Survey: iPad Announcement Increased Awareness, Fails to Convert New Buyers
February 8th, 2010 at 4:11 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin
A survey from online consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo found that Apple's iPad media event significantly raised awareness of the device, but failed to convince those who were not already interested in the device that they needed one. On the other hand, the survey also found a marked increase in the percentage of customers who would like to buy an iPad, from 3% to 9%.
While the two conclusions may seem incongruous at first blush, a more in-depth look at the numbers clears up any confusion, and we'll start with the timing of the surveys. Retrevo asked customers in the days leading up to the iPad announcement if they had heard about a new Apple tablet that might be revealed in January.
At that point in time, some 48% of respondents said they had heard of the heard of the device, with 26% saying they were not interested. 19% said they wanted to wait and see what it looks like, while 3% were ready to buy even before it was announced. Before the event, 42% of respondents had not heard of it, but 17% were interested in learning more.
Chart courtesy of Retrevo
After the event, the big win for Apple comes in the increase to 9% of respondents who would like to buy an iPad. That's a marked increase, and a number that Retrevo president Manish Rathi told The Mac Observer is very good news for Apple. Another dose of good news for Apple is the increase of overall awareness of the iPad, which increased to 82% of respondents saying they had heard about the device.
The big loss for Apple comes in the increase in the number of people who had heard, but were not interested in the iPad, from 26% of respondents to 52%. The company's interpretation of the data from the survey is that the increase in the number of people wanting to buy an iPad came from those already interested in the device, and not from those who had not been interested before the announcement.
Retrevo also found a big increase in the number of people who said they they did not need an iPad based on what they knew, a number that increased from 49% before the announcement to 61% after the announcement. At the same time, however, the number of people who said they definitely needed one increased from 3% to 5%.
Chart courtesy of Retrevo
Retrevo also found that 12% of users would pay for Apple's 3G option on the iPad, while 59% said they would not pay extra for it.
The bottom line is that if 9% of the adults in the U.S. were to actually buy an iPad, the device would be a massive smash hit. According to Retrevo president Manish Rathi, the point of his company's survey announcement was to highlight Apple's inability to convert new customers, as opposed to suggesting the iPad would be a failure.
"Apple's media event resulted in people segmenting themselves," he said. Those who were interested stay interested, but many more said they were not interested once they learned about it.
18 Observer Comments
Ok um, on both charts, did anybody notice that the people wanting to buy one went UP?
Chart 1, “Yes, I think I would like to buy one” 3% -> 9%
Chart 2, “Yes, definitely” 3% -> 5%
Whey is every site spinning this as a giant “Oh Noes!”?
yes, this research is specious at least, and garbage at best. 
How can anybody truly judge having not seen one, held it in their hands, and decided yes, I have to buy that for myself?
it’s based on a shaky premise and totally not worth the net play it’s getting.
Amazing. A single promotional event, covered in the press, commented on. A nice promo at Apple’s website. But few outside of Apple (and Steven Colbert) have even touched one.
Any changes in public opinions are not a function of the device, but of the presentation.
When it is in every Apple store, and we can all go and play with it, and we have an idea of what new, or iPadized iPhone apps are available, then we may have some idea of how good it is and how well it will sell.
Until then, let’s give it a rest.
Retrevo’s point - a point I think is very valid - is to gauge interest in reaction to the device as time progresses. The company plans another survey once the device is available for people to check out.
I’ve little doubt that we’ll see another shift in the numbers once that happens.
Understanding what people think whether or not they have held the device is still an important aspect of understanding the market. Measuring changes in consumer perceptions and purchasing plans as the market evolves and more information is disseminated is huge.
In my opinion, that’s the news here: What are people thinking? Whether or not they are right or their opinions are unfounded is a separate issue from what it is they are thinking.
In all seriousness this is the first time that I have ever heard of Retrevo. I can not recall ever seeing one of their adverta or link to them until now. I went to their website to see what they were about. One thing I found interesting is the graph they have for a product that says if it is in its prime, over the hill, or whatever.
As with Geoduck I was not interested in getting a tablet until I saw the iPad. Now part of that is because until now most tablets I saw were not very smooth and I am not talking about the surface.
Ok um, on both charts, did anybody notice that the people wanting to buy one went UP?
Yes, I also noticed the number of people “not interested” went up too:
Chart 1: “Heard about but not interested in buying” 26% -> 52%
Chart 2: “Don’t Need” (“No”) 49% -> 61%
Not that this is a “giant Oh Noes!”, but it shows that the iPad presentation didn’t put it into the “OMFG MUST HAS RITE NAO HERE TAKE MY FIRST BORN CHILD!” category that a lot of pundits were anticipating. (Whether those expectations were realistic, or even reachable after all the hype about an Apple tablet, is a subject for debate).
yes, this research is specious at least, and garbage at best.
Probably, but seeing as 3% of the worlds tech nerd losers clicked on “Yes definitely” to needing something that they’d never seen, it’s possibly more accurate than we’d imagine.
Ok um, on both charts, did anybody notice that the people wanting to buy one went UP?
Chart 1, “Yes, I think I would like to buy one” 3% -> 9%
Chart 2, “Yes, definitely” 3% -> 5%Whey is every site spinning this as a giant “Oh Noes!”?
The margin of error is 4%, so these increases are probably statistically insignificant.
How can anybody truly judge having not seen one, held it in their hands, and decided yes, I have to buy that for myself?
Because there is a group that will always be the first to buy whatever Apple comes out with.
So goes the business…
I’m sure the vast majority of people polled did not view the event or consider in any depth what the ipad is able to do or might be able to do for them. This has to be taken into account when assessing the value and meaning of this type of poll.
PS: were those charts made with Numbers?
Essentially, this survey is providing us of the measure for effectiveness of the keynote, and nothing else. Whatever was the perception about non-existend, unannounced product before the keynote, how did that perception change after the keynote.
And the perception changed so that a lot of those that didn’t know anything about the device, and now not just a little about it, decided that they don’t want it. And a very small number of them decided that they actually DO want it.
The hype may have been counter-productive, although most likely, nobody still knows anything of value about it (outside of the circle of us, geeky followers, who know detailed specs and what it can do). The numbers will most certainly be different, once the device hits the stores, and people start holding it in their hand.
Vasic, that was an outstanding summation/assessment of the situation, IMNHO.
Thanks.
I find the whole pole thing a bunch of non-sense. Wait until people can actually play with the real product. Then will see what actually happens.
Lots of people can say one thing and do another.
For those who are saying “wait until you touch it” I have to say that that is wishful thinking. That is not how people operate in general. Besides that, for myself, the demo was enough to show me that the iPad in its current iteration is not for me. Andyes, I know that. I already have my iPhone for couch computing. I already have my MacBook Nano for the rest. And my 10” Nano does couch computing just fine, thank you, without limiting me to the app store choices. I can use my Omniweb browser. I can use Nisus Writer. I can use all my favorite desktop apps, in fact, without worrying about Apple’s artificial fences that wish to seperate me from my information (that Apple seems to dispargingly refer to as “files” and doesn’t want me to have free access to). Sorry but I don’t want to play this game with Apple. I already fight with it on my iPhone and don’t want to further it. Sure, I suppose if you find dealing freely with files on your own terms to be too intimidating and difficult, you may find the iPad to be ideal, but for me… I prefer my freedom. iPad no thanks.
I get all the freedom I need on my Mac Mini, and the iPhone/iPod Touch is too small for me. The iPad looks like it will do what I need. If I go try it and figure differently, then so be it. I know I’ll be able to get to files on it: iWork apps will open up what they can use, the photo viewer will open what it can see, and on and on. If I want to browse to a JPEG and try to open it in a text editor, I can do that on my Mac Mini.
Until the iPad gets in the hands of the general public, reviews of it will be biased by media reviewers. Let’s come back 6 months after it is in the hands of the general public before jumping to conclusions.
interesting 35% of people never heard of the newest apple product and another 17% saying yes, makes exactly the 52% that are not sure would buy the product. So the 35% heard by the product but unsure about buying it.
It’s very stable i’d say.
Nothing was changed!
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Well speaking for me and nobody else
I was aware of the iPad before the announcement but was not planning to get one. After the announcement I’m definitely planning on buying one as soon as I can.