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Word of Mouth, Media ‘Still Rule’ Among Consumers Learning About Tech Gear

Word of mouth and media “still rule” among U.S. consumers eager to learn about the latest tech products before they buy, a Matters Communications survey found. The company canvassed 1,000 consumers last month and found 71 percent learn about new…

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tech products through friends and family. Among the available media channels that consumers prefer to use to find out about new tech products, TV is tops at 38 percent, followed by tech news sites like CNET (36 percent), social media (26 percent) and mainstream lifestyle magazines and sites like GQ and BuzzFeed (14 percent). Once consumers become aware of a product, “online reviews steer most purchasing decisions,” the survey found. Eighty-eight percent said product reviews are the most important factor in deciding to purchase, while 56 percent said they read reviews on their mobile devices while in-store to buy a product.