'Tis the Season for Smartphones; From Wish Lists to Mobile Shopping, It's the Must-have Gadget

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Like ornaments trimming a tree, smartphones are the decoration that adorn most people year-round. Nearly two-thirds of Americans already own a smartphone¹, yet still it is the top gadget on holiday wish lists this year according to an ecoATM survey. Nearly 80 percent of respondents are hoping to receive a smartphone this holiday season, followed closely by a smartwatch (77 percent) and fitness band/tracker (70 percent). Smartphones are playing another role this season with over 21 percent of owners using their device to purchase holiday merchandise.²

But for as much as people are tied to their phones, the holiday spirit seems to be taking over and creating a little device reprieve. The ecoATM survey also found that an overwhelming 90 percent of Americans would choose their family over their smartphone. This is a hopeful contrast to the findings in ecoATM's 2014 holiday survey when 27 percent of consumers stated they would rather be apart from their family than their smartphone.

Whether people are making purchases on their current phones, wishing for a new one or being a Grinch and snuggling up to their device this holiday season, ecoATM remains the go-to for a hassle-free phone trade-in experience. With more than 2,200 kiosks across the U.S., ecoATM offers a convenient and safe way to trade in devices for instant cash that can boost holiday budgets to help cover the gifts on your list.  

Methodology: The research was conducted within the U.S. by independent market research company Edelman Berland on behalf of ecoATM from October 30 – November 2, 2015, among 1,000 consumers age 18 or older. The margin of error for the audience is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence level.

About ecoATM
ecoATM, an Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) brand, is the first company to create an automated self-serve kiosk system to buy back old phones, tablets or MP3 players for cash. ecoATM uses patented, advanced machine vision, electronic diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to evaluate electronics. ecoATM^® kiosks provide a convenient trade-in solution with features that validate sellers' identities and deter the sale of stolen phones, and the company collaborates with national, state, and local law-enforcement groups in combating mobile phone theft through innovative use of technology and education (http://www.ecoatm.com/law-enforcement/).

ecoATM holds Responsible Recycling (R2) and ISO14001 certification, confirming the company's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of electronics recycling, as well as ISO27001 certification for information and personal data security.  See http://www.ecoatm.com/how-it-works/ for a video of how an ecoATM kiosk works.  For more information, visit www.ecoatm.com and for more information about Outerwall Inc. please visit www.outerwall.com.

About Outerwall Inc.
Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) has more than 20 years of experience creating some of the most profitable spaces for their retail partners. Outerwall delivers breakthrough kiosk experiences that delight consumers and generate revenue for retailers. As the company that brought consumers Redbox^® entertainment, Coinstar^® money services, and ecoATM^® electronics recycling kiosks, Outerwall is leading the next generation of automated retail and paving the way for inventive, scalable businesses. Outerwall™ kiosks are in neighborhood grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchants, malls, and other retail locations in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Learn more at www.outerwall.com.

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SOURCE ecoATM

Related Links

http://www.ecoatm.com