Best Buy Consumer Survey Reveals Top Tech Gifts for Holiday

Customers want top brands – from Apple to GoPro and from Microsoft to Dyson – this holiday season

MINNEAPOLIS--()--A new national study1 commissioned by Best Buy spotlights the top technology Americans2 plan to give and hope to receive this holiday season.

The survey found that technology is the top-ranked category for gift giving and receiving. This is true for both millennials and men this year. No matter who you are, the iPad tops everyone’s tech wish lists.

Top 15 tech gifts for 2015

1. iPad
2. Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones
3. MacBook
4. Samsung 48” Smart 4K Ultra HD TV
5. Sharp 43” Smart HDTV with Roku
6. Microsoft Surface
7. Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II
8. Fitbit Charge HR Heart Rate and Activity Tracker
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
10. Dyson V6 Absolute Bagless Cordless Vacuum
11. Vizio 43” Smart 4K Ultra HD TV
12. Apple Watch
13. SONOS PLAY:1 Wireless Speaker
14. iRobot Roomba Vacuum Cleaning Robot
15. GoPro HERO4 Action Camera

There is more to it than just the products

  • Millennials rank CE No. 1. The study found that millennials (ages 18 – 34) put consumer electronics firmly at the top of their preferred gift lists – both for giving and receiving. They characterize technology as “more fun and exciting” and “what they need” compared to other gift categories like clothing, books and jewelry.
  • More men than women prefer to give and receive tech gifts. Three times as many men (27.9 percent) as women (9.7 percent) want to receive consumer electronics for gifts. And twice as many men (29.6 percent) as women (16.5 percent) prefer to give tech gifts. Why? Twenty-two percent of men find consumer electronics “more personal” than non-tech gift options. Women, on the other hand, characterize technology as a more “useful” gift and interestingly, while they are buying technology during the season, it’s more likely to be purchased for non-gifting reasons like personal or family use.
  • Deals drive self-gifting. Nearly 85 percent of consumers take advantage of sales or price discounts during the holiday season to make additional non-gift purchases for themselves or their families. Those who plan to self-gift are most interested in the iPad (19 percent), Sharp 43” Smart HDTV with Roku (16 percent), Samsung 48” Smart 4K Ultra HD TV (15 percent), Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones (15 percent) and MacBook (15 percent).

Holiday shopping made easy

The Best Buy holiday study affirmed that value, selection, price, convenience and service are among the most important criteria consumers will use to determine where to shop for consumer electronics this holiday season.

Whether they’re looking for a gift from the top tech list or other products and solutions, customers can take advantage of these holiday offerings when they shop at Best Buy:

  • Free shipping all season long. Customers will enjoy free shipping with no minimum order required from Oct. 25, 2015 through Jan. 2, 2016 on all items sold by and shipped from Best Buy.
  • Mobile App Live Chat. The enhanced Best Buy mobile app makes it easier than ever to research and purchase holiday gifts. New this year, customers can get in-the-moment help through BlueAssist. BlueAssist, a new in-app live-chat feature, brings expert service to the palm of the shopper’s hand with the simple touch of a button (or a simple shake of the phone while in the app). Customers can download the app3 by texting APP to 332211, searching “Best Buy” in the Apple App Store or Google Play or by clicking here.
  • Free Setup by Geek Squad on Top Tech Gifts. Gift recipients will receive free Geek Squad setup on many products on the Best Buy top tech gift list. When customers purchase a qualifying gift, they will receive instructions they can pass along to their gift recipient on how to set up a one-on-one appointment with a Geek Squad Agent. Customers can visit BestBuy.com/FreeSetup starting Nov. 1 to view the gifts that qualify for free setup.
  • The Gift of Geek Squad. Customers can now easily gift their loved ones a Geek Squad house call for tech setup and troubleshooting help. Starting Oct. 25, Best Buy stores will offer a limited-edition Gift of Geek Squad holiday gift package good for an hour of in-home tech setup and support. The gift packages are available for $99.99 and $149.99 and can be used on a range of services supporting computers, tablet and mobile devices, TV/video, router/Wi-Fi connections, and more.
  • Nov. 7 Special Holiday Shopping Events. Holiday shopping events will take place in 400 participating Best Buy stores on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time. The events will feature:
    • Robot and virtual reality demos facilitated by Geek Squad Agents
    • First 100 customers get a free tech gift
    • Black Friday-like deals on this year’s hottest gifts (offered all day in all stores)
    • The chance to win one of five $1,000 Best Buy gift cards4 through a Twitter sweepstakes

For a list of the 400 participating stores, visit BestBuy.com/ShoppingEvent starting Oct. 29.

1 The Best Buy Top Tech Survey was conducted Sept. 21-27, 2015, by Research Now and Best Buy Enterprise Research with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 men and women ages 18-65. The margin of error is +/- 2.2%. For complete survey results, contact press@bestbuy.com.

2 Consumer Electronics Association research confirms the growing popularity of tech for holiday gifting, with 65 percent of Americans planning to purchase consumer electronics this season: CEA: More Americans Plan to Purchase Tech Amid Record-Setting Holiday Season.

3 Message and Data Rates May Apply. See Best Buy Mobile App terms and conditions at www.bestbuy.com/mobilefaqs. For info, text HELP to 332211.

4 Win The Holidays $1000 Gift Card Sweepstakes: No Purchase Necessary. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S./D.C. (excluding P.R.), 18+ (19+ AL and NE). Void where prohibited. To enter, tweet one photo of yourself only with designated cardboard cut-out at participating Best Buy stores with #WinTheHolidaysSweepstakes between 1 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 7, 2015. Subject to Official Rules at BestBuy.com/ShoppingEvent.

Contacts

Best Buy Public Relations
Shandra Tollefson, 612-323-4418
Shandra.Tollefson@bestbuy.com,
Paula Baldwin, 612-291-6126
Paula.Baldwin@bestbuy.com,

Contacts

Best Buy Public Relations
Shandra Tollefson, 612-323-4418
Shandra.Tollefson@bestbuy.com,
Paula Baldwin, 612-291-6126
Paula.Baldwin@bestbuy.com,