Hitwise has done an interesting analysis of searches related to iPod and Microsoft’s three-week old competitor Zune. In just under a month, Microsoft has peaked curiosity, but buyers seem reluctant to buy.
This could be a side-effect of a newly product. iPod already has a track record. Many are likely waiting to hear what the early adopters are saying.
As of last week, searches for the term “ipod” were three times the number of “zune” searches. “Not bad for a product that’s only been on the shelves for three weeks,” writes LeeAnn Prescott.
But when compared to keyword combination, the iPod is still far above Zune in trust and demand. Over 9,000 phrases contained the word “ipod,” compared to just 666 for Zune (ooooooohdoes that make Bill Gates the Antichrist?).
Further, searches for the Zune aren’t necessarily sending the searcher to a retail site, which is most likely were iPod searchers are going. People searching for the Zune are more likely to be shopping for reviews of the product and comparisons to its older, more established competitor.
In the top ten Zune-related search terms, three of them are related to reviews or comparisons. Nine out of ten search iPod related search terms ended at a retail site.
“The search term data show us that if it is possible to unseat a product with such a dominant market share as the iPod, it will be a long slow road,” said Prescott. “People are slowly checking out the Zune, reading reviews, and seeing what other people think before they make the leap.”
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