Research: When Are Customers Willing to Try a New Technology?

Marketers often assume that visibility and buzz tell them when consumers are ready to try a new technology. But these don’t tell the full story. The real trigger for consumer adoption is attention—created when people suddenly have a bit of unexpected time. Our research shows that “found time”—a genuine, unexpected gain in free time—nudges people to explore complex, hard‑to‑grasp ideas more than any spike in publicity. This finding has profound implications for marketers of new technologies and other innovations. Consider our research into blockchain, a new technology that started gaining traction at the start of this decade. Even five years ago, most people recognized the term “blockchain,” but taking the first step to learn more about it required mental bandwidth, not only hype. The early months of Covid‑19 created a natural experiment. As out‑of‑home obligations dropped, people had more leisure time—and in 118 counties across California and New York, searches for blockchain‑related terms rose in step with staying home. Searches aren’t adoption, but they’re a low‑risk first move that signals curiosity turning into action. When cryptocurrency prices and media noise later surged, that time‑driven curiosity weakened. Hype crowded out considered exploration. And in places where Covid death rates were higher, curiosity dipped. Extra hours only help when people have the headspace to use them—when the time gain is real, not theoretical. The practical message for marketers is simple: You cannot create time when selling something complex, but you must be ready when unexpected time appears. Consumers’ curiosity window opens when three things align: a reason to care (motivation), mental bandwidth (attention created by a genuine time gain), and a clear front door (accessible information). If any one of these elements is missing, the moment passes. Motivation without attention is noise; attention without information is wasted; information without motivation sits unread. When those three elements come together, even complex ideas shift from “I’ve heard of this” to “I took a first step.” A marketer’s job is to supply the third piece, accessible information, at exactly the right moment, so that a consumer can move from passive awareness to the first stage of exploration. When time shows up for the consumer, unavailability of the right information should not be the barrier. Brands are increasingly designing themselves to capitalize on these curiosity windows. Duolingo turns grocery-line waits into practice via nudges. Delta reframes airport downtime with Digital ID, live bag tracking, and targeted offers. Pop Mart mines TikTok/Shopee signals to convert quick scrolls into demand. But for more complex subjects like blockchain, tax planning, or new B2B software, a very small curiosity window may rarely move a consumer from curiosity to exploration. The good news is that some time gains last longer than just a fleeting moment. Daylight saving days, weather disruptions, travel delays, and cancelled meetings are all signals that a longer curiosity window may be opening. We show that longer and genuine time gains open the door to deeper exploration: Potential consumers may search and start learning about even opaque technologies. Capturing Time Gains For marketers, capitalizing on longer time gains means having an effective playbook in place: Meeting consumers with resources that allow them to embark on the exploration journey, such as tutorials, trial experiences, or long-form content. Therefore, pair these longer curiosity window wins with a ready path, from a crisp explainer to a short, guided project or sandbox that converts time into understanding. Be prepared for meaningful exploration. Time gains give consumers the bandwidth to go beyond casual browsing, enabling brands to offer depth rather than superficial nudges. Coursera and Udemy saw enrollment spikes during the pandemic, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing thrived during lockdowns, and Peloton usage surged as consumers finally had the hours to commit towards meaningful exploration. When consumers gain unexpected time, they are more open to offerings that normally feel too demanding. Marketers should have rich, substantive experiences ready to meet them when the time frees up. Match the mood. Time alone doesn’t guarantee curiosity; emotional context matters. A sudden free evening may feel like a gift, but a lockdown paired with anxiety may not spark exploration unless the brand resonates with the mood. Spotify curates playlists by mood; IKEA framed home projects as comforting and purposeful activities during lockdowns, both resonating with consumers’ desire for stability and control. The lesson: To capture curiosity, managers must ask not just “Do consumers have time?” but “What mindset are they in?” Matching emotional tone to context can make the difference between ignored opportunities and actual exploration. For team managers, too, preparedness and a playbook can be used for employees within organizations. Managers who pay attention to shared calendars, set up alerts for freed-up time blocks, and notice team chatter about schedule changes can spot curiosity windows as they emerge. They can keep short onboarding guides, training modules, or quick communication campaigns prebuilt and ready. The goal often isn’t deep training on the spot; it’s sparking awareness and lowering the barrier to return later. This is also similar in spirit to research that shows that unexpected interruptions can boost employee creativity. However, not all free time produces curiosity. In stressful contexts, like local crises or emergencies, extra hours don’t translate into exploration. In those situations, managers should focus on stability and reassurance instead of introducing new tools. . . . Time is often treated as a backdrop, something consumers allocate in fixed ways. Our findings suggest otherwise: Time is a catalyst for exploration, even for complex topics. Marketers and team managers who prepare for these moments by offering depth, matching mood, and lowering the cost of exploration will be the ones to convert curiosity into the earliest stages of adoption.

Research: When Are Customers Willing to Try a New Technology?

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