Laptops are incredibly versatile devices providing a great combination of portability and power and have been on the commercial market for decades.
They are perfect for both personal and professional use, and many people choose to purchase laptops instead of desktop computers.
But why is that? After all, a laptop with the same processing power, memory, and hard disk space as a desktop can be twice as expensive! So why do you people still prefer laptops?
In this article, we will review the target market for laptops by analyzing the reasons why people prefer laptops to other computing alternatives like desktops and tablets.
Who is the Target Market for Laptops?
To best understand the target market for laptops we need to understand the need that people have to buy and use a laptop. After all, desktop computers can be more powerful, can support more external devices, and for many applications are the only practical choice.
Likewise, the boom in tablets and their ease of use also makes you wonder why would someone choose a laptop over a tablet.
The answer to these questions helps us understand people’s motivation for purchasing laptops and thereby allows us the divide this vast market into the following segments:
- People who need computing portability
- People who need power (and portability)
- People who share laptops
- Students
- Parents buying a computer for their children
- Educational Institutions
- Businesses buying for employees
Let’s look closely at each of these laptop market segments
#1. People who need computing portability
The first target market for laptops includes people who need computing portability. This includes people who travel frequently for work and need to take their work with them, or students who need to take their laptops to class and the library.
Portability is the primary factor for people in this target market when choosing a laptop. They need a device that is small and light enough to carry with them everywhere they go. They also need a laptop that has good battery life so it can last through an entire day of classes or meetings.
#2. People who need power (and portability)
Many people now ditch their desktops and only use a laptop in the office or at home or when they travel. This means they need a laptop that is powerful enough to handle all their computing needs, but still portable enough to take with them when they need it.
This target market for laptops includes people who work in creative fields like graphic design or video editing, as well as people who do a lot of multitasking and need a fast processor and lots of RAM.
They often need a laptop with more than one HDMI or VGA ports so that they can connect multiple external monitors to the laptop and convert it to a desktop at the office or at home.
#3. People who share laptops
As the sharing economy continues to grow (think Airbnb, Uber, etc.), people have also started sharing their laptops – although not with complete strangers.
This target market for laptops includes people who live in shared apartments or dormitories and need to share a laptop with their roommates or classmates. Likewise, a family might have one laptop that multiple family members use.
The sharing of laptops is becoming more common as people are increasingly living in smaller spaces and trying to save money.
People in this target market need a laptop that is durable and can withstand being used by multiple people on a daily basis. They also need a laptop with good battery life and a fast processor, as they will be using the laptop for a variety of tasks.
#4. Students
Students are a segment of the target market for laptops that stands out because they have unique needs when it comes to laptops. They need a laptop that is durable, as it will be carried around campus and used in a variety of settings.
Students also need a laptop that has good battery life as they will often be using the laptop for long periods of time, both in and out of class. They also need a laptop that is lightweight and portable so it can be easily carried from one class to the next.
Many students also need a laptop that is affordable, as they often have limited budgets. This means that many students opt for lower-end laptops or used laptops.
Some students also need a laptop that is powerful enough to handle demanding tasks like video editing or graphic design.
#5. Parents buying a computer for their children
Parents who buy laptops for their children need to be considered as a different market segment than when they buy laptops for themselves. So, what are their needs?
It depends on the age of the children for whom they are buying the laptop. For younger children, parents need a laptop that is durable and can withstand being dropped or handled roughly.
For older children who may use it for their homework and projects, parents need a laptop that has good battery life and is lightweight so it can be easily carried around.
And for children who are going off to college, parents need a laptop that is powerful enough to handle all their child’s computing needs but is still affordable.
#6. Educational Institutions
Many schools and universities are now incorporating laptops into the classroom, which has created a new target market for laptop manufacturers.
Some private schools also hand out a laptop to each student. Such educational institutions usually invest in very good quality laptops because to some degree this is a reflection of the quality of education they offer.
They also need laptops that can be handed down from one class to the next and so they cannot afford to have them go obsolete in a year or two.
#7. Businesses buying for employees
A very large segment of the target market for laptops includes companies and businesses that buy laptops for their employees. Companies can have a need for hundreds or even thousands of laptops, so they need to be able to purchase them in bulk at a discounted price.
Companies almost always invest in laptops that are of very good quality, as they need to be able to withstand heavy use and last for several years. Also, employee productivity is heavily dependent on the quality of the laptops they use.
Companies also need to be able to purchase laptops with certain specifications, such as a certain amount of storage space or a certain type of processor. This can be a challenge for some companies, as they need to find a laptop specification that meets all of their employees’ needs.
Some businesses may even go to a computer shop that is able to assemble laptops to their exact specifications.
Conclusion
The primary target market for laptops includes people who need computing portability. They need a computer that is either a supplement to their desktop or a replacement to it. These are people who travel a lot for work or leisure and need to take their computers with them.
Other segments of this market include people who share laptops, students, parents buying a computer for their children, and educational Institutions.
Businesses that buy laptops for employees are also a very large market. For them, laptops are renewables and need to be changed every few years. This makes them a very lucrative market for laptop manufacturers and resellers.