2007 Roundup: The rise of the 'omni-consumer'

IBM has dipped into its research findings for 2007 and identified a new breed of consumer who flexes power and control over businesses and institutions as never before.

The company's business think-tank, the Institute for Business Value, has drawn on global research of more than 16,900 consumers over the past 12 months.

IBM's research paints a picture of increasingly sceptical users empowered by sophisticated technologies at their fingertips.

The 'Omni Consumer' of 2007 typically demands more knowledge of the impact that their purchases have on individuals, society and the environment.

When it comes to shopping, consumer buying decisions are influenced as never before by the internet and social networks.

More than half used the web to compare features and prices among retailers in the run up to the Christmas 2006 shopping season.

Two-thirds of teenagers surveyed use mobile phones to text friends for buying advice while shopping, while one in four use the increased sophistication of mobile handsets to access the internet from a mobile device while in a store.

2007 also saw personal internet time rivalling TV time. Some 66 per cent of global consumers viewed between one and four hours of TV per day, versus 60 per cent who reported the same levels of personal internet use.

Nearly one in five consumers spend six hours or more per day on personal internet use, compared to just nine per cent who report the same levels of TV viewing.

Online destinations such as YouTube, MySpace and Facebook, along with games and mobile entertainment, continue to challenge traditional TV as primary media of choice.

The new Omni Consumer is also prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly energy options, according to IBM. Two-thirds of respondents are willing to pay more for power sources that emit lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"People simply want more choice about the type of products and services they consume, whether it is energy, entertainment or their insurance policy," said Peter J. Korsten, vice president and global leader at the IBM Institute of Business Value.

"Looking ahead to 2008, businesses must restore consumer confidence and demonstrate their commitment to transparency.

"A one-size-fits-all approach is history for those who want to emerge as winners in the minds and wallets of the Omni Consumer."

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