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|CHAPTER 5 Consumer Markets and Buyer Behavior 187
FIGURE | 5.7
Adopter Categories Based
on Relative Time of Adoption
of Innovations
New product marketers often
target innovators and early
adopters, who in turn influence
later adopters.
Individual Differences in Innovativeness
People differ greatly in their readiness to try new products. In each product area, there
are “consumption pioneers” and early adopters. Other individuals adopt new products
much later. People can be classified into the adopter categories shown in Figure 5.7.32
As shown by the curve, after a slow start, an increasing number of people adopt the new
product. As successive groups of consumers adopt the innovation, it eventually reaches
its cumulative saturation level. Innovators are defined as the first 2.5 percent of buyers to
adopt a new idea (those beyond two standard deviations from mean adoption time); the
early adopters are the next 13.5 percent (between one and two standard deviations); and
then come early mainstream, late mainstream, and lagging adopters.
The five adopter groups have differing values. Innovators are venturesome—they try
new ideas at some risk. Early adopters are guided by respect—they are opinion leaders in
their communities and adopt new ideas early but carefully. Early mainstream adopters are
deliberate—although they rarely are leaders, they adopt new ideas before the average per-
son. Late mainstream adopters are skeptical—they adopt an innovation only after a majority
of people have tried it. Finally, lagging adopters are tradition bound—they are suspicious of
changes and adopt the innovation only when it has become something of a tradition itself.
This adopter classification suggests that an innovating firm should research the char-
acteristics of innovators and early adopters in their product categories and direct initial
marketing efforts toward them.
Influence of Product Characteristics on Rate of Adoption
The characteristics of the new product affect its rate of adoption. Some products catch on al-
most overnight. For example, Apple’s iPod, iPhone, and iPad flew off retailers’ shelves at an
astounding rate from the day they were first introduced. Others take a longer time to gain
acceptance. For example, the first HDTVs were introduced in the United States in the 1990s,
but the percentage of U.S. households owning a high-definition set stood at only 12 percent
by 2007. By the end of 2013, HDTV penetration was more than 85 percent.33
Five characteristics are especially important in influencing an innovation’s rate of adop-
tion. For example, consider the characteristics of HDTV in relation to the rate of adoption:
Relative advantage. The degree to which the innovation appears superior to existing products.
HDTV offers substantially improved picture quality. This accelerated its rate of adoption.
Compatibility. The degree to which the innovation fits the values and experiences of po-
tential consumers. HDTV, for example, is highly compatible with the lifestyles of the
TV-watching public. However, in the early years, HDTV was not yet compatible with
programming and broadcasting systems, which slowed adoption. As high-definition
programs and channels became the norm, the rate of HDTV adoption increased rapidly.
% Share of all adopters Lagging adopters
100 16%
Late mainstream
34%
75
Early mainstream
50 34%
25 Early adopters
13.5%
Innovators
2.5%
0
Time of adoption of innovation