,000 online interviews conducted in September 2012 across 24 countries, with adults aged 18-64. The US data is based on a sample size of 500.

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