Netbook Computers: Fifty-Five Percent of Consumers Do Not See a Netbook as a Feasible Replacement for a Laptop

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceGrabber.com®, a part of Experian, explores netbook shopping trends in its latest Netbook & Portable Computing Trends Consumer Behavior Report. This report includes survey responses from 1,680 online consumers from Jan. 7-25, 2010, and compares results from a similar survey of 1,545 online consumers conducted from Jan. 6-14, 2009. Survey data reveals that while netbooks are not a replacement for laptops, their popularity has influenced the pricing in the portable computing industry.

Netbooks on the rise

PriceGrabber.com's 2010 and 2009 netbook surveys define a netbook as having a screen smaller than 11 inches, costing less than $500 and employing a low-power processing chip. This year, the percentage of online consumers who personally own a netbook has increased to 15 percent, compared with 10 percent last year. Additionally, 11 percent of consumers plan to purchase a netbook in 2010.

Netbooks complement but do not replace laptops

While netbooks have become more popular in the last year, they are more of a complement than a replacement for laptops. Fifty-five percent of consumers do not consider a netbook a feasible replacement for a laptop. Additionally, 63 percent indicate that a netbook is best described as an additional device while on the go.

Portable computing sets a new price standard among consumers

Netbooks not only are becoming more popular, but they also have helped set new price expectations for consumers. Survey data reveals a significant difference between the dollar amount consumers are willing to pay for their next computing device and the amount they paid for their last device. Sixty-five percent of consumers say the maximum amount they plan to spend on their next computing device is $750, even though 52 percent of online consumers spent more than $750 on their last device.

Retailers respond to consumer demand by lowering prices

Consumer demand for less-costly computing devices has forced retailers to lower their prices on laptops and netbooks. The average price of products in the PriceGrabber.com Laptop category dropped to $645 in December 2009 from $808 in December 2008. This represents a 20 percent decrease in average price.

To view the full report, visit http://www.pricegrabber.com/about.php/about=press/sub_opt=15.

About PriceGrabber.com
PriceGrabber.com, part of Experian Interactive(SM), has established itself as one of the most trusted and effective online comparison shopping services, allowing approximately 23 million consumers each month to search and compare information that enables them to find the right product from the right retailer at the best price. Through continued innovation and a consistent focus on providing the best comparison shopping experience on the Internet, PriceGrabber.com provides savvy shoppers access to millions of unique products and services from thousands of retailers and sellers in 25 product channels. Compare products side-by-side to find the right retailers at the best prices within popular categories, such as Digital Cameras, Dinnerware, Electronics, Furniture, Laptops and more. The company also powers comparison shopping functionality for a network of leading Internet sites, including Bing, AOL Shopping, About.com, Time Warner, PC World, Consumer Reports, Comcast and CNET. The company offers comparison shopping in English (at http://www.pricegrabber.com), Spanish (at http://www.preciomania.com) and Portuguese (at http://www.precomania.com) as well as international sites in Canada and the United Kingdom.

PriceGrabber.com is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. PriceGrabber is a registered trademark, and PriceGrabber.com and BottomLinePrice™ are trademarks of PriceGrabber.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2009, was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.  

SOURCE PriceGrabber.com