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Research

Restaurants, Green Products Big Losers as Pessimistic Consumers Cut Back

Some 58% of Americans say the economy has reached a low point - and nearly half (47%) think it will stay this way for a while, prompting spending cutbacks on nearly everything, from charitable contributions to dining out to beauty and grooming products, according to the November/December 2008 Insight Report from MarketTools, Inc.

The report, which focuses on US economic conditions and how they...
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Holiday Shoppers Continue Shift to Online; Cite Convenience, Price

Consumers will continue to shift their gift buying online this holiday season, citing convenience, time constraints, and price among the primary reasons for shopping on the web, according to (pdf) a Nielsen Online pre-holiday survey.

With the current economic downturn, there is an increased focus on price this year, with 53% of consumers citing price as a reason to buy online, compared with 46%...
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Consumer Price Index Down 1% - Largest Monthly Decrease in 60 Years

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 1.0% in October, before seasonal adjustment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor reported. The October level of 216.573 (1982-84=100) was 3.7% higher than in October 2007.

The October 1.0% decline was the largest one-month decrease in CPI-U since publication of seasonally adjusted changes began in...
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Retail E-Commerce Outpaces Total Retail in Q3

US retail e-commerce sales for the third quarter of 2008, adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, totaled an estimated $34.4 billion, an increase of 0.3% (±1.3%) from the second quarter, the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced.

Total retail sales for the third quarter were estimated at $1,018.8 billion, a decrease of 1.4% (±0.2%) from the second quarter of...
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US Retail E-Commerce Growth Slows to 1% in Oct. - Least-Ever Growth

Online retail spending in October 2008 grew only 1% over October 2007, according to comScore’s monthly retail e-commerce sales estimates; that’s the lowest monthly growth rate since comScore began tracking e-commerce in 2001.

The overall softness in online retail spending was precipitated by curtailed spending across mid- to lower-income segments, with households earning less than $50,000...
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Gift Card Spending to Drop as Holiday Shoppers Look for Bargains

Shoppers’ price-conscious mentality is taking a toll on the holiday season’s most-requested present, gift cards, sales of which will fall nearly 6% this season, to $24.9 billion, from $26.3 billion last year, according to NRF’s sixth annual Gift Card Survey, conducted by BIGresearch.

Fewer people plan to purchase gift cards this year (53.5% vs. 56.6% last year) and gift card shoppers will be...
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Consumers Embracing Online and ‘Green’ Shopping This Holiday Season

Online retailing will continue to grow this holiday season, with a record 71% of consumers spending at least part of their holiday budgets via the internet, according to Deloitte’s 23rd Annual Holiday Survey of retail spending and trends.

That figure is up 5 percentage points from 2004.

The online channel ranked No. 2 this year for holiday gift-shopping, behind only discount department...
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Deloitte Consumer Spending Index Negative for First Time since 1980

The Deloitte Research Leading Index of Consumer Spending fell into negative territory in October, primarily due to substantial increases in unemployment claims and continued softness in the housing market, Deloitte said.

The Index attempts to track consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

“While home prices declined at a slower rate during the summer, fall has seen the...
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Nielsen Consumer Confidence Index: Developing Markets More Optimistic

One in two consumers will try to save on gas and electricity, and spend less on new clothes; 47% will cut back on out-of-home entertainment; and one in three will switch to cheaper groceries.

While the world remains ensconced in credit crunch mode, consumers in the world’s fastest developing countries tend to believe that the global recession will be over within a year, according to the Nielsen...
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Consumers Open to Shopping via Social Networks

Nearly one-third (30%) of online consumers say special sales and exclusive products would make them consider shopping on social networks, and 27% say viewing comments about items for sale would similarly encourage them, according to a survey from Volusion, conducted by Harris Interactive.

Consumers are increasingly looking to social networks for advice and recommendations about online purchases...
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