December 13th, 2023, Kineree Shah
A new YouGov Surveys: Serviced polls sheds light on aspects of the phone accessory market, revealing trends among American adults in their selection and usage of cell phone accessories.
We polled 1,104 adults. The most commonly used accessory is the phone cover, with seven in 10 using one (68%). This is followed by screen protectors or guards (46%) and Bluetooth headphones or earbuds (44%). Portable chargers or power banks are also popular, with about a third of adults using them (30%). Other notable accessories include wired headphones or earbuds (24%), car phone holders or mounts (22%), and wireless charging pads (18%). Less common accessories include Pop Sockets or similar grips/stands (11%), waterproof pouches or cases (11%), external camera lenses (9%), stylus pens (8%), and VR headsets (5%).
When it comes to purchasing these accessories, a majority of Americans (54%) prefer to shop online. However, a quarter still prefer purchasing accessories offline or in-person (24%). One in five Americans use equal parts online and offline channels for their purchases (20%).
Coming to frequency of purchase, a significant percentage of population do not change accessories frequently. About a third say that they purchase new accessories less often than once a year (35%). Meanwhile, one-fifth change their accessories once a year (22%), a quarter do so every 4-6 months (25%), and 13% purchase new accessories every 1-3 months.
Looking into expenditure patterns, 28% reported spending less than $20 annually on phone accessories. One-fifth of consumers spend between $20 and $49 (20%), while one in 10 spend between $50 and $99 (10%). Notably, 8% of adults spend between $100 and $199, and 5% exceed $200 annually).
We also explored the factors influencing consumers’ decisions when purchasing cell phone accessories. Unsurprisingly price/affordability emerges as the leading consideration, with about seven in 10 citing it as a key factor (71%). Durability is a significant concern for three in five consumers (61%).
Aesthetics and design influence three in 10 consumers (30%), indicating that visual appeal plays a notable role in purchasing decisions. Reviews are important to a quarter of adults (24%) Eco-friendliness, though less prevalent, is still a consideration for one-tenth of US adults (11%).
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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 1,104 adults (aged 18+ years) in US 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 US (18 years or older) and reflect the latest population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.