The effect of repeat adopters upon second generation new product adoption

A second product generation is offered to two adopter populations: repeat adopters, who consist of innovative adopters that purchased the first generation product, and a larger market of imitative new-adopters that did not. New product adoption theory suggests that the first adopter population plays a key role in stimulating adoption behavior in the second imitative population. This importance stems from credibility gained from first generation product experience.; In this study, social connections between adopters are measured using a demographic similarity ratio, and piecewise Weibull regression used to analyze cross-generation product adoption. The analysis used a secondary survey dataset of new automobile owners.; The findings indicate purchase by new adopters of a second generation product is accelerated by repeat adopters and to a lesser extent, new adopters. Comparative analyses conducted on buyers of existing products indicate repeat buyers have no influence upon new buyers, but for some existing products new buyers stimulate other new buyers to early purchase.