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New Unity Marketing Research Study of the Tabletop Market Offers Marketers and Retailers Creative Ideas to Build Sales in a Down Market

A study of the purchase behavior, motivations and mindset of tabletop consumers reveals marketing opportunities that will turn lookers into buyers

Stevens, PA February 13, 2009 -- Marketers of tabletop -- those items people use to dine and set their tables -- have experienced a topsy-turvy ride over the past two years. The consumer market for tableware and tabletop goods grew 6.4 percent from 2006 to 2007, only to decline by 4.2 percent in 2008 as significantly fewer consumers made any tabletop purchases. This is according to a new study of the tabletop market published by Unity Marketing.

This newest study highlights tabletop marketers' need to focus their efforts on the items that customers desire the most. Hint: in the midst of the economic downturn, consumers want to see a bright spot on their table each day.

Tracking the shifts in the tabletop market

The percentage of Americans who bought tabletop in 2008 as compared to those who made purchases in 2006 dropped sharply, according to a new survey of 1,165 consumesr who recently purchased any tabletop products, including dinnerware, glassware and crystal, flatware, servingware, tabletop decorative accessories, giftware and collectibles and other tabletop goods, such as linen.

The total market for dinnerware declined by 14 percent from 2006 to 2008 and sales of glassware dropped 10 percent. However, a bright spot in the glassware category was crystal, which experienced a 7 percent increase in sales in the study period.

Overall the demand for functional tableware items dropped, as consumers turned their attention to purchasing more decorative items. Commenting on the findings from the most recent study, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience, said, "Consumers are more interested in buying items that they can use to decorate or enhance the appearance of their dinner table than they are in buying items that can be used specifically for dining purposes. So rather than buy a new dinnerware place setting, they are more likely to buy candlesticks or a vase; rather than buy a new serving bowl, they are more likely to buy a decorative bowl to work into a centerpiece display."

The results of this study show that for marketers and retailers their key opportunity for growth lies in delivering to consumers the luxury of decorative items that will enhance the dining experience, rather than meeting their needs for serving and eating.

Making research findings actionable for marketers and retailers

In the new Tabletop Report 2009: The Ultimate Guide to the Consumer Market for Tabletop Marketers and Retailers, Danziger, the study's author, aimed to take the findings from the research and translate them into actionable strategies and tactics that marketers can use to build a robust and vibrant business.

"We can't ignore that consumer marketers face an incredibly challenging market today. Companies are stressed to reduce costs and find efficiencies. At the same time, marketers now more than ever need to understand their customer in order to develop marketing programs that will deliver results and to design new products that people want to buy. In this new study we aimed to deliver more value to marketers by taking the key research findings up a notch in order to put the latest insights to use," Danziger concludes.

Unity Marketing's Tabletop Report 2009 helps marketers take action

In order to bridge the gap between research findings and actionable marketing strategies, the Tabletop Report 2009 is packed full of advice and recommendations for marketers, a new feature of Unity Marketing�s reports. Our goal: to help tabletop companies and retailers build their businesses by understanding the target customer better.

The report analyzes the results of a survey among 1,165 consumers (average income $98,000; 66 percent female; average age 44.2 years). The results are compared with data gathered for the tabletop report in 2006. To learn more and order a copy, visit this link. With a focus on consumers and their buying behavior, needs, desires and preferences, this research study includes research data and statistics about:

Tabletop Market Size and Growth: What is the size of the tabletop market, including the six key product segments in the market -- Dinnerware; Glassware & Crystal; Flatware; Servingware; Tabletop Decorative Accessories; and Other Tabletop Accessories? How are the market's sales segmented by type of product and channels of distribution? How rapidly is it growing? What are future growth trends in the tabletop market?
Demographics of the Tabletop Market: What are the demographic characteristics that distinguish tabletop buyers? What are the key demographic differences found among and between buyers of the different products and service segments (e.g., gender, age, generation, HHI, size, composition, ethnicity/race, education, etc.)?
Buying and Shopping Behavior of Tabletop Consumers: What are the primary characteristics of the consumers� buying behavior related to tabletop goods? Where do tabletop consumers shop for the different types of products and services? What kind of shopping experiences do consumers crave and what kind do they disdain? What motivates them to buy tabletop and how can marketers tap these motivators through branding and marketing communications initiatives? What factors influence their decision making in product purchase? How much do they spend buying each of the products and across the entire category? What is the role of brand in product and services selection and shopping choices? How do different demographic segments differ in their shopping and buying behavior?
Favorite Tabletop Brands, Stores & Designers: A major thrust of the research is to understand the brand preferences of tabletop customers in both their product selections and retail shopping choices. What designers, product brands and retailers do they think of for their purchases? How do these competing brands rank in terms of consumer awareness and usage?
Psychographic Profile and Segmentation of the Tabletop Market: A psychographic profile of the tabletop consumer is presented in this study. The profiles identify different types or personalities of consumers of tabletop goods. These profiles identify each personality�s drives and motivations in purchasing home products. By understanding the psychology of different types of shoppers, marketers will discover what factors are more or less important in driving each personality�s purchasing decisions and how consumers' different attitudes and motivations influence what they buy and how much they spend. These insights will help tabletop marketers and retailers better understand the hearts and minds of their consumers.

To learn more about the new tabletop market study and to order a copy, click this link.

For Media: Charts, tables and graphs are available upon request.

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