LGBTQ Consumers Poised to Drive Home and Tech Purchases in next 12 months

NEW YORK, October 27, 2021 -- MRI-Simmons, the essential consumer truth set, today announced findings from its LGBTQ and Gender Identity Study, which explores attitudes and issues around American sexual orientation, sexuality, gender identity, and more. Among its many findings, the study showed that, in the next 12 months, LGBTQ consumers are 26% more likely than the average adult to be planning to purchase their first house and 22% more likely to be planning to purchase a second house or vacation home. Upgrading technology is also in their plans: they are 22% more likely to be planning to purchase a smartwatch and also 22% more likely to be looking for a hybrid/alternative fuel vehicle.

Demographics

The LGBTQ community is a diverse group of over 10 million strong. With a variety of identities becoming more socially acceptable, we see in the data that the LGBTQ cohort is young – with three in four either Millennials or Gen Z, with an average age of 36. They are politically and socially active; much more likely to be attending political rallies, actively participating in government, and advocating for the environment. In addition, they are influencers across a number of categories, including entertainment, music, new technology, and home electronics.

LGBTQ Show Strong Technology Purchase Intent

When it comes to technology, this study shows that this influential population is more likely to invest in technology than the average American adult -- with one in five looking for a new laptop, and 15% planning to buy a smartwatch. They are also more likely to be in the market for a hybrid vehicle, a smart speaker, a desktop computer, a large TV, or a home theater system.

LGBTQ: Tech savvy, tech spenders, and tech entertained

LGBTQ consumers are tech savvy and willing to spend. They use technology to drive their shopping habits, with 65% saying they have looked online with their mobile phone or tablet for information about a product, and 63% actually making the purchase through their mobile devices. In fact, 36% of this group spent over $800 on internet/phone/email shopping in the last 12 months.

Technology drives their entertainment habits as well; 37% have listened to a podcast, 33% have watched a TV program online, and 29% have listened to streaming music on a smart speaker. Even beyond entertainment, tech helps fuel their lives. 24% looked for employment online, 22% took an online course, and 22% bought groceries online (all in the last 30 days).

When it comes to technology, they are ‘Techsessorizers’ who are willing to spend to get the latest technology for the ‘wow’ factor they love. They like to have a lot of gadgets, like to have the latest and greatest devices, will pay just about anything for what they want, and will talk about the tech they love. They are influencers across the tech category, often being the first to try new technology and influencing the purchase of new tech and electronic equipment.

LGBTQ Home Purchasers

Along with technology, data from the LGBTQ and Gender Identity study shows that 14% of LGBTQ respondents are looking to buy their first house in the next 12 months, and 8% are planning on buying a second home in the same time frame, 26% and 22% more likely than adults in general, respectively.

This subset of LGBTQ prospective homebuyers is even younger than the LGBTQ population overall, with a mean age of 33.5 – and three in five are under 35 years old. In addition, they’re more likely to be college-educated, with 38% having a bachelor’s degree or more, and have an average household income of $104K. Their concern for the environment follows them home as well - they’re more likely to buy recycled-content paper products and use “green” products for their home improvement and renovation projects. They’re even more into tech than the larger group, and are planning on purchasing a number of electronic devices, from smartphones to giant (70”+) flat screen TVs.

LGBTQ at Home

Home is where the heart is, and that is especially true for the overall LGBTQ population, who say that home décor is important to me, and who enjoy showing off their home to guests.

LGBTQ in their Free Time

In addition, LGBTQ Americans have a diverse set of interests and leisure activities. While at home, almost four in 10 like to entertain friends or relatives (111), and one in three cook and bake for fun. 16% say home decoration and furnishing is a hobby, and they are 66% more likely to collect art. They play board games, trivia games, and cards, enjoy indoor gardening/plants, and take care of their beloved pets – 67% of LGBTQ households have a pet (49% have 1+ dogs, and 34% have 1+ cats). Travel is also on the horizon for them, with trips planned to Europe (17%), the Caribbean (14%), Mexico (14%), Hawaii (13%), and South America (8%) in the future. Socializing and cultural activities outside the home are also paramount; art galleries and shows, music shows, bars and nightclubs, karaoke, dancing, dining out, heading to the beach, attending the theater, and visiting museums high on the list. Pop culture also plays a part – they are more likely to play video games on consoles, handheld devices, and PCs, and enjoy reading comic books.

“While the LGBTQ community is diverse and multi-faceted, when looking at the spending power of the community, it is clear that they lead the way not only in what they spend but also in intention for big purchases,” said Anna Welch, President of MRI-Simmons. "With purchase intentions ranging from homes to technology, and from hybrid vehicles to travel, this is clearly a valuable audience for marketers to understand. MRI-Simmons can provide all the nuance and striations of data that marketers need to find and talk to members of the LGBTQ community for all the right products.”