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UAE residents spend an average of AED 4,000 on consumer electronics
Dubai, September: PLUG INS, the multi-brand consumer electronics and IT retailer of Al-Futtaim group has announced the results of the fourth edition of its UAE Consumer Electronics (CE) survey.
The survey which was conducted online gathered responses from 2,450 respondents from 59 nationalities over a period of two weeks (August 27 to September 12). The survey looked at four key CE categories including Smartphones, TV's, Laptops and Tablets and for the first time Wearable devices.
"Our consumer electronics survey provides useful insights about UAE residents shopping habits and patterns," said Omar Abushaban, General Manager of PLUG INS. "Through our annual survey we hope to uncover useful insights that can help us better understand the pulse of the market. We believe the insights derived from the survey can help shape the marketing and commercial strategies of retailers, vendors and other key stakeholders in order to further improve overall customer experiences at the stores," he added.
Key findings from the survey are summarized below:
General CE trends
1. Of the total 2,450 people who participated in the survey, 91% respondents made a major electronics purchase over the last 12 months with Smartphones (69%) topping their shopping list followed by TV's (36%), Laptops (32%), Tablets (29%), Camera (18%) and Wearable devices (11%)
2. The average annual UAE household spend on electronics fell slightly from the previous survey and stood at AED 4,000 (vs. AED 4,793 in the last survey)
3. We're seeing Wearable devices category grow with 52% of our respondents planning to purchase a gadget over the next 12 months
Smartphones
1. Majority of our respondents (47%) are willing to pay between AED 2,001 - 3,000 for a smartphone
2. Brand and price remain the two dominant considerations driving smartphone consideration and purchase
3. Samsung is still the leader in the market (41%) followed by Apple (36%) in the smartphone category together accounting for 77% of the UAE market. HTC (3.8%) and Sony (3.7%) are the next highest
4. 42% of our respondents said they would replace their smartphone every 2 years with their primary motivation coming from a new model launches while 36% of the respondents said they would consider buying a new phone when there were special offers and discounts
Television
1. 40-42" panel size leads in terms of current size of TV's owned with 43% of the respondents followed by 33.5% with 30-39"
2. Nearly 45% of the survey respondents said their next panel size would be 46-50" and a further 25% said they would buy a 55-60" panel size indicating a preference to bigger screen sizes by UAE residents
3. The primary motivator for purchasing a new TV is upgrading technology (39%) which is the same as the last survey
4. Panel size tops the consideration list when it comes to future purchase
Wearable Devices
1. Majority of our respondents (84%) said they do not currently own a wearable device, however, 52% said that they would be looking to buy a gadget this year
2. Of those who own a wearable device, 40% currently have a smart watch and from those looking to buy 72% said they would buy an Apple watch
3. Of all the respondents 53% said they would like to use a Wearable device for fitness related activities followed by phone calls at 39%
PLUG INS represents over 400 leading brands through an established network of nine stores located in popular shopping destinations: Dubai Festival City, The Dubai Mall, Al-Ghurair City, Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre in Dubai, Yas Mall, Marina Mall and Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi and Bawadi Mall in Al Ain.
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About PLUG INS
PLUG INS is a leading multi-brand consumer electronics and IT retailer in the UAE and acknowledged favourite with discerning customers. An Al-Futtaim group company, PLUG INS represents over 400 leading brands through an established network of nine stores located in popular shopping destinations: Dubai Festival City, The Dubai Mall, Al-Ghurair City, Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre in Dubai, Yas Mall, Marina Mall and Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi and Bawadi Mall in Al Ain which feature the latest mobile phones, Smart phones, MP3 and MP4 players, Notebooks, Netbooks, Tablets and a comprehensive collection of accessories. PLUG INS enjoys high-brand recognition across the Middle East and is known for its leadership position and trend-setting initiatives. PLUG INS has made buying electronics an enjoyable experience with customer friendly store layouts, excellent service and knowledgeable staff; all key ingredients of its customer service philosophy. Reputed for its extensive range of products, the electronics retail chain is underpinned by a team of product-savvy consultants who guide and assist customers in their purchasing decisions. For more information, customers can visit the PLUG INS facebook page: www.facebook.com/plugins.ae or follow it on twitter: twitter.com/pluginsuae or alternatively call 800 PLUGINS (800 758 4467).
For more information, please contact:
Lejo Johnny
PR Manager | GMASCO Marketing Communications | An Al-Futtaim group company
Tel: Direct: +971 4 208 5849 | Cell: +971 50 453 7023 | Email: lee.j@gmasco.com
Nazneen Yasin
PR & Social Media Manager | GMASCO Marketing Communications | An Al-Futtaim group company
Tel Direct: +971 4 208 5845 | Cell: +971 56 216 2935 | Email: Nazneen.Yasin@alfuttaim.ae
© Press Release 2015
