According to a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates, only a small number of consumers who purchase high-definition television receivers were motivated to do so because of 3D capabilities.
The "2012 High Definition (HDTV) Report" was released on Aug. 22 and is based on responses from more than 1,000 persons who purchased HDTVs during the past 12 months. It showed that just 11 percent of purchasers were motivated by 3D capability.
"While still finding its niche, 3D HDTV capability is not a leading force in purchasing a television," said Sara Wong Hilton, a director at J.D. Power and Associates. "One reason is that 3D HDTVs are typically more expensive than non-3D-capable HDTVs. Additionally, in order to view 3D media, special media players, and 3D glasses in some cases, are required. The extra cost could play a role in dissuading customers from adopting the technology at this point."
The study said that 75 percent of customers surveyed gave price as the primary motivation for making their HDTV purchases. This was followed by brand reputation (60 percent), positive reviews (37 percent), past brand experience (36 percent), construction quality (33 percent), styling (29 percent), and ease of use (21 percent).
Half of the customers responding to the survey said they purchased 41- to 50-inch sets. The poll also showed that LCD displays were more popular than LED or plasma models and that Visio led the field in customer satisfaction, scoring 887 on a 1,000 point scale.
J. D. Power and Associates is a Westlake Village, Calif.-global information marketing service and a business unit of The McGraw Hill Companies.
