Geeks have more brand loyalty and are bigger spenders

A consumer survey reveals that 'geeks' are likely to spend more on the products they like and stay loyal to their favorite brands. 'Geeks' are also more susceptible to advertising ploys and buy more goods online.

The survey, undertaken on behalf of tech website Geeknet and market research agency Forrester Consulting and released July 27, was conducted across the United States, Britain and Germany. It divided respondents into three categories, 'IT Geeks,' 'tech geeks' and 'non-geeks.' 'IT geeks' were defined as working in information technology or other jobs involving hardware or software, while 'tech geeks' don't work in IT but agree that technology is important to them and is something they regularly follow.

The survey found 20 percent of 'geeks' from both categories agreed that advertisements helped them decide what to buy, compared to only 12 percent of 'non-geeks;' 25 percent of 'geeks' purchased the advertised product or service online whereas only 16 percent of 'non geeks' did the same.  

As well as being more susceptible to advertising, 'geeks' were also more loyal to their favorite brands with 60 percent of 'geeks' vs. 17 percent of 'non-geeks' agreeing that when they  found a brand they liked they "stuck to it." In addition to brand loyalty, geeks were also more likely to pay more for products they liked and 29 percent of 'geeks' agreed that "owning the best product is important to me," whereas only 14 percent of 'non-geeks' thought the same.

With viral advertising campaigns, online supermarkets and phone apps playing an increasingly important role in everyday life, technology is no longer the preserve of a knowledgeable few, but 'geeks' may still be the ones to ask about new innovations - 53 percent consider themselves "the person who knows more about an interesting trend," while only 22 percent of 'non-geeks' felt the same way.