Archive for the ‘Statistics’ Category
Friday, March 14th, 2008 |
by Wayne Friedman | Source: Media Daily News
CROWN MEDIA HOLDINGS, OWNER OF the Hallmark Channel, widened its losses for the fourth quarter of 2007 some 24% to $37.5 million. The downward numbers were primarily attributed to selling expenses, which increased to $21.6 million, due to bonus and legal expenses. However, for the full year, Crown Media narrowed its net loss–now at $159 million versus $389 million in 2006.
Advertising sales continue to improve, growing 21% to $63 million. Subscriber fee revenues still lagged behind ad revenues in growth and total dollars, only inching up 3% during the period to $6.4 million. (more…)
Posted in Bookkeeping, Business Success, Statistics | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 |
[Big Idea] … so don’t bust your back trying to be all over them. Not only do people spend less time there, but it’s been documented time & again that social media traffic has a much lower conversion rate (they buy less!) than traffic from other sources. ##
by Mark Walsh | Source: Online Media Daily
ADDING A NEW CATEGORY TO its index of Internet activity, the Online Publishers Association found that community sites–including social networks such as Facebook and MySpace–account for only 7.5% of time spent online.
That puts community sites ahead of search (5%), but well below content (42.7%), communications (28.7%), and commerce sites (16.1%) in time spent. The OPA defines the community category as Web sites and applications that combine user-generated content with communications to foster relationships among their members.
“The addition of Community reflects the increasing popularity of sites such as MySpace and Facebook that don’t clearly fit into a single existing (Internet Activity Index) category, said OPA President Pam Horan. Even so, adding social networking sites to the mix hardly displaced content as king when it comes to monopolizing users’ time online.
Separately, Web measurement firm HitWise estimates that social networking sites and other online forums, such as Craigslist, accounted for 9.3% of U.S. Internet traffic in February. Social networks alone made up almost 6% of traffic.
While still small, advertising on social sites is growing rapidly. In its recently released 2008 Digital Outlook Report, Avenue A|Razorfish identified entertainment and community sites as the two fastest-growing ad categories last year, with the latter growing more than 50% to $55 million.
Posted in Business Success, Internet, Marketing, Media Trends, Statistics | No Comments »
Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 |
Source: Marketing Daily
SEARS HOLDINGS, IN THE MIDST of a search for a new CEO, reported its fourth-quarter and full-year results, and things are getting tougher for the Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based company.
Net income plunged to $426 million from $811 million in the same quarter a year ago. The company was hit hard not just by declining sales, but also eroding margins, as it continued to mark down prices in an effort to tempt consumers. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Statistics | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 |
[Karin's Take] The message on this is simple: if you don’t have a website and aren’t helping your customers online, you’re missing the boat. Customers are now more satisfied buying online than offline. Give them what they like. ##
BY GRETA GUEST | Source: Detroit Free Press
Online retailers are delivering the goods and better customer service than traditional stores, according to a University of Michigan study expected to be released today.
Advertisement
Customer satisfaction with online retail was even with last year at 83 points on a 100-point scale, but surpassed brick-and-mortar retailers by 12%, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
“Against a backdrop of weakening consumer spending and talk about recession, e-commerce will continue to be a bright spot for multichannel companies,” said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results in Ann Arbor, which partnered with U-M’s Ross School of Business on the survey.
Satisfaction with the online marketplace has risen by 8.5% since 2000, according to the index.
At the same time, online retail has grown into a $136.4-billion industry, up from $32.6 billion in 2001, according to U.S. Census Department data.
Overall customer satisfaction with goods and services purchased declined in the fourth quarter and that combined with falling home prices, rising energy prices, tighter credit and higher unemployment may mean even more challenges ahead for consumer spending growth, said Claes Fornell, head of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
“In such an environment, customer satisfaction becomes even more important because satisfied buyers tend to reduce seller’s cash flow volatility,” Fornell said.
Customer satisfaction with the offline retail sector…
Read the full story at the Detroit Free Press >>
Posted in Business Success, Internet, Statistics | No Comments »
Saturday, February 16th, 2008 |
AP | Source: MSNBC
Overall, the U.S. retail industry is bracing for its bleakest times since the 1991 recession.
…. “We are looking at recession levels of spending for consumers,” said Frank Badillo, vice president and senior retail economist at consulting company Retail Forward. “It’s clearly a difficult environment for retailers that is going to continue for the better part of the year.”
Consumers — weighed down by rising gas and food prices, an escalating credit crisis and slumping housing prices — are expected to hunker down for at least the first half of the year.
Read the full story at MSNBC >>
Posted in Business Success, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, February 14th, 2008 |
By Evan Clark and Kristi Ellis | Source: Women’s Wear Daily
Apparel and accessories specialty stores saw sales advance 1.4 percent from December, driven in part by clearance of holiday merchandise, while the struggling department store sector registered a 1.1 percent decline. Compared with a year earlier, sales at apparel and accessories stores dipped 0.1 percent to $18.8 billion and department store sales fell 4.8 percent to $17.1 billion. The overall retail sales got a boost from a 2 percent rise at gasoline stations and higher car sales.
Despite the sales gain last month, Brian Bethune, U.S. economist at Global Insight, said the first quarter could still be a tough one with February sales reports tilting toward the weak side and consumer confidence declining.
“We still expect real consumption spending to track below 1 percent in the first quarter,” Bethune said in an analysis. “Real consumption spending is in the process of slowing down further. Combined with another very large negative contribution from housing investment, this will ultimately lead to a negative real [gross domestic product] growth rate in the first quarter.”
Full story at Women’s Wear Daily >>
Posted in Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, February 14th, 2008 |
by Nina M. Lentini | Source: 02/12/08 Marketing Daily
- 41% report that their online spending has increased during this period
- 63% are spending time online looking for special discounts, coupons and offers from their favorite brands and products
- 74.2% would sign up for one-off coupons and discounts for their preferred brands and products (more…)
Posted in Internet, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, February 14th, 2008 |
by Erik Sass | Source: Media Daily News
PRINT IS THRIVING–ONLINE.
The top 320 magazine Web sites received on average 67.5 million unique visitors per month during the fourth quarter of 2007–an 8.1% jump from the same period in 2006, according to Web data collected by Nielsen Online and compiled by the Magazine Publishers of America. That’s a faster rate of growth than the Internet overall, where the total U.S. online population rose 2.4% year-over-year.
These figures mean that magazine Web sites reached almost 42% of the total U.S. online population of about 160 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 7.1% over last year’s reach. (more…)
Posted in Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 |
Source: National Retail Federation
As expected, January retail sales demonstrated that consumers last month were focused on buying necessities more than discretionary items. According to the National Retail Federation, retail industry sales for January (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) rose 2.0 percent unadjusted over last year and 0.1 percent seasonally adjusted from December.
“The January numbers are indicative of the issues consumers are facing, including the housing slump, a sluggish employment sector and high energy prices,” said NRF Chief Economist Rosalind Wells. “We expect to see marginal improvements in the second half of the year once consumers begin to receive their rebate checks.”
Helped in part by winter clearance sales and other weather-related purchases, sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores increased 1.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year and 1.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month. Health and personal care stores sales also saw moderate increases with sales increasing 3.5 percent unadjusted over last year and 0.8 percent seasonally adjusted from December.
General merchandise stores sales also increased 3.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year and 0.1 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month.
Stores selling home-related merchandise saw the biggest sales declines. Sales at furniture and home furnishings stores decreased 4.3 percent unadjusted over last year and 0.5 percent seasonally adjusted from last month. Building material and garden and equipment stores sales decreased 5.8 percent unadjusted year-over-year and 1.7 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month.
Read the full story at NRF >>
Posted in Business Success, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 |
It is no surprise that a print/direct media agency found that their own media choice ranks over others, with consumers. Naturally there is some bias to be expected in this “study.” However, that doesn’t mean the report is wisely disregarded in its entirety. Veritas has identified valid reasons for why consumers do refer to circulars. And clearly, circulars do work, otherwise businesses would not continue to use them.
The question is, what can you take away from this study and apply to your small business? ##
Source: Progressive Grocer
BALTIMORE – Almost half of all consumers think inserts and circulars are the advertising methods that best capture their attention, according to research released yesterday by Vertis Communications here, a provider of print advertising, direct marketing solutions, and related value-added services to retail and consumer services companies.
Vertis said in its “Vertis Customer Focus 2008: Retail Study,” that 47 percent of Americans cited inserts and circulars as the most effective, a 9 percent increase since 2003. Also according to the report, inserts and circulars have surpassed TV advertising as the medium most able to draw consumer attention.
93 percent of consumers who read the pieces use them for more than just price comparisons. Specifically, the study found that over 50 percent of those who read them do so for at least three reasons: clipping coupons, assisting in making shopping lists for future store trips, and browsing for new products or styles.
Read the full story at Progressive Grocer >>
Posted in Marketing, Media Trends, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 |
Source: Center for Media Research
According to the latest Nielsen Global Online Survey on internet shopping habits, more than 85% of the world’s online population has used the internet to make a purchase, increasing the market for online shopping by 40% in the past two years.
Bruce Paul, VP, Customized Research, Nielsen US, said “When The Nielsen Company conducted its first global survey into internet shopping trends two years ago, approximately 10% of the world’s population (627 million) had shopped online. Within two years, this number has increased by approximately 40% to 875 million.”
Globally, more than half of internet users have made at least one purchase online in the past month, according to Nielsen.
Among internet users, the highest percentage shopping online is in South Korea, where 99% of those with internet access have used it to shop, and 79% of these internet users have shopped in the past month. Other prolific shoppers are in the last month are:
(more…)
Posted in Internet, Media Trends, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 |
by Nina M. Lentini | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
IF YOU HAVE A HEADACHE, you take a pain reliever. If the headache persists, you can either keep taking aspirin or start doing something about your long-term health.
That’s the kind of trade-off described in a new report out from Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) that focuses on decisions made by consumer products companies as they consider short- and long-term marketing strategies. Sunil “Sunny” Garga, global services president at IRI, used the health care analogy in discussing with Marketing Daily the results of the newly released IRI report, “Long-Term Drivers Consortium Study.” (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, July 6th, 2007 |
By Evan Schuman | Source: Storefront Backtalk
The average time it takes a consumer to make an E-Commerce purchase decision has jumped from about 19 hours in 2005 to 34 hours and 19 minutes this year, according to a report that is slated to be published next week.
The report, created by a security service called ScanAlert and based on about 128 million visitors to 470 web sites, makes the reasonable conclusion that the increase is based overwhelmingly on the increase in the number of E-Commerce sites today. In theory, this allows for much more extensive—and time-consuming—comparison shopping. (more…)
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, July 6th, 2007 |
Source: PROMO Magazine
Despite the popular of social networking sites and other online communities, they have little effect on influencing online retail sales, a new report has found.
Such sites are only driving about 12% of online shoppers to buy more than planned, the study by JupiterResearch found.
The effectiveness of these sites, like MySpace, in driving retail sales is still emerging.
Some 53% of people making online purchases go directly to the retailer’s site versus 3% using blogs. (more…)
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, July 5th, 2007 |
Looking at the buying decisions behind hybrid vehicles. If you know why they want to buy a product, you can more easily target those hot-button desires in your marketing and promotions.
By MICHELINE MAYNARD | Source: The New York Times
A riddle: Why has the Toyota Prius enjoyed such success, with sales of more than 400,000 in the United States, when most other hybrid models struggle to find buyers?
One answer may be that buyers of the Prius want everyone to know they are driving a hybrid.
The Prius, after all, was built from the ground up as a hybrid, and is sold only as a hybrid. By contrast, the main way to tell that a Honda Civic, Ford Escape or Saturn Vue is a hybrid version is a small badge on the trunk or side panel.
The Prius has become, in a sense, the four-wheel equivalent of those popular rubber “issue bracelets” in yellow and other colors — it shows the world that its owner cares.
In fact, more than half of the Prius buyers surveyed this spring by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore., said the main reason they purchased their car was that “it makes a statement about me.” (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 |
by Erik Sass | Source: Online Media Daily
PEOPLE WHO BANK ONLINE ARE far more likely to engage in e-commerce activity, according to a study from Moda Solutions, a company that links the two by bringing online banking to the virtual checkout.
The cause and effect behind the phenomenon isn’t clear–i.e., which affinity drives the other one. But the strong correlation suggests that an increase in online banking could see a concurrent lift for e-commerce. (more…)
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, June 21st, 2007 |
Prices have climbed 55 percent this year
By Alex Davis | Source: The Courier-Journal
A sharp rise in the cost of cheese this year is spreading concern in the pizza industry, from mom-and-pop operators to the nation’s biggest delivery chains.
Block cheddar cheese hit $2.06 a pound this week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a 55 percent increase from the end of 2006 when it was $1.33 a pound. Cheddar is the benchmark for mozzarella and other types of cheese, which typically make up the largest single ingredient for pizza companies.
“It’s definitely a major concern,” said Rob Mooney, president of Louisville-based Bearno’s Inc., which has 16 restaurants in Indiana and Kentucky.
Full Story at Courier-Journal >>
Posted in Bookkeeping, Business Success, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, June 15th, 2007 |
Source: Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
With about 19 million people in the U.S.–or roughly 9% of cell phone users–highly interested in purchasing Apple’s iPhone, AT&T is looking at a possible windfall of new customers, two new consumer surveys show.
Two-thirds of mobile-phone users who are interested in purchasing the iPhone would be willing to switch from their current carriers to obtain the device, according to a survey of about 11,000 cell phone users by M:Metrics. 12.5% of T-Mobile USA customers express a high interest in the phone; followed by 8.1% for Sprint Nextel; and 6.7% for Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile is seen as especially vulnerable because it has a high share of users in the 18-to-24 age group.
In a separate online survey of 680 people who were shopping for iPods on the Internet, research firm Compete found that 12% of respondents said they have postponed their wireless-phone purchases to wait for the release of the iPhone. An equal percentage said they had postponed buying an MP3 player.
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 |
Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
AFTER A BIG DOWNTURN, THOSE dresses women everywhere are wearing are creating a retail phenomenon: NPD Group reports that dress sales are up 30.4% in the 12-month period of May 2006 to April 2007, to $5.06 billion.
Last year, sales were down from the previous period by 9.4 %.
A report in Women’s Wear Daily predicts dresses will say hot at least through next spring, based on the latest runway collections.
Posted in Business Success, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 |
by Karlene Lukovitz | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
TODAY’S DADS ARE NOT ONLY spending more time with their kids; they’re actively involved in making buying decisions about products and services for them, a new study from the youth market research and strategy firm Smarty Pants confirms.
The firm conducted 20-minute online surveys with more than 750 fathers of kids between infancy and 12 years of age, as well as individual and small-group interviews.
Turns out that most kid-related purchases, across a wide variety of categories, are jointly made by parents/partners. Furthermore, particularly in certain categories, significant numbers of dads call the shots alone. (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 |
by Les Luchter | Source: Online Media Daily
COMPANIES USING WEB ANALYTICS ARE placing too much faith in technology and people, and not putting enough effort into education and training, according to former JupiterResearch analyst Eric T. Peterson, whose new consulting firm Web Analytics Demystified has just released the results of its initial research. (more…)
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, June 8th, 2007 |
by Karlene Lukovitz | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
THESE DAYS, WE HUMANS EXPECT convenience elements to be built into virtually every product we buy for ourselves, even when it’s generic or bargain-priced. But when it comes to our pets, we’re being successfully trained to equate convenience with luxury-which in turn, of course, equates to paying premium prices.
The number of convenience-oriented pet product lines grew nearly 20% between 2005 and 2006, and the number specifically positioned as “upscale” increased six-fold, from seven to 41, between 2002 and 2006, according to data cited in a new report on pet travel and convenience products from the Packaged Facts division of MarketResearch.com. (Convenience products are those touted as being single-serve, disposable, quick, reusable, refillable, no-odor, instant, hand-held and/or microwaveable. Yes, microwaveable.) (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, June 8th, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
AFTER ANNOUNCING SOME OF THE industry’s best May sales numbers, Saks Fifth Avenue will relaunch its “Want it!” campaign this fall, featuring 18 fashion “must haves.”
Beginning in September, the campaign will highlight nine items for women, including the cape, textured cardigan, opaque legs and high-heeled shoe booty. For men, it will spotlight tuxedos, turtlenecks, puffy vests, novel ties and – wait for it – “the gentleman’s bag.”
No snickering, please: Saks also reports that same-store sales skyrocketed 37.5% over year-earlier figures. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 5th, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
IT’S NO NEWS THAT THE popularity of private-label grocery products is growing, whether it’s the Wild Oats-Pathmark natural foods line, Target’s successful Archer Farms foods, or Whole Foods’ 365 Organic Everyday Value brand.
What is different, according to a study from the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), is that the popularity of private-label foods seems to be creating a halo effect for other product categories.
Some 41% of shoppers now identify themselves as “frequent” buyers of private-label food brands. Five years ago, 36% of respondents described themselves that way; 15 years ago, only 12% called themselves frequent buyers. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2007 |
by Karlene Lukovitz | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
WHOPPING GAS HIKES DIDN’T DISCOURAGE Americans from treating themselves to upgrades in just about every category of discretionary spending last year, according to the latest tracking data from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
In fact, in a switch from recent years’ trends, trading-up spending grew slightly faster (up 7% to $720 billion) than trading-down spending (up 6%, to $1.165 trillion).
In terms of share of discretionary dollars, trading up accounted for 21% (up three percentage points since 2004), while trading down accounted for 33% (up two percentage points since 2004).
Meanwhile, spending on traditional “middle market” products and services continued its inexorable decline. At $1.61 trillion, this sector still represents 46% of all discretionary spending, but that’s down from 48% in 2005 and 51% in 2004.
The underlying dynamic is familiar by now. Americans “know how to identify the premium products that will meet their emotional needs and offset the challenges of life,” sums up consumer economy expert and BCG Senior Partner Michael J. Silverstein, and in order to afford the products that mean most to them, “they bargain-hunt relentlessly in other categories to find low-cost, quality items and services.” (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2007 |
By Susan Reda | Source: STORES Magazine
It turns out the same people you’ve trained to welcome shoppers with a smile and assist them in finding what they need are actually sabotaging your customer-centric initiatives. Shoppers relay story after story of store associates who avoid eye contact, hide in the stockroom for fear of being approached by shoppers and shrug their shoulders when asked a question.
And if you don’t think your employees would ever behave so poorly . . . think again. According to data compiled exclusively for STORES by BIGresearch, apathetic, ill-mannered and poorly-trained sales associates are driving shoppers out the door and to the competition – where, they say, they’re likely to experience more of the same. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 |
by Nina M. Lentini | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
OF THE 100 LARGEST COMPANIES rated in the U.S. by the general public, Kraft Foods earned the highest Reputation Pulse of 81.07, as computed by the Reputation Institute.
The score indicates that consumers have very high trust, respect, and good feeling for the company, says the institute.
Anthony Johndrow, managing director of the institute’s U.S. office, says of Kraft: “People have to trust them in order to buy their products–it’s food you give to your family that’s made by that company. There is definitely a relationship there that’s a potential trend.” (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
FATHER’S DAY–LONG CONSIDERED A KIND of gag-gift afterthought to Mother’s Day–is getting serious.
The National Retail Federation predicts that this year Americans will shell out $9.9 billion for Father’s Day, which is June 17, and that the average person will spend $98.34 on the holiday, up from $88.80 last year.
Greeting cards, as ever, are the most popular way of marking the day, making it the fourth-biggest day for the greeting card business. And 42.7% will take Pop out for a meal. (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 |
by Adrienne W. Fawcett | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
ANY AMERICAN WHO BOUGHT A first home or decorated an apartment in the 1980s or ’90s surely knows IKEA was born on foreign soil. Everything about the retailer was-and is—different from other furniture companies: its formula of high design at a low price; its all-caps name; its bright blue and yellow décor that’s reminiscent of a certain country’s flag; even the tangy scent of Swedish meatballs wafting through the aisles. Doesn’t everyone know this is not your father’s Wal-Mart?
Well, no. Meatballs or not, only 31.2% of college students correctly identify IKEA as a Swedish company; and nearly a quarter erroneously think it’s American, according to a new study of American college students. And it’s not just IKEA. U.S. college students may get an A-plus for trendiness, but they get an F for understanding where brands originate. (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, May 31st, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
WHEN IT COMES TO NAVIGATING supermarkets, a new study paints a thoroughly retro picture of American men: Whatever else they’re good at, they are pathetic at grocery shopping. Women still do most of the heavy-duty shopping, says Mandy Putnam, vice president at consulting firm TNS Retail Forward and author of its “Men in Grocery Stores” report. And when men do go to the store, they’re “often overwhelmed by the experience,” she says, bamboozled by all the choices. They roam the aisles like lost sheep, and are afraid to make their wives mad by bringing home the wrong brand of cereal bar or toothpaste.
For marketers and retailers, Putnam thinks one of the main messages is that sometimes, “there are just too many choices. More is not really more–it’s just overwhelming. Supermarkets that can do a better job of editing will be more engaging to men.” (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 |
Source: Center for Media Research Brief
According to the BIGresearch May Consumer Intentions & Actions Survey, consumer expectations are for gas price increases up to $3.32 a gallon by Father’s Day.
Gary Drenik, President & CEO of BIGresearch, says “The expectation of ever-increasing gas prices has seeped into consumer attitudes toward the economy, as consumer confidence declined to 44.6% in May, versus April’s 46.5%… consumers continue to look for ways to stretch their paychecks by deferring purchases.”
The consumer market may be running out of gas, says the report. 33.3% of consumers say they are worse off financially than they were a year ago. In addition, pricing sensitivity for apparel purchases increased in May, with 18% saying they only buy on sale, up from April’s 16.8%.
Consumers in the Midwest are more pessimistic in their responses to gas price impacts and financial well being, as more Midwesterners said the following: (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 |
by Emily Burg | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
ONE OF THE LITTLE LUXURIES of staying in a hotel–the late-night snack from the hotel mini-bar–has proven to be a major point of contention between hotels and their guests, with 25% of travelers surveyed by TripAdvisor reporting disputes with hotels over a mini-bar charge.
TripAdvisor surveyed 1,600 travelers worldwide on their thoughts and experiences with hotel mini-bars and fridges, finding that the biggest issue travelers had with their in-room iceboxes is price. Ninety-four percent of all travelers surveyed said they would be more inclined to patronize their mini-bars if prices were more reasonable; 33% said they steered clear of the mini-bar altogether.
“Travelers are scared of hotel mini-bars because of sky-high prices,” says Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor, in a release. “By lowering prices and double-checking bill charges, hotels could provide a mini-bar service that travelers would embrace.” (more…)
Posted in Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 |
Google & Yahoo! Dominate With 86% of U.S. Searches
Source: Center for Media Research BriefÂ
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Sunday, May 27th, 2007 |
[SS NOTE] By the way, “marketers” means you. “Marketers” includes everyone who markets something… which means shop owners, reps, business owners, etc. It’s common to think of marketers as being only professional ad houses, and that’s just not the case. This article is about us all. /ss
by Nina M. Lentini | Source: Marketing Daily
ALL THAT INFLUENCE YOU’VE HAD all these years? Step aside–the Echo Boom is here, and marketers are turning their attention to the kids.
Visa USA, which commissioned a survey of Echo Boomers (born 1979 to 1989) and Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964), reports at least one interesting irony: even though the older crowd generally has a negative attitude toward the younger demographic, the kids see having money as a way to give back to others, especially family members and charities.
One thing the generations agree on is this: Both are concerned about saving for retirement.
Echo Boomers are the nation’s second-largest generation and, eight years hence, will account for approximately $2.45 trillion in annual spending.
This generation appears to be misunderstood.
Visa finds that Echos are more practical and mature in their spending habits and more generous to others–characteristics often not associated with them. (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Niche Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Saturday, May 26th, 2007 |
by Laurie Petersen | Source: Online Media Daily
THE ONLINE HEALTH INFORMATION CATEGORY reached an average of 55.3 million monthly U.S. visitors in the first quarter of 2007, which represents a 12% year-over-year increase for the period, comScore reported yesterday.
Health-related search continues to be a key traffic driver. “Pregnancy” was the top health-related search phrase for the first quarter, with more than 17 million entries. “Cancer,” “flu” and “fitness” each generated at least 15 million searches. (more…)
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Media Trends, Niche Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, May 24th, 2007 |
by Karlene Lukovitz | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
QUICK: NAME AN AD CAMPAIGN that’s specifically geared to single adults in their 40s or beyond.
Not easy. Amid the increasing emphasis on serving Baby Boomers, marketers seem to be behind the curve in addressing the growing number of their single brethren.
Half of all U.S. households are now headed by unmarried adults, 43% of all singles are 45 or older (one quarter are Baby Boomers), and nearly two-thirds of single women are 35 or older.
And contrary to what one would guess based on their absence in advertising, mature singles have significant discretionary income and a broad range of interests, confirms a new study on the U.S. singles market from the Packaged Facts division of MarketResearch.com. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Statistics | No Comments »
Thursday, May 24th, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: MediaPost’s Marketing Daily
FUELED BY STRONG PROFIT GROWTH in its credit-card operations and its continued determination to “continually delight our guests,” Target Corp. said net earnings for the first quarter climbed 18% to $651 million, while revenues gained 9.2%, to $14 billion. Overall, comparable-store sales advanced 4.3% for the quarter.
In a conference call discussing its results, the company credited its “Expect more, pay less” marketing strategy for the strong results, as well as its commitment to encouraging shoppers to visit stores more often.
Increasingly, food is playing a key role in these more frequent visits, executives said, including Target’s Archer Farms label. (The company says it has increased the penetration of private-label food products to 15%.) (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 |
[SS NOTE] *feigned look of shock* You mean they finally realized anybody with a whit of ethics looks at them like they are the sleazebags that… they act like? Funny how when I asked pointed questions of industry ethics — in an advertising copywriters’ forum (so in their own sandbox, per se) — not even the industry’s most “successful” or esteemed copywriters would touch the issue with a 10-foot pole. Sort of odd, isn’t it? *wink* I can’t help but wonder if this will actually translate into any difference though… honestly, I expect not. /ssÂ
By Leo Cendrowicz/The Hollywood Reporter | Source: Ad Week
 BRUSSELS – The global advertising industry on Monday committed to improving its image and regulating itself as it battles growing anti-brand and anti-corporate sentiments.
The World Federation of Advertisers said it wants to give consumers more of a stake in advertising by boosting the complaints process and generating more feedback.
The pledge comes after a recent Gallup survey in the U.S. found only 10 percent of those polled rated the ethics of advertisers as “very high” or “high.” The advertiser beat the “ever-ridiculed used car salesman” by a single point. (more…)
Posted in Marketing, Media Trends, Statistics | No Comments »
Monday, May 14th, 2007 |
by Karl Greenberg | Source: Marketing Daily
A NEW STUDY BY OMNICOM’S BBDO Worldwide suggests that injecting your brands into the rituals that define people is critical to making them an immutable part of consumer shopping lists.
BBDO’s study, with the gothic title “The Ritual Masters,” defines rituals as actions that “move people emotionally from one place to another.”
It deems brands that are embedded in rituals “Fortress Brands” because once ensconced in peoples’ ritual lives–brushing teeth, buying a beer, or shaving, for example–people are unlikely to remove them. (more…)
Posted in Business Success, Marketing, Product, Statistics | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2007 |
by Sarah Mahoney | Source: Marketing Daily
EVERYONE WAS EXPECTING APRIL SALES data to disappoint. After all, Easter fell in March this year. It was too chilly in much of the country, which hurt sales of spring apparel. Gas prices are up again. And some retailers, including Target Corp., had even issued mid-month warnings that sales were falling short of expectations. Still, not many had predicted that lousy would actually translate to wretched.
While Wal-Mart Stores’ nosedive of 4.6% in comparable-store sales is the most stunning, declines were widespread among most mass marketers, and even hot stores stumbled. Target’s sales fell 6.1%, for example–and Kohl’s, 10.5%. (more…)
Posted in Bookkeeping, Business Success, Statistics | No Comments »
