BEAVERTON, Ore., Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a new survey(1)
conducted by independent market research firm Toluna on behalf of
leading U.S. cordless phone manufacturer, VTech®
Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of VTech Holdings Ltd.
(HKSE: 303), 45 percent of respondents said a phone call to catch
up is the best present a distant friend or family member could give
them during the holiday season. In fact, a phone call outpaced
gifts under the tree, holiday cards and emails.
For people over 55, the gift of a phone call was especially
desired with nearly 60 percent citing it as their number one choice
over other forms of holiday communication. The majority of
respondents also ranked a phone call as the top choice, when
considering the best way to stay connected with friends and family
during the busiest time of the year. Additionally, calling family
and friends more often was at the top of their wish list of things
to do during the holiday season (28 percent).
Other key findings of the survey, which took a pulse on holiday
season attitudes and behaviors, include:
- Shoppers are still feeling the effects of the economy,
with nearly half (40 percent) of respondents ranking having "more
money to give presents" as their top wish during the holiday
season. In addition, 47 percent of consumers said not having enough
money is the most stressful thing to worry about during the
holidays.
- A special moment with family and friends is all consumers
want for the holidays. The holidays are known for great
food and special traditions, so it's no surprise that consumers
embrace the season for its togetherness. Survey respondents ranked
a holiday meal (24 percent) as the No. 1 thing not to miss during
the holidays, followed by a special family tradition (22 percent).
The holiday spirit rings strongly, as the overwhelming majority of
consumers don't want to miss out on any seasonal festivities with
only 13 percent of consumers saying "bah humbug" to holiday
cheer.
- Who is on the "do not call" list during the holidays?
Not everyone's calls are welcome this holiday season -
particularly those from co-workers, which are on top of the "phone
calls to avoid" list (36 percent), followed by neighbors (21
percent) and friends (10 percent).
"A simple phone call is a powerful way to connect with loved
ones during the holidays," said Matt
Ramage, senior vice president, product management, VTech
Communications. "The consumer data shows us that in today's
frenetic world, sitting down with a reliable home phone to have a
good conversation with a distant relative or friend is still a
simple desire people want and need in their lives - especially
during the busiest time of the year."
Phones for the Holidays and Beyond
To connect consumers during the holidays and year-round, VTech's
latest DECT 6.0 cordless phone systems offer superior call quality,
range and reception for the conversations that matter most. VTech
offers a variety of phone systems for under $100.
For people who rely primarily on mobile phones but experience
problems with spotty reception at home or have trouble hearing
their cell phones from another room, VTech's DS6421-3
(MSRP: $99.95) Connect to Cell™ phone system is a great
solution. This all-in-one phone system allows users to make and
receive cellular and landline calls, while enjoying the
high-definition audio sound clarity, comfort and ease of a VTech
cordless home phone.
With the majority of consumers (82 percent) and nearly all
parents (92 percent) saying a device that would help them
multi-task and get more done is very/somewhat important, the
VTech LS6475-3 (MSRP: $99.95) phone system
with a built-in cordless headset is sure to top their wish
list. The system comes with both a regular handset
plus a comfortable cordless headset, so consumers can keep
talking – hands-free – while cooking holiday meals, wrapping
presents or managing other household tasks.
Moms who responded to the survey know what they would do with an
extra set of hands during the holidays: spend more time with
family/friends (48 percent), clean the house quicker (47 percent),
bake more (42 percent) and decorate the house more (35
percent).
For more information on VTech and its array of products, please
visit www.vtechphones.com.
About VTech®
VTech is the world's largest manufacturer of cordless telephones
and a leading supplier of electronic learning products. It
also provides highly sought-after contract manufacturing services.
Founded in 1976, the Group's mission is to be the most
cost-effective designer and manufacturer of innovative,
high-quality consumer electronic products and to distribute them to
markets worldwide in the most efficient manner.
(1) Toluna, Inc. fielded the study on behalf of VTech from
October 18-20, 2011 via its online
omnibus service, interviewing a nationwide sample of 1,000 adults
aged 18 years and older. Data were weighted using propensity
score weighting to be representative of the total U.S. adult
population on the basis of region, age within gender, education,
household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online.
Data for questions related to online use or behaviors were
weighted specifically to the respective "online" populations.
No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated;
a full methodology is available.
Media Contact:
Ginny Edwards
GolinHarris
714-918-8231
gedwards@golinharris.com
SOURCE VTech Communications
