LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Demand for Smart Home products is booming, according to the latest research from Maplin, the UK’s number one specialist technology retailer.
The first iteration of the new Maplin Smart Meter reveals that almost a quarter (24%) of people in the UK now own a Smart Home product. This uplift in demand has been reflected in Maplin’s sales of Smart Home technology which has jumped 135% year-on-year.
Consumers who bought Smart Home products spent an average of £174 on the technology in the last year. With 71% of consumers considering buying their first or additional Smart Home products, the Smart Home market in the UK has the potential to be worth more than £6 billion per year, according to Maplin in-house data.1
The Maplin Smart Meter found that consumers view leaving the lights on (46%) and forgetting to switch off plugs (37%) to be the top bugbears in the home which can be solved with smart technology. Because they offer a solution to these problems, smart plugs have become Maplin’s best-selling smart product, with smart lighting the fourth best-selling.
But for those looking to buy smart technology in the next six months, smart hubs – the voice-activated devices which offer a central control for Smart Homes – are the most desirable products, sought after by 38% of consumers. As an individual product, Amazon Echo is the most wanted with 22% of consumers hoping to buy one. Apple, Amazon and Google are all looking to launch new Smart Home products this year which will only boost awareness and demand.
The main reasons consumers want smart technology in their homes are: safety (56%), followed by making their lives easier (53%), and saving money (53%). However, price was the main factor which could dissuade consumers from buying Smart Home technology (68%).
While 93% of consumers have heard of Smart Home products, more than half (55%) admit they do not fully understand it. As Smart Home moves from early adopters to the mainstream, Maplin is the first UK retailer to launch a free home survey to help consumers make their home more connected and decide which products are right for them.
Oliver Meakin, CEO of Maplin, says: “The Smart Home market is growing at an astonishing rate as consumers seek more connected homes. The convenience and peace of mind these products offer is proving popular. With Silicon Valley’s tech giants launching competing entertainment products before the end of the year, smart hubs look set to become Christmas 2017’s must have tech gifts. If the current growth in demand for Smart Home products continues, they will soon become as common as smart phones.
Oliver Meakin continues: “We have launched the UK’s first Free Smart Home Survey to help our customers navigate the exploding market. Our Smart Home Surveyors give bespoke advice to each customer on what the best Smart Home solutions are for them. Our initial trials of the service were overwhelmingly positive and now we have reached national coverage we look forward to helping more Brits navigate the Smart Home market.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
Research is based on Maplin 2016 / 2017 sales data and a survey of 3,000 consumers conducted by OnePoll in September 2017. OnePoll are members of ESOMAR and employ members of the MRS.
1 Based on 71% of UK adult population spending an average of £174 on smart home products. Separate research from technology research company, Technavio states the smart home market in the UK is forecast to reach US$6.94billion in revenue by 2019.
