Rate of Adoption Review

The characteristics of a new product affect its rate of adoption. Review the five characteristics that influence the rate of adoption below and answer the questions below that describe how each factor will influence the rate of adoption of the Apple Watch.

• • The five characteristics that influence an innovation’s rate of adoption are:
    1. Relative advantage. The degree to which the innovation appears superior to existing products.
       • What advantages does an Apple Watch have (or not) over the competitive products?
    2. Compatibility. The degree to which the innovation fits the values and experiences of potential consumers.
       • What kinds of people are likely to want to own an Apple Watch (i.e. early adopters of technology products)?
    3. Complexity. The degree to which the innovation is difficult to understand or use.
       • Are the watches easy or difficult to learn to use?
    4. Divisibility. The degree to which the innovation may be tried on a limited basis. It’s not as if a watch can be taken for a test drive.
       • What kind of information is available to help people decide if the watch will be useful for them, without actually buying it first?
    5. Communicability. The degree to which the results of using the innovation can be observed or described to others. The ease with which the watch lends itself to demonstration and description will impact its adoption rate.
       • How would you describe (using features and benefits) the watch to someone that does not own one?