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CONTACT: Visibility, LenStein, 914-712-2610

Stevens, PA November 4, 2003 —Christmas 2003 will be one of thestrongest gift-giving seasons in recent memory, according to new researchon 'gifting' from Unity Marketing. "Gift shopping is the ultimatein 'emotional consumerism,' since gift giving is about emotionally connectinggift givers and gift recipients," says Pam Danziger, Unity's presidentand author of Why People Buy Things They Don't Need.

"There's a flood of survey reports about what consumers plan tospend this holiday season, but the Unity Marketing study takes a totallydifferent tactic," explains Danziger. "Ask shoppers how muchthey plan to spend gift shopping for Christmas 2003 and the majoritywill tell you about the same or less than last year, because that isthe 'rational, left-brain' answer."

"An examination of gift-giving behavior, which is not rational,but emotional, shows that 87 percent of consumers have spent more (32percent) or the same (55 percent) on gifts over the past year. Combinethis finding with the fact that 85 percent bought more or the same numberof gifts in the past year, and 89 percent are giving gifts to more orthe same number of people, and the coming Christmas gift shopping seasonpromises to be the best in years," Danziger predicts. "Wecould see sales increases from 5 to 10 percent in November and December,with only the potential for rampant discounting moderating results."

"Gifting prospects for 2004 also appear strong. The trend drivingthe growing gifting market is consumers' need to connect in meaningful,emotional ways with those they care about. After spending the past 20years at home in their 'cocoons,' today's consumers are like butterfliesemerging to seek to reconnect with the outside world. They find newmeaning in relationships that is often expressed through gifting,"Danziger explains.

Methodology - Gift buying throughout the year
Based upon a survey of 950 'serious' gift-givers, (people who spent$250 or more buying gifts in the past year), the Unity survey is thefirst to examine gift-giving and shopping behavior throughout the year.

Here are major findings of the gifting research survey:

• Gifting is a $253 billion market and represents about 10 percentof the consumer economy
  Buying gifts for their family and friends accounts for roughly 10 percentof the nation's $2.7 trillion consumer retail economy. The trend willcontinue as more spending is directed toward things to give away, ratherthan things that fill their own home.
  
  
• Gifting is major reason to shop not just at Christmas but throughoutthe year
  With an average annual gift budget of $2,062, gift-giving representsan important reason for consumers to shop, not just for the holidayseason but also throughout the year. Christmas gift-giving accountsfor about 40 percent of the serious gifters' annual budget, or $843.Birthdays with an average annual budget of $349 represent 16 percentof the total. Overall, holiday spending, i.e. Valentine's Day, Mother'sDay, Easter, Father's Day, etc., totals $1,089 (53 percent of annualbudget) and gifting occasions, including anniversaries, weddings, friendship,new baby, housewarming, etc., accounts for 47 percent of spending or$973.
  
  
• Majority of gifters shop for gifts regularly in discount departmentstores, while traditional department stores are relied on next forgifts
  Discount department stores, including mass merchants, warehouse clubsand dollar stores, are used regularly by 50 percent of gifters, whoturn next to traditional department stores. About one-third of giftersregularly shop traditional department stores for gifts, while 47 percentoccasionally shop there.
  
  
• Finding good gifts at good prices is top criteria when selectingstores for gift shopping
  Good prices are the number one criteria for 65 percent of the giftshoppers in selecting a store to shop for gifts. The next most importantcriteria rated as "very important" are ability to find thingseasily (54 percent); offers a wide selection of gifts (49 percent);convenience (49 percent); and ease of return (47 percent).
  
  
• Gifters go shopping to find gift inspiration
  When shopping, gifters look for something the recipient will like,as well as one priced right. But they also want to find somethingthat the recipients are not likely to buy for themselves. They valueemotion in the gifting equation and want a gift that carries a surprisefactor, as well as emotional meaning. The serious gifter is alwayson the lookout for a good gift. They are not last minute shoppers,but buy things when they see it and store them to give at a laterdate. The way the gift is presented is also very important, so theybuy cards and wrap the gift to make a good impression. They oftengo to the store without a specific idea in mind, but look for inspirationfrom the displays, often shopping in several stores to find the rightgift.

For more information about consumers' gift giving and shopping, visithttp://www.unitymarketingonline.com/reports2/gifting/. An executivesummary of the topline findings of Unity's new gifting consumer researchis available to the media by request to pam@unitymarketingonline.com.

The results of this study will be published in an upcoming Unity reportwith the final results announced in presentations this January at theGLM gift shows: Atlanta, 1/11/04; Los Angeles, 1/18/04; and New YorkInternational Gift Fair, 2/2/04.

About Unity Marketing
Founded in 1992, Unity Marketing (www.unitymarketingonline.com) is amarketing research and consulting firm that specializes in consumerinsights for luxury marketers. Using its proprietary "why peoplebuy" strategy, Pam Danziger, company founder and author of WhyPeople Buy Things They Don't Need (Ithaca, NY: Paramount Market Publishing,2002), uncovers the motivations, desires and emotional needs that driveconsumers to buy. Unity also publishes market research studies on theluxury market, art, jewelry, gifts and collectibles, home furnishings,cosmetics and personal care markets, as well as the Luxury Businessnewsletter. Pam is currently working on her next book, Let Them EatCake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses (as well as the Classes), to bepublished early in 2004.

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