Survey: Tech buyers look to Web, colleagues

Internet Web sites and recommendations from colleagues are the most important sources of information on IT products and services for federal IT buyers, according to a recent survey of 600 federal IT professionals in civilian and defense agencies.

The Homeland Security Department's Web site and IT suppliers' Web sites are the most frequently used sources of information for IT homeland security initiatives, said the survey, which was conducted in January by Market Connections Inc. of Fairfax, Va.

The survey, published April 12, is used by federal IT contractors to form their marketing strategies, said Lisa Dezzutti, president of Market Connections.

The survey found that among IT executives FOSE was the most frequently attended trade show. FOSE is owned by PostNewsweek Tech Media, publisher of Washington Technology. But 40 percent of survey respondents said they never attend trade shows. Defense IT buyers were more likely to say they don't go to trade shows, the study said.

Forty-six percent of respondents said they had used a credit card to buy IT products online. More than half said the volume of their online purchases would not change over the next 12 months, and 37 percent said they would spend more online.

Tight budgets, technology upgrades and information security are the top IT challenges for federal IT buyers, survey respondents said.