Adoption Process

Adoption Process is defined as "the mental process through which an individual passes from first hearing about an innovation to final adoption (pg 148)." In this definition, final adoption means that the consumer decides to make full and regular use of the product. New products, especially technology needs a special something to make it stand out to the general public. The five main product characteristics can be especially crucial to a user adopting a new product.



With the new Apple iPad, Apple strives to create an innovative alternative to laptops, itouches and other smart phones. Here are the five characteristics from the book in relation to the iPad.

Relative Advantage: With the many innovative aspects and technical specs of the iPad, Apple hints that the iPad superior it is to a laptop. Hailed as "the best way to browse the web", the "best web experience", "best email experience" etc. Apple is saying that there is a greater relative advantage of the iPad than a laptop--that it should be quickly adopted.
Compatibility: The iPad is suggested to fit with the lifestyles of all users. Because of the popularity of ipods, iphones, smart phones etc, Apple assumes that the shift from using a laptop would be smooth. "It is bigger than just a new product...millions people are going to be instantly familiar with it, they're going to know how to use it."
Complexity:Apple ensures the ease of using this product by several statements about how "easy and so simple" it is to use it. The iPad immediately comes to life as soon as one hits the power button. With the supposed ease of using the product, Apple states "I don't have to change myself to fit the product, it fits me."
Divisibility: Apple says several times that everything would be enhanced. Email, viewing photos, browsing the web, everything was designed to be better. "One of the main features of designing the iPad, was an affordable price...did everything we could to get it to the hands of as many people as possible." This is used to help speed up the rate of adoption.
Communicability: Because the iPad depends on demonstration and the descriptions of it's technical merits, Apple hopes that the iPad can be quickly picked up and adopted.

As you can see, Apple right off the bat marketed the iPad as an affordable, innovative, easy-to-use product to convince the general public to quickly adopt and use it.

Nancy Lee Section G