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PRESS RELEASE PresidentBush Is Good for the Consumers' Spending Outlook
Election Results Bring Boost to Holiday Gift-Giving Mood
Stevens, PA November 10, 2004—Before the election, consumers wereexpected to increase their holiday gift spending by a modest 4.5 percent.But a survey conducted by Unity Marketing (www.unitymarketingonline.com)post election points to an even more positive outlook. "The re-electionof President Bush will be very good for gift shopping this year. Consumersoverall are likely to increase their holiday gift spending by 5.6 percent,from $648 last year to $678 this year," explains Pam Danziger,president of Unity Marketing and author of Why People Buy ThingsThey Don't Need.
"Shoppers' psychology got a boost once the campaign was over. Consumersfeel better than they did a month ago thanks to the closure of knowingwho our president is for the next four years.
"That will translate into more generous gift-giving this holidayseason, especially among consumers Unity identifies as 'serious' gifters(i.e. one who spent $250 or more through October on gifts). That highly-involvedgift shopper, who comprises about 60 percent of the total gifting market,will spend 6.3 percent more this year, up from $843 in 2003 to $896this year," Danziger explains. The 'serious' gifter is most likelyto be a woman, aged 25-to-54 years old, with a household income averagingover $50,000.
Entertainment Tops Gifters' List, but Store Gift Certificates WillSee Greatest Boost in Giving
Shoppers are going to turn first to entertainment and/or recreationalgoods as gifts this year. Hot items will include electronic entertainmentequipment (i.e. hardware) and entertainment media (i.e. software), aswell as photographic equipment and back-to-basic toys.
Next on shoppers' gift lists will be clothing, fashion accessories andjewelry and watches. Shoppers this year will be drawn to more luxuriouscostume and 'faux' jewelry that makes a strong fashion statement forunder $100.
An increasingly popular gifting alternative this year will be storegift certificates. Last year about 53 percent of gifters gave a storegift certificate, while 63 percent this year say they are very or somewhatlikely to choose this gift. Retailers are beginning to get smart aboutthis most profitable gift offering and are combining token gift itemslike chocolates with a gift card, thus vastly increasing the giftingpleasure on Christmas morning.
A traditionally popular gift category that may get less attention thisyear is home furnishings. While 48 percent of gifters chose a home giftlast year, only 40 percent say they are likely to give something forthe home this Christmas. With people fighting to eliminate householdclutter, many gift recipients will get greater satisfaction from a giftthat they can enjoy, like gourmet food, wine, or candy or somethingmore personal such as perfumes and bath products.
Only beginning to rise on the gift-givers' radar screen are gifts ofexperience, such as a day at the spa, a fine dining experience, a ticketto the opera or a favorite jazz club. Nearly one-third of the 'serious'gifters plan on making an experiential gift this Christmas.
New Gifting Report, 2004 Update Available
The results of this year's Christmas holiday gifting survey updatesUnity Marketing's Gifting Report, 2004 Update: The Who, What, Where,How Much and Why of Gift Giving and Shopping. This consumer insightstudy of gifting combines qualitative and quantitative research amonggift givers. It reveals gift giving incidence and spending by holidayand occasion, including seven major gifting holidays and 12 giftingoccasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, friendship. Thekey attributes of a good gift are presented, as are the types of storeswhere gifters prefer to shop. How people choose across the range ofgifting options is explored. Finally the personalities of three differenttypes of gift givers with different gifting motivations are explored.
For more information about the study, use this clickhere.
About Unity Marketing
Founded in 1992, Unity Marketing (www.unitymarketingonline.com)is a marketing consulting firm specializing in consumer insights. PamDanziger is the company's founder and author of Why People Buy ThingsThey Don't Need (Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2004) whichuncovers the motivations, desires and emotional needs that drive consumersto buy. Unity publishes consumer insight studies on the luxury market,jewelry, garden, pet accessories, home furnishings, gifts and collectibles,greeting card and stationery, tabletop, art and wall décor markets,as well as the Luxury Business newsletter. Pam has just completed hersecond book, Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses—aswell as the Classes, to be in the bookstores in January 2005.
For media, Unity Marketing can make tables, charts and graphs availableabout consumer holiday gift giving and spending upon request.
Contact: Pam Danziger, 717-336-1600
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