Survey finds that most people aren’t willing to spend much on wearable devices

We love wearables, and we’re willing to bet that if you’re reading this site, you do too. Smartwatches and other wearable devices are popular among gadget lovers, but the average person isn’t on board yet. Devices like the Moto 360, and even the Apple Watch, haven’t sold nearly as well as smartphones or tablets. Why is that? A recent survey may have the answer.

According to a survey from Juniper Research, 1 in 5 customers are not prepared to spend more than $175 on a wearable device. Obviously, this elimates most of the top smartwatches from customer consideration. Juniper goes on to suggest that the reason people aren’t willing to spend much on wearables is the lack of convincing use-cases. No one is going to spend a lot of money on something they don’t know how to use.

However, products with a focus on fitness are more popular among the average person. They generally cost less than $175, and the fitness features give them a clear use-case. You can probably see these results in your everyday life. It’s not uncommon to see someone wearing a Fitbit, but devices like the Moto 360 are rare.

The results of this survey are not shocking. Most people believe that smartphones cost $199 because of years of conditioning from carriers. It’s no wonder they don’t want to pay even more for a device they don’t need. Tech savvy people know how to use these devices, and they are willing to pay for them.