Comment - What People Want in Tech

Read something in eMarketer about what people look for in tech. Can be seen here.


What I found interesting about this first table above is that only 63% of people felt shopping was made better. Given the attention people give to how technology is going to "revolutionize" shopping experiences, I think this is quite alarming.

There is also an interesting table above here that shows what features people look for in technology and what is interesting about this is that design ranks so low at only 66%. When I read this, the first thing that I think about is Apple, with all their pretty devices.... and I am not sure if this makes any sense. I have a feeling this is because I think the people are perhaps reluctant to admit they are suckers for nice looking technology.

Now I get that they make great devices from a function standpoint but still... design... that low?

Regardless, I think the most important part of the article is this:

Growing comfort with technology has come hand in hand with an increase in respondents who believe tech companies understand their needs (37%). Still, a majority of consumers said companies make what they think will sell, and 39% thought manufacturers simply fell in love with their own ideas.

One-third of respondents reported a substantial disconnect with tech marketers, saying companies had no idea what their lives were like or what they would use. Notably, women were 7 percentage points more likely to say so than men.

This says to me that perhaps some companies aren't targeting their marketing properly because I do see that not every piece of technology is for every single person out there.

On the flipside, I think that marketers do have a tendency to fall in love with their own products... and while I think it is necessary to believe in what you are marketing, I think that this is also because not enough companies start by developing great products.... they develop mediocre products and market them as the next best thing... perfume on a pig, if you will.