Smart TVs Top Holiday Lists, With Higher Spend Expected: Roku-Harris Poll

Over four in 10 U.S. consumers plan to buy a TV this holiday season, with smart TVs leading gift-giving and receiving tech lists, said a Roku survey conducted by Harris. Some 70% plan to spend the same or more on gifts this holiday season, said Tuesday's report. Average holiday spending is expected to be $885, up 2.5% from the 2019 survey; a third plan to buy more gifts due to sheltering in place rules barring them from visiting family and friends. Also due to COVID-19 concerns, consumers expect to do 65% of their holiday shopping virtually. Most consumers are primary streamers, with nearly one in three having cut the cord. For the first time in the survey’s history, Americans reported spending more time streaming than watching pay TV; average reported streaming hours grew 19% year over year vs. traditional TV viewing hours, which fell 13%. Some marketers are adapting their advertising strategies to meet consumers where they spend most of their viewing time, said Roku Chief Marketing Officer Matthew Anderson. About 43% of consumers (including two-thirds of millennials) said an ad on a streaming service led them to pause content, go online and shop for the product advertised. Citing a “tipping point” for the future of TV, Abbey Lunney, director-trends and thought leadership at Harris Poll, said the shift to streaming shows that marketers need to adjust their engagement strategies. The survey polled 2,000 U.S. adults Sept. 8-12.