Canadians hooked on smart home tech – once they get a taste

Seventy-eight percent of smart home technology owners plan to purchase additional products this year, revealed a survey conducted by research consultancy Ignite Lab. The survey was commissioned by Rakuten.ca (formerly Ebates.ca) and polled 1,003 Canadians.

Just over a quarter (27%) of Canadians own smart home tech, and of those early adopters, more than three quarters (76%) plan to purchase more smart home technology in the next 12 months.

The most likely purchases are smart assistants (57%) like Google Home or Amazon Echo, smart appliances (38%) such as tech-enabled fridges and laundry machines, lighting control systems (37%) such as Philips Hue, and security systems and cameras (36%).

Many Canadians, however, are still hesitant to embrace smart home tech. Forty-six percent said they are unlikely to purchase such products, with 68% of them saying they don’t need it, 40% citing privacy concerns, and 36% saying the technology is too expensive.

"This survey demonstrated that even though Canadians are at first reluctant to purchase smart home products, they eventually become hooked," Jennifer LaForge, general manager of Rakuten.ca, said. "The majority of current smart home tech owners are willing to purchase additional devices this year, and it suggests their experience has been good."

Overall, 61% of Canadians say their impression of smart home tech is positive. When shopping for these products, Canadian are most concerned with price and quality, at 76% and 69% respectively, though usefulness (61%) and privacy/security (46%) also ranked highly.

The survey also found that Canadians prefer to wait for deals, with 80% saying they only purchase tech products when there is a sale. Consumers also prefer shopping online for tech products, with 68% responding they find better prices and sales online, while nearly half (48%) said they find a better selection online.

Forty-four percent said they prefer shopping online where they can see reviews. This is especially important for younger Canadians (Gen Z/millennials) who prefer to consult reviews before considering any purchase (48%). 

"As smart home tech becomes more standard, we'll likely see [more people] embrace smart home products," Melissa Wagner, brand communications manager at Rakuten.ca, said. "The more products become available and are able to communicate with one another, the more convenient it becomes for households to introduce smart home products into their homes."