Adoption Curve

The phases through which consumers or a market proceed in deciding to adopt a new product or technology. At the individual level, each consumer must move from a cognitive state (becoming aware of and knowledgeable about), to an emotional state (liking and then preferring the product) and into a cognitive, or behavioral state (deciding and then purchasing the product). At the market level, the new product is first purchased by the innovators in the marketplace, which are generally thought to constitute about 2.5% of the market. Early adopters (13.5% of the market) are the next to purchase, followed by the early majority (34%), late majority (34%) and finally, the laggards (16%).