While voice is becoming a widely used computer interface, it has yet to make the leap to participating in the more significant activities of consumers.
For example, about a third (32%) of
consumers use voice assistants daily to search for something they normally would use a search engine for, but only half (16%) use voice assistants to control other smart devices, according to a PwC
study.
While 29% use voice daily to ask a quick question, only 10% use it to buy or order something, according to the study, which comprises a nationally representative survey of 1,000 U.S.
adults conducted by PwC.
However, consumers are starting to tap into their voice assistants to buy things. Overall, half (50%) of consumers have made at least one purchase using their voice
assistant, and an additional 25% would consider doing so in the future.
However, most of the items they would buy via voice assistants are small and quick.
While about a third of
consumers have used a voice assistant for food, items that cost more are not yet as attractive. Here’s what online consumers have purchased using a voice assistant, according to PwC:
- 34% -- Food (takeout, a meal)
- 31% -- Groceries
- 24% -- A book
- 22% -- Home care items, electronics
- 21% -- Transportation
- 16% -- Reservation, dinner
plans
- 3% -- Clothing
More than a quarter (27%) of consumers already have spoken to or issued commands to a smart speaker, so it’s not as if they are a secret, and it
will only become more widespread.
The smart speaker is turning out to be one of the most significant of smart-home devices. Already, 26% of U.S. broadband households own at least one smart
home device and household penetration of smart speakers alone will reach 50% by 2021, according to Parks Associates. That’s a lot of smart speakers.
On average, 80% of consumers who have
shopped using their voice assistant are satisfied and 24% spent more money with the retailer, according to the PwC study.
With voice shopping expected to be in the tens of billions of dollars,
voice commerce is the freight train around the corner. Amazon Echo and Google Home are just getting warmed up.