Factoids

Back to news

Britt Beemer America's Research Group articles most recent first Beemer: Survey Confirms Lower Holiday Spending Beemer Predicts Retail Train Wreck Consumers Postponing Major Purchases; Jewelry Hardest Hit Furniture Buying Index Falls in May Consumers Shift Spending To What They Need, Not What They Want Furniture Buying Index Drops Two More Points; Wal Mart Expands Home Furnishings In Midst of Sluggish Furniture Sales Beemer - Many Retailers In Free Fall After Disappointing December August Retail Sales Surge; Home Furnishings, Accessories Lag behind Expert Predicts Back-to-School Spending to Grow Meagerly in 2007 Retail Shopping Takes A Holiday Early Indications Are For A Frugal First Quarter Independent Retailers Outperformed Chain Stores In December Britt Beemer Lowers Forecast of Christmas Retail Sales to 2.7% Rise Over Last Year; Lack of “Must Have” Item to Blame Want To Drive Shoppers Away? Decorate Stores Less and Don’t Say “Merry Christmas” 2006 Q4 Shoppers Study Revealing; Cyber Monday a Hoax, Biggest Retail Push Will Be After December 15th 10 Trends For Retail Christmas 2006 Survey; Parents Cite High Gas Prices As Primary Reason For Limiting Back To School Spending Families Reduce Summer Spending As Gas Prices Rise Or Was It? New Survey Casts Doubt On Rosie Black Friday Survey; Bargain Hunters Drive June Results Top 10 Retail Stores For April; Discounts Drive Traffic Survey Says Americans Extremely Optimist About The Future 37% Of Shoppers Noticed Less Christmas Decorations In Stores; Spent Less As A Result America’s Research Group; Shopping Levels Increasing But Still Expected To Be Lackluster 3.2% Over 2003 Lack Of Hot New Product Weighing Heavily On Holiday Shopping Survey Of Thanksgiving Weekend Shoppers; "We're Not Impressed"; 45% Say Discounts Not Enough Britt Beemer’s Christmas 2004 Sales Forecast; 19% Will Spend More Since Bush Was Reelected Seven Things Your Store’s Appearance Tells Your Customers Britt Beemer Cites Convenience As Key To Drawing Male Shoppers Beemer Lowers Christmas Sales Projection to 4.2% Increase This Year Compared To His Earlier 4.8% Sales Increase survey 31.0% of Americans Who Planned to Shop Thanksgiving Weekend Did Not Get Around To It Study Shows 11% Increase In Consumer Spending For Appliance, Electronics, Computers Britt Beemer Predicts 4.8% Increase In Holiday Spending survey Furniture Leads All Categories For Shopping Levels Over Labor Day Weekend survey Consumers Plan to Spend 10% More on Back to School Furniture Buying Index Up One Point Buying furniture is on consumers’ minds, but not a top priority Shopping Is Not a Big Priority for Many Americans The Incredible Shrinking Customer Base How Loyal is Your Customer? The Loyalty American Consumers Have Towards Brand Products

92.6% of parents say they will spend less on each item this year compared to 75.3% last year and 32.8% in 2005. The reason most give is higher gas prices.

Almost half of American parents (48.7%) say they will keep back-to-school spending to a minimum this fall, buying only replacements for garments their children have outgrown, according to a new national survey conducted by America's Research Group (ARG). The survey data reveal a three-year trend: 48.0% of parents said they would buy "the minimum" in 2006 and 52.3% in 2005.

"Parents are trying to cut back spending wherever they can as the money pinch tightens this year," says C. Britt Beemer, Chairman of ARG, "thus retailers should expect a lackluster back-to-school season with growth around 2.5% over 2006."

An overwhelming 90.3% of those parents who are spending less this year say that having 'less money' is the cause. That figure compares to last year’s 43.2% who said 'less money' was the reason. Over nine in ten parents (92.6%) also say they will spend less on each item this year compared to 75.3% last year and 32.8% in 2005. The reason most give is higher gas prices, Beemer says.

Clothing will be the biggest purchase category in 2007 with 85.3% of parents saying they plan to spend more on apparel; 14.7% will spend more on shoes. More schools (23.7%) are requiring uniforms this year, compared to 15.8% last year and 15.4% in 2005, which will impact clothing sales, according to Beemer.

Although they plan to spend the minimum, more parents (23.7%) plan to extend back-to-school purchases through the Labor Day weekend this year. Only 18.5% planned to shop over Labor Day weekend last year.

Almost a third of parents (30.8%) are not sure where they will shop for back-to-school clothing, but some indicate clear store preferences:

- Wal-Mart at 14.5% in first position
- JCPenney, 9.7%
- Old Navy, 8.7%
- Sears, 7.6%
- Target, 4.8%
- American Eagle, 3.9%

The study consists of 1,000 telephone interviews conducted Thursday through Sunday, July 5 – 8, 2007 at ARG headquarters in Charleston, SC. The error factor is plus or minus 4.3%.

America’s Research Group (ARG) is the consumer-behavior marketing firm that provides clients the insight, strategy and tactics to increase market share. ARG’s expertise in consumer behavior has made it a key resource and advisor to leading brands and top retailers in the nation for 27 years.