The digital generation demands greater ownership of content

Over half of UK and US consumers would like to have the option to sell-on the digital content they have purchased, and 14% and 15% respectively believe it’s legal to do so, according to the Digital Generation Report, commissioned by WorldPay.

The Digital Generation report surveyed over 3,000 consumers who have purchased digital content online in the last 12 months in the UK and the US to identify today’s Digital Generation, and their behaviours and preferences now compared to 2007.

The research found a demand among consumers to have the option to recycle, part-exchange or access content across other devices they use, and confusion that exists regarding the ownership rights over content they have purchased. A third of US consumers and one in four UK consumers believe they can legally pass on their digital goods to a friend or loved one, while 18% and 16% respectively believe they can part-exchange in return for new content.

Key findings from the Digital Generation Report:

Digital lifetime – In the US, the average digital consumer in their lifetime purchases 95 tracks of music, 32 films, 14 TV programmes, 19 eBooks, 22 games, 25 software files, 15 Apps and 6 downloadable magazines or newspaper issues. In comparison, in the US the average digital consumer purchases 91 tracks of music, 6 films, 3 TV programmes, 15 eBooks, 9 games, 8 software files, 12 Apps and 2 downloadable magazines or newspaper issues

The cool kids – 24% of US consumers and 17% of UK admit they buy certain digital products to make them look ‘cool’

Penny-pinchers – 43% of US consumers and 42% of UK think that digital products cost too much. However, 75% of US respondents and 70% UK expect they will buy more digital products in the future than now

Subscription services – US consumers are more likely to use subscription-based services for digital content – 29% for films; 25% for TV programmes – whereby they pay for ‘all you can eat’. In the UK, the number of consumers that use subscription models to pay for goods is lower (16% for TV programmes)

Device ownership: then and now – In 2007, 19% of UK and 22% of US consumers owned a smartphone, this has risen to 66% in the UK and 60% in the US. 72% of UK consumers own a laptop now compared to 49% in 2007

Purchasing via a device – In the US and the UK, laptops are the primary device used to make purchases (32% and 33% respectively); followed by smartphones (25% in the UK and 27% in the US)

Frequency of access – 10% of consumers in the UK purchase both music and Apps once a week or more often, and over a third purchase both types of content at least once a month. In the US, 19% purchase music and 16% Apps once a week or more often; this rises to 33% and 30% at least once a month

Phillip McGriskin, chief product officer, WorldPay comments: “Since 2007 the consumption of digital content has changed dramatically, and the rise in device ownership enables all types of content and services to be available anytime, anywhere. As consumers purchase more types of digital content they are increasingly demanding the options to recycle, share or part-exchange as they have become accustomed to with physical products. Confusion also exists around what consumers are legally allowed to do with the content they have purchased. It therefore presents a need to clarify the boundaries of content ownership and possibly offer consumers the opportunity to purchase these rights. These evolving demands will shape the digital industry and the way content and services are consumed and purchased in the future.”

To download a copy of the report, visit worldpay.com/digitalgeneration.