Too hot? No problem. Hate coming home to a dark house? There’s an app for that too. Connected home automated devices have exploded in popularity in the last few years. Currently, 46% of internet-wired households have some sort of smart connected device. This translates to 93 million adults who own a device. Of those connected devices, thermostats (26%), smart home systems (20%), and smart appliances (19%) round out the top of the list of devices owned. Just as their homes are connected, this group has a strong attachment to their own personal devices; tablets, radios, and video game consoles are considered “devices I cannot live without.”

More importantly, this group of consumers do their research and seek instant gratification. They overindex in “I research products online before I make a purchase” and “After I research products online, I then go to the physical store to purchase them,” and they spend on average $22,000 on discretionary items a year.

Self-identifying as competent, trustworthy, and reliable, these early adopters overindex for “always first among their friends to have the latest electronics,” and they “will pay just about anything for the electronics” they want. Demographically speaking, they tend to skew male (53%) and Millennial (45%), and are most likely to live on the west coast and have an average household income of $114,000 a year.

 


Smart Home Devices

 


Users of home automation are also trendsetters among their peers. They are more likely to agree a lot with the statements “I am adventurous,” “I’m good at convincing others to try new things,” and “People often copy what I do or wear.” They are also very active on social media and are more likely than other online adults using it to tell others about companies they like, learn about product information, and post ratings for others to see. Social media is their public water cooler – they connect with friends, follow their favorite brands, say they’re more likely to purchase products they see advertised on social media, and carry social media conversations into their real life – all at a higher rate than other online adults.

And they’re not done with turning their house into a smart home; 93% of them say they intend to purchase other home automation items in the future, compared with 84% of all online adults. Here’s what both groups are looking to buy:

 


 


For more insights into smart home device owners, contact us.

Juan La Torre
Juan La Torre
Juan La Torre is the Director of Client Engagement at Simmons. Juan has spent his 20+ year career working on the vendor side; holding positions at Scarborough and The Nielsen Company. He holds a degree in Marketing Management from California State Los Angeles.