Information from smart devices in
the home could be valuable and it looks like many consumers would be willing to trade some of that information for a fee.
And it’s not just money that marketers may need to fork over for
valuable consumer insights, since coupons and discounts could do the trick as well.
The majority (54%) of consumers who live in a smart home would give a company access to their connected home
habits if they were paid, based on a new large and detailed study.
The study, ‘The Internet of Things and the Smart Home,’ comprised a survey of 9,000 people, (including 2,500 in
the U.S.) in nine countries, conducted by market research company Vanson Bourne for Intel Security.
In the U.S., almost half (45%) would give info on their connected home habits if they got
money for it.
In the overall nine countries, almost half (47%) of those who lived in a smart home would give a company access to their connected home habits for coupons and discounts. In the
U.S., 36% of consumers would share for coupons and discounts.
Millennials are a bit more willing to make a trade, with 64% willing to trade info for money and 56% open to trading for coupons
and discounts.
Consumers also see plenty of potential in smart homes in the future, especially around the idea of saving money, mostly in fuel bills (hello, smart thermostat!). Here are the
household expenses consumers in the U.S. expect would be reduced:
- 58% -- Heating/cooling bills
- 55% -- Gas/electric bills
- 34% -- Water bills
- 27% -- Carbon
monoxide/smoke damage
- 24% -- Internet/cable bills
- 23% -- Water leak/flood damage
- 14% -- Appliance repairs
In terms of potential frustrations in future
smart homes, consumers have a wide-ranging set of concerns. In the U.S., the top fear is concern over hacking for 70% of consumers, followed by maintenance fees (67%). Overall, here are the
potential frustrations they see ahead:
- 64% - Connection failure
- 64% -- Concern over hacking
- 62% -- Maintenance fees
- 57% -- Product glitches
- 42%
-- Password issues
- 39% -- System updates
- 38% -- Spotty service
- 38% -- system reboots
- 35% -- Reprogramming
Whether marketers will come around to
crafting deals in trade for consumer insights is yet to be seen.
But when they do, a lot of consumers appear ready to make the trade.