From this week’s Harris Poll: Four in Five Americans Made Cuts to Personal Spending Due to Economy http://tinyurl.com/ll6mtg
As the economy has suffered over the past year, one area where consumers have been impacted is in their spending. Four in five Americans (79%) say they have made cuts over the past year in their personal spending due to the economy. One-third (32%) have made a lot of cuts while almost half (47%) have made some cuts. Just one in five Americans (21%) have not made any cuts in their personal spending due to the economy.
From the Hartman Group: Spending Once, Giving Twice: A New Twist on an Old Practice http://tinyurl.com/m9brgm
Prepaid gift cards have seemingly become the perfect answer to the age-old question of “what to give” for any occasion. Created as an antidote to what some view as mindless consumption, charity gift cards take the ritual of giving and align it more closely with what is believed to be a more considered decision.
‘Recession Shoppers’ Pursue Value, Not Just Discounts http://tinyurl.com/l8nufa
Researchers have found that as economic duress presses down on wallets, online shoppers increasingly scour the internet for the best value on their purchases, not just low prices, MarketingVOX reports. In essence, “Value is the new black,” proclaims the study by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates.
U.S. Consumers Feel Loyalty Reward Programs Not Relevant http://tinyurl.com/maykou
According to consumer survey research released by Direct Antidote, far too many mailings, emails and Facebook messages that companies send to their loyalty reward program members miss the mark. Only 32% of U.S. consumers rated reward program communications 8 or higher on a 1 to 10 scale for measuring relevancy to their personal needs, with 68% giving a score of 7 or below.
From Progressive Grocer: Fewer Consumers Can Afford to Buy Healthy Foods: Survey
According to a recent survey by Chicago-based food industry research firm Technomic, the recession is playing havoc with shoppers’ access to more nutritious foods. The survey found that while over half of consumers are more concerned about what they eat today vs. a year ago, 70 percent said that healthier foods are increasingly difficult to afford, 53 percent said they often buy less healthy foods because they’re cheaper, and 44 percent say their budgets keep them from eating healthier foods.
Filed under: caused based marketing, economy, gift giving
Alcone Marketing Group - Consumer Lab 