New research data from reichelt elektronik reveals what consumers really want from smart home tech
Smart home products are already a part of everyday life for many. There are more smart home products, services, and providers than ever before.
But Europe is far from peak smart home and with the need for products to improve, what should manufacturers focus on in order to get one-up on their competitors?
To answer this question and others, OnePoll surveyed 4,000 consumers across Europe (Germany, Italy, France and Netherlands) and in partnership with reichelt elektronik. The results show the following interesting trends.
The smart home is widespread and popular – but only for certain use cases
Firstly, the results who that smart home products are already widely used amongst European consumers – three in five (60%) has at least one intelligent device. However, look closer at the data and it’s clear that popularity is limited to certain use cases.
In general, the results found that once European consumers had made their purchase, they tended to be satisfied with their smart home device. Smart home gadgets are popular for controlling lights (54%), security (50%) and controlling heating (41%) as well as for cleaning (40%). Here the owners of smart devices indicated that they were satisfied and would buy the product again. Opinions differ, however, when it comes to smart weather stations and indoor air sensors: 48% of those surveyed have never owned a product of this type, while just 26% own a device for monitoring air quality in their homes and consider it a worthwhile purchase.
Almost half (45%) of European shoppers own health products such as heart rate monitors. Although many consumers are currently paying more attention to their health and want to boost their immune systems with a healthy lifestyle, products that monitor these more in-depth health stats are not very popular. More than a third (36%) do not have such a device and are not planning to purchase one.
Smart garden gadgets are growing
So far, these smart devices are mostly confined to the home, but OnePoll’s research found this might not be the case for much longer. Smart tech for the garden or balconies is a relatively small part of the market, but it is growing. The vast majority (74%) do not yet own such a product, however, for the small proportion who do own smart garden products, they say the purchase has been worthwhile. 85% are either satisfied or very satisfied. Keen smart gardeners are mainly using their gadgets for watering plants (60%), lighting their gardens (54%) or mowing the lawn (42%).
However, we could be just on the cusp of a smart garden revolution, as 39 percent plan to purchase smart products for the garden in the summer. When it comes to why they might make their purchase, consumers said the main reasons were to ensure their gardens were looked after during their holidays (38%), to avoid uncomfortable and painful activities (38%) and to use water more efficiently (38%). However, some sceptics still need to be convinced by smart garden manufacturers – 22% still say they see no reason to use smart tech in their gardens.
Saving money and simplifying life are top priorities
When it comes to the main reasons people are buying smart home gadgets, the main reason given was to save money in the long term. They also want them to save on energy usage. 52 percent see energy savings as the main advantage of using smart home products.
When it comes to automating their homes, European consumers say the following are the biggest advantages:
– The ability to remotely control their home (46%)
– Getting automatic notifications that a device is not working and when repairs are necessary (34%)
– The ability to automate functions, e.g. “If this, then that” (33%)
– The ability to use timers (30%)
Depending on the type of purchase, estimated budgets for smart home tech vary greatly. Most respondents (21%) would spend between €100 and €250 on a smart product – closely followed by 20%, who would estimate a sum of between €250 and €500. As much as 13% would even plan on spending up to €1,000 for the right device.
Where new demand might come from
Cost and efficiency play a major role in purchasing decisions for European consumers. This is reflected in the answers as to why respondents do not yet own any smart products. 35% see no added value or have no interest. 54% say that smart home tech is too expensive, and 38% say that data security needs to improve first. Smart devices perhaps also need to be easier to use. 45% say they want gadgets to be easier to install and use.
There is also potential when it comes to new, innovative products that are not yet on the market. For example, 49% of European consumers are interested in intelligent household appliances, specifically in products that adjust themselves using sensors, such as washing machines or irons. Smart kitchen appliances such as smart pots, ovens, and microwaves also have potential, with 48% interested in their development. And a smart mirror that recommends outfits is also on the wish list, with 19% of respondents saying they would consider buying one in the future.
By reichelt elektronik
