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Teens' Growing Appetite for CE Products

Households with teens own a total of 35 non-discrete consumer electronics (CE) products, compared to 24 in non-teen households, according to a research study released by the Consumer Electronics Association.

The 8th Annual Household and Teen CE Ownership Study makes clear the considerable influence and persuasion teens have on CE ownership in their homes. "It's no surprise that teens today are tech-savvy and knowledgeable about consumer electronics," said CEA Director of Industry Analysis Sean Wargo. "It's interesting to note, however, the extent to which teens are beginning to use that information to influence household (e.g. Adult parents) purchases."

A review of the top 10 CE products owned by teens shows a heavy emphasis on entertainment. According to research results, the top three planned CE purchases over the next year by teens are an MP3 player (21 percent), wireless handset (14 percent) and a video game console (11 percent). In these product areas, as well as portable game consoles and notebook PCs, there is a strong connection between teens' purchase intent and that of the household in which they live. The average amount teens allocated to CE purchases over the last year was $667, with teen household spending at nearly $1,500, versus $1,000 for non-teen households.

Study results also help illustrate the level of engagement that teens have with CE products. Of the nearly 50 CE products included in this year's survey, 88 percent were utilized by at least two-thirds of teen respondents over the past 12 months. Those most utilized included home DVD players, computer speakers and cordless phones. Even the least-used CE products among teens, such as VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phones, portable GPS devices and rear projection TV, still showed a strong level of engagement.

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