the
In
According to the Consumer Mind Reader Retail Forecast, out Sept. 21
and released from America’s Research Group and UBS, based on research
conducted over the weekend of Sept. 6-8, Americans are deal-driven as
never before.
While the numbers of Americans participating in online auctions is still
small at one in 10, of those who reported purchasing online coupons, 36. 4
percent have purchased four or more in the last three months; a whopping
81.9 percent rated their experience as excellent ( 36. 6 percent) or very
good ( 45. 1 percent); 65.4 percent of these coupon users are now shopping
more at those businesses so “these coupons are creating repeat customers,”
said Britt Beemer, chairman and founder of America’s Research Group.
“This is a very successful strategy because you have 65 percent of people
who have responded, creating more return traffic than retailers are creating
with their weekly sale advertising. You could argue that not many have
done it yet, but of those who have, it’s done a great job because they’re
coming back again and again.”
As for the Consumer Mind at this time, “far more Americans feel less
secure now than they did even a month ago,” said Beemer. When asked
“Are you better off than a year ago?” those responding “yes” declined
dramatically from 55. 7 percent in August to 45. 1 percent this month. And
30. 5 percent feel America is “better off than a year ago,” the lowest number in the 11 years that the question has been asked. Only 34 percent say
they are seeing signs of a recovery locally, with only 28 percent expecting
their employers to add new employees in the next two to three months.
“We know that in the 1980s, 88 percent of people saw employees getting
work, which I’ve thought of as the gold standard,” said Beemer. “It’s been
fluctuating between 21 percent and 30 percent in the three years that
we’ve asked the question.”
“As a result of this Consumer Mind-set, Americans are deal-driven as never
before with 75.9 percent saying they are far more sale-driven than three
to five years ago,” added Beemer. More Americans shopped this Labor Day
weekend at 44. 8 percent, up from 40. 8 percent last year – but they cut
back on spending with only 33. 9 percent spending more compared to 44. 9
percent last year. Of the 28. 8 percent who spent less, 30. 2 percent said
“prices going up” is the reason; double last year’s 15. 3 percent.
As for parents shopping for back-to-school supplies, 41. 9 percent – an
all-time high in the seven years since the question has been asked –
waited for “bigger sales” and delayed their back-to-school shopping until
Labor Day. Parents said they looked for more specials this Labor Day
weekend at 29 percent, up from 17. 4 percent last year.
