Study says 60% of the netbooks never leave home

NPD is reporting that 60% of netbooks are used only indoor.

Study by the NPD group shows that netbooks are actually largely being used as an indoor gadget. It analyses the results based on over 500 netbook owners. The report says that “Even though nearly 60% of all netbook owners say they purchased their netbook because of its portability, almost 60% say they use it solely in the home.”Of all the netbook owners, only about 41% get them for their lower price.

More interesting findings - 60 percent of consumers who purchased a netbook instead of a notebook thought their netbooks would have the same functionality as notebooks. Here’s more - Only 58 percent of consumers who bought a netbook instead of a notebook said they were very satisfied with their purchase, compared to 70 percent of consumers who planned on buying a netbook from the start.

“We need to make sure consumers are buying a PC intended for what they plan to do with it,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. “There is a serious risk of cannibalization in the notebook market that could cause a real threat to netbooks’ success.  Retailers and manufacturers can’t put too much emphasis on PC-like capabilities and general features that could convince consumers that a netbook is a replacement for a notebook.  Instead, they should be marketing mobility, portability, and the need for a companion PC to ensure consumers know what they are buying and are more satisfied with their purchases.”

The survey was conducted between April 27^th and May 4^th this year.