Forget peace. I want a computer
2007-10-16 19:53
New York - Forget peace and happiness. Most US adults want a computer under the tree this holiday.
A survey by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) found that when adults were asked for a top-five gift wish list this holiday most put computers first followed by peace and happiness, a big screen television, clothes and money.
Last year most adults listed clothing as their top priority followed by peace and happiness, money and then computers.
The teen wish list remained unchanged from last year - clothes, an MP3 player, video games, a computer and a cellphone.
"Consumer electronics will be the shining star of holiday retail sales, accounting for 22% of all gifts given," CEA Economist Shawn DuBravac said in a statement.
"Two of the top five items on adults' holiday wish lists are consumer electronics, and four of the top five items on the teen list are consumer electronic devices."
The association, which released its 14th Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns study at an industry forum on Monday, projected a record $22bn will be spent on consumer electronic gifts this holiday, up from $21.7bn last year.
A spokesperson for the CEA, which promotes growth in the $148bn US consumer electronics industry, said the research was based on a telephone survey of 1 003 adults and 501 teens aged 12 to 17 and was conducted in the last week of September.