WITI and IDC's Survey Results Reveal Women Are Early Adopters, Mobile, Style Conscious7 May 2005
WITI (Women in Technology International), the nation's leading professional organization for tech-savvy women, IDC and Intel will announce the survey results of tech-savvy women at WITI's 11th Annual International Conference on May 5, at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The theme of this year's conference is "Taking the Lead in the Digital Age." The conference draws more than 1,000 professional women internationally.
This survey reflects the needs and attitudes of professional women with relatively high incomes and advanced college degrees. "Women wear multiple hats at home and work. As technology buyers, they conveyed a desire for practical tools with the right set of features that expressed their personal style as well," said Robin Raskin, WITI's director of media.
"This survey challenges some of the pervasive stereotypes about women and technology," said Dr. Genevieve Bell, a cultural anthropologist with Intel. "It seems that women are early adopters and all the emerging data reinforces that women are pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved through technology products in the United States and worldwide."
The Findings
Women are Mobile Warriors. With increasing demands on their time, women want products that improve productivity at home and at work. The survey shows that 67 percent say that mobile technology has given them the freedom to work when and where they want. To increase their efficiency for communication, 89 percent use emails and 36 percent use photo-sharing Web sites.
-- 57 percent ranked laptops as the most important technology product they use
-- 89 percent use their laptops regularly
-- 67 percent use cellular phones with one-third using advanced features on their phones
Women are Early Adopters. While women will not buy something for the sake of being first, women are early adopters of technologies that will clearly improve their lives. New technologies such as home networking (57 percent) and WiFi (24 percent) are favorites among women, allowing them to do more in less time.
Women Want to Be Understood By the Tech Industry. The survey results reveal that women are dissatisfied with the retail experience on technology purchases. Only 15 percent felt that retailers understand their needs. Hence, when women walk into a retail store, they are well prepared and have conducted their own research in advance.
Typically, women leverage online research (32 percent) as well as get recommendations from friends or colleagues (22 percent). Of the women surveyed, 66 percent do not ask for men's opinion, which clearly indicates a major shift from the traditional 'male influencer' model.
Pastels and Rhinestones Only Go So Far. Designing and marketing technology products for women female means more than adding pastel colors and rhinestones to existing products. The WITI/IDC survey demonstrates dissatisfaction with today's marketing messages. Of the survey respondents, 43 percent of the women find that today's technology product marketing campaigns do not "talk" to them nor appeal to their sensibility. Women say what they want emphasized are the lifestyle features that offer direct benefits, including improved style and functionality in laptops, wireless devices and smaller phones.
"This survey is a major step in providing information about this important market. We found out what tech-savvy women want, why they buy the products they do and what influences their decisions," said Dana Thorat, IDC's research manager. "Smart marketers are learning that there is a need to market to women based on features and thoughtful design products."
About WITI
Since 1989, WITI is the premier global trade professional association for tech-savvy women who acquire wealth, power and influence in the business marketplace. With a global network of smart, talented women and a market reach exceeding 2 million, WITI has established powerful strategic alliances and programs to provide connections, resources, and opportunities within a supportive environment of women committed to helping each other. WITI's mission is to empower women worldwide to achieve unimagined possibilities and transformations through technology, leadership and economic prosperity.
About IDC
IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. More than 775 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local expertise and insights on technology markets, and our management team is comprised of experienced and respected industry luminaries. Business executives and IT managers have relied for more than 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.
IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com.
All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Contacts
WITI
David Leighton, 818-788-9484
david@corp.witi.com
or
IDC
Dana Thorat, 508-935-4566
dthorat@idc.com
Source: Business Wire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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