3DTVs Will Command 56 Percent Price Premium for Early Adopters

BOSTON — US consumers who expect to buy a 3DTV during the next year plan to spend 56 percent more than those buying a regular HDTV, according to the latest research from the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices service. The report, “3DTVs: Buying Intentions and Early Adopter Feedback,” finds that the average expected price of a 3DTV is $1224, compared to $785 for an HDTV. The research found slightly lower 3DTV price premiums in major European markets, ranging from 54 percent in France to 35 percent in Italy.

“There have been suggestions that consumers are not willing to pay more for 3DTVs,” notes Jia Wu, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics. “Strategy Analytics research casts doubt on this theory. Those who are thinking of buying the product attach significant additional value to a 3DTV relative to a regular HDTV.”

This study also reports that 11.5 percent of consumers in the US are somewhat or very likely to purchase a 3DTV during the coming 12 months, compared to 9.0 percent in Germany and 6.9 percent in the UK.

“3DTVs exhibit all the classic signs of an emerging market with early teething problems,” says David Mercer, Principal Analyst and the report author. “Potential customers still report concerns over the potential health impact of watching 3DTV, so the industry must continue to address the remaining barriers to widespread adoption and focus on delivering further enhancements to in-home 3D technology.”

Editor’s note: Strategy Analytics conducted an online survey, the 2011 ConsumerMetrix Survey fielded in July 2011. The sample consisted of n=2000 individuals in the US and n=2801 in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, UK) ages 15-74 years.