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Shop Talk

Retailers, consumers and prices

15:26 October 3rd, 2007

Too much direction reading irks gadget buyers-survey

Posted by: Nicole Maestri
Tags: Shop Talk

A new tech gadget that is so complicated it can’t be used without constantly referring to the instructions is consumers’ top frustration when it comes to buying a new electronic product, according to a survey from Opinion Research Corp.

“Although the majority of consumers (74 percent) typically read the directions before trying to assemble a new electronic product, 31 percent still said they expect to have problems when using the product for the first time,” said Jeff Resnick, President of Opinion Research USA, in a statement.

The study also found a divide between the younger and older generations when it comes to technical support. One quarter of 18-35 year olds were concerned with the training or availability of help desk staff, while only eight percent of those over 65 who voiced the same concern.

Instead, the older generation was more aggravated by unclear directions and the difficulty of opening and removing the product from the packaging.

Those consumer frustrations could come back to haunt a company’s sales down the line.

Four in ten consumers who experience a problem during setup said that they are less likely to purchase another product from the same company in the future.

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