Commentary

Just an Online Minute... Diamonds or Electronics?

I really should have found something more important to write about today (although there seems to be very little online activity prior to @d:Tech, which kicks off next Monday), but this one is simply irresistible. The Consumer Electronics Association yesterday released the findings of their latest survey of 1000 adults, which found that women actually prefer electronics to diamonds.

I don’t know where they found these women, but the CEA – neutral source that it is - says that 58% of women surveyed responded that they would choose a high-definition television over a one-karat diamond ring, and 64% said they would choose a digital camera over half-karat diamond stud earrings.

The conclusion? Women's interest in technology products is on the rise. If you ask me, the CEA really didn’t have to compare HDTVs and diamonds to find that out. What these researchers should have done was present the valuable findings of the study instead.

Among those was that women's ownership of consumer electronics products has increased as well. Twenty percent of women own a laptop computer, compared to just 12% in 2000. Nearly two-thirds of women own a cellular or PCS phone, up from 49% in 2000, and 58% own a handheld music device, compared to 51% in 2000.

None of that is surprising, considering that three out of every four women initiate the purchase of consumer electronics products themselves or along with their spouse or partner. Almost half (49%) of all electronics purchase decisions are initiated exclusively by women, up from 40% in 1998.

The CEA is right about women’s increasing appreciation for technology, but I’ll need to see a lot more evidence to support the diamond allegation to believe it.

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