December 4th, 2023, Kineree Shah
A new YouGov Surveys: Serviced polls sheds light on aspects of the phone accessory market, revealing intriguing trends among British adults in their selection and usage of mobile phone accessories.
We polled 2,024 British adults. The most commonly used accessory is the phone cover, with seven in 10 using them (71%). This is followed by Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, and screen protectors or guards, each used by two-fifth of Britons (41%). Portable chargers or power banks are also popular, with about a third of adults using them (31%). Less common accessories include wireless charging pads (11%), stylus pens (5%). Generally speaking, items that tend to cost more have lower adoption rates.
Our survey also explored the purchasing preferences for these accessories. More than two-thirds of Britons prefer to buy their phone accessories online (66%). Only 12% primarily purchase accessories offline in stores, while 14% use both online and offline sources equally.
When it comes to the frequency of changing or buying new phone accessories, most British adults do not change their accessories frequently. A notable three in five consumers say that they purchase new accessories less often than once a year (63%). Meanwhile, one-fifth change their accessories once a year (20%), one-tenth do so every 4-6 months (10%), and a small fraction of 2% purchase new accessories every 1-3 months.
Looking into the expenditure patterns, a significant majority (55%) reported spending less than £20 annually on phone accessories. One-fifth of consumers spend between £20 and £49 (21%), while less than one in 10 spend between £50 and £99 (8%). Notably, only a small fraction of the population spends more on these accessories, with 2% spending between £100 and £199, and a mere 1% exceeding £200 annually.
We also explored the factors influencing consumers’ decisions when purchasing mobile phone accessories. Unsurprisingly price and affordability emerged as the leading consideration, with about seven in 10 citing it as a key factor (67%). Durability is a significant concern for two-fifths of consumers (43%).
Reviews and recommendations, as well as aesthetics and design, both influence three in 10 consumers (29%), indicating that social proof and visual appeal play a notable role in purchasing decisions. Eco-friendliness, though less prevalent, is still a consideration for one-tenth of the Britons (10%).
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on Nov 28-29, 2023, with a nationally representative sample of 2,024 adults (aged 18+ years) in GB using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race to be representative of all adults in GB (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.