Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Slow growth in anticipated holiday expenditures
- The economy suppresses spending; Hispanic population growth a plus
- Unstable consumer confidence
- Unemployment still high
- Household incomes on the decline
- Increases in Hispanic population and spending power represent opportunity
- Holiday spending by occasion
- Valentine’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Easter
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
- Halloween
- The winter holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa
- Top holiday retailers and their marketing strategies
- Top gifting holidays
- Top card holidays
- Cooking at home for the holidays
- Alcoholic beverages and the holiday party
- Decorating for the holidays
- Holiday activities: shopping in-store vs. online
- Holiday activities: traditional mail vs. eCards
- Holiday activities: baking/cooking
- Spending
- How early does winter holiday shopping start?
- Holiday attitudes and expectations
- Purchase locations
- Motivations to shop elsewhere
- Impact of race/Hispanic origin
Insights and Opportunities
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- Holiday apps abound
- Safety first
- Shop smarter
- Technology as holiday shopping guide
Inspire Insights
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- Trend: Access All Areas
Anticipated Market Expenditures
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- Key points
- A down economy and slow growth, but some signs of recovery
- Consumers remain guarded
- Some categories grow sales
- Online holiday spending: a silver lining
- Winter holidays comprise 88% of the anticipated market
- Holiday shopping anticipated market spend
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- Figure 1: Anticipated expenditures, by holiday, 2008 vs. 2010
Market Factors
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- Economic worries continue to impact spending
- Consumer confidence is shaky
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- Figure 2: U.S. consumer sentiment, 2002-10
- High unemployment likely means smaller, more affordable holiday celebrations
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- Figure 3: U.S. annual unemployment rate, 2002-2010
- Average household income drops
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- Figure 4: Median household income in inflation-adjusted dollars, 1998-2008
- Hispanic population, spending power on the rise
- Population surge
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- Figure 5: Population by race and Hispanic origin, 2006-16
- The power to spend
Segment Performance—Holiday Spending by Occasion
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- Key points
- Holidays covered
- New Year’s
- Valentine’s Day
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- Figure 6: Anticipated U.S. Valentine’s Day expenditures, 2006-11
- Pajamagram Valentine’s Day TV ad
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- Figure 7: Pajamagram Company holiday TV ad, 2010
- Figure 8: Planned Valentine’s Day purchases, by type, 2007-11
- Figure 9: Average anticipated Valentine’s Day Spending per person, 2010
- St. Patrick’s Day
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- Figure 10: Anticipated U.S. St. Patrick’s Day expenditures, 2006-11
- Easter
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- Figure 11: Anticipated U.S. Easter expenditures, 2006-11
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- Figure 12: Planned Easter purchases, by type, March 2011
- Mother’s Day
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- Figure 13: Anticipated U.S. Mother’s Day expenditures, 2006-11
- 1-800-Flowers.com TV ad
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- Figure 14: 1-800-Flowers.com holiday TV ad, 2010
- Figure 15: Planned Mother’s Day gift purchases, by type, 2011
- Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day
- Father’s Day
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- Figure 16: Anticipated U.S. Father’s Day expenditures, 2006-11
- Figure 17: Planned Father’s Day gift purchases, by type, 2010
- Halloween
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- Figure 18: Anticipated U.S. Halloween expenditures, 2006-11
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- Figure 19: How consumers planned to spend Halloween, 2010
- Winter holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah/Hanukkah, Kwanzaa
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- Figure 20: Anticipated U.S. winter holiday* expenditures for selected items, 2006-11
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- Figure 21: Planned winter holiday gift purchases, by type, 2010
- Figure 22: Total U.S. anticipated winter* holiday expenditures, 2005-10
Holiday Retailers and Advertising & Promotion
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- Overview
- Walmart
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- Figure 23: Brand analysis of Walmart, 2011
- Walmart TV ad
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- Figure 24: Walmart holiday TV ad, 2010
- Target
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- Figure 25: Brand analysis of Target, 2011
- Target TV ad
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- Figure 26: Target holiday TV ad, 2010
- Best Buy
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- Figure 27: Brand analysis of Best Buy, 2011
- Online retailers
- Amazon
- Apple
Top Gifting Holidays
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- Key points
- Christmas, Valentine’s Day lead gifting holidays
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- Figure 28: Bought gifts, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- 35-44s most likely to gift for top holidays
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- Figure 29: Bought gifts, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Gift-giving increases with household income
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- Figure 30: Bought gifts, by household income and holiday, April 2011
Top Card-Sending Holidays
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- Key points
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- Figure 31: Top card-sending holidays, April 2010
- Christmas remains the top card-sending holiday
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- Figure 32: Bought cards, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- Christmas card giving increases with age
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- Figure 33: Bought cards, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Card buying increases with household income
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- Figure 34: Bought gifts, by household income and holiday, April 2011
Cooking at Home for the Holidays
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- Key points
- Christmas and Thanksgiving are the top baking/cooking holidays
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- Figure 35: Cooked at home, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- Seniors least likely to prepare a special meal for a range of holidays
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- Figure 36: Cooked at home, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Baking/cooking something special increases with household income
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- Figure 37: Cooked at home, by household income and holiday, April 2011
Alcoholic Beverages and the Holiday Party
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- Key points
- New Year’s, Christmas top holidays for alcohol purchases
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- Figure 38: Bought alcohol, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- Younger respondents more likely to celebrate with alcohol
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- Figure 39: Bought alcoholic beverages, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Low household income limits holiday alcohol purchases
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- Figure 40: Bought alcoholic beverages, by household income and holiday, April 2011
- Christmas, Thanksgiving most likely to prompt dinners/parties
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- Figure 41: Hosted a dinner/party for friends/family, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- Hosting dinners/parties increases with household income
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- Figure 42: Hosted a dinner/party for friends/family, by household income and holiday, April 2011
Decorating for the Holidays
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- Key points
- Christmas, Halloween most likely to prompt decoration purchases
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- Figure 43: Bought holiday decorations, by gender and holiday, April 2011
- Lowest-income households least likely to spend on decorations
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- Figure 44: Bought holiday decorations, by household income and holiday, April 2011
Holiday Activities—Shopping In-store vs. Online
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- Key points
- Most shop brick-and-mortar, but online shopping is increasing
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- Figure 45: Holiday activities: in-store vs. online, by gender, April 2011
- 18-34s most likely to increase holiday shopping
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- Figure 46: Holiday activities: in-store vs. online, by age, April 2011
- Low household income means less holiday spending
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- Figure 47: Holiday activities: in-store vs. online, by household income, April 2011
Holiday Activities—Traditional Mail vs. eCards
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- Key points
- Half send traditional cards; three in 10 send eCards
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- Figure 48: Holiday activities: holiday cards, traditional mail vs. eCards, by gender, April 2011
- Youngest respondents least likely to send the same amount of greetings
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- Figure 49: Holiday activities: holiday cards, traditional mail vs. eCards, by age, April 2011
- Low household income negatively impacts card giving
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- Figure 50: Holiday activities: holiday cards, traditional mail vs. eCards, by Household Income, April 2011
Holiday Activities—Baking/Cooking
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- Key points
- Most plan to do the same amount of baking/cooking
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- Figure 51: Holiday activities: holiday baking/cooking, by gender, April 2011
- Higher household income means baking/cooking traditions mostly continue
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- Figure 52: Holiday activities: holiday baking/cooking, by household income, April 2011
Spending
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- Key points
- Most plan to continue past spending patterns
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- Figure 53: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend, by gender, April 2011
- 55+ most likely to buy same amount of holiday food, gifts, but not alcohol
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- Figure 54: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend, by age, April 2011
- $75K+ most likely to spend the same on holiday food, gifts, alcohol in 2011
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- Figure 55: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend, by household income, April 2011
How Early Does Winter Holiday Shopping Start?
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- Key points
- Many respondents start holiday shopping in November
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- Figure 56: The start of the holiday season, by gender, April 2011
- $100K+ most likely to wait until November for holiday shopping
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- Figure 57: The start of the holiday season, by household income, April 2011
Holiday Attitudes and Expectations
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- Key points
- With the economy in mind, nearly half expect retailer holiday discounts
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- Figure 58: Holiday attitudes and expectations, by gender, April 2011
- Younger respondents least likely to decorate, most likely to buy online
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- Figure 59: Holiday attitudes and expectations, by age, April 2011
- $75K+ most likely to decorate homes for holidays, shop online
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- Figure 60: Holiday attitudes and expectations, by household income, April 2011
Purchase Locations
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- Key points
- Mass merchandisers are respondents’ top holiday shopping destination
- Macy’s Mother’s Day TV ad
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- Figure 61: Macy’s holiday TV ad, 2010
- The online phenomenon
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- Figure 62: Holiday purchase locations, by gender, April 2011
- 35-44s most likely to holiday shop at mass; seniors use the web the least
- Walmart Christmas TV ad
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- Figure 63: Walmart holiday TV ad, 2010
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- Figure 64: Holiday purchase locations, by Age, April 2011
- Household income significantly impacts where respondents holiday shop
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- Figure 65: Holiday purchase locations, by Household Income, April 2011
Motivations to Shop Elsewhere
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- Key points
- Value is the top priority
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- Figure 66: Motivations to shop elsewhere, by gender, April 2011
- 18-24s are most motivated by value, charity, and social shopping sites
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- Figure 67: Motivations to shop elsewhere, by Age, April 2011
Impact of Race/Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Black respondents least likely to buy holiday gifts
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- Figure 68: Bought gifts, by race/Hispanic origin and holiday, April 2011
- Figure 69: Household income distribution, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2009
- Black respondents least likely to buy holiday cards
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- Figure 70: Bought cards, by race/Hispanic origin and holiday, April 2011
- Blacks most likely to do no in-store or online holiday shopping
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- Figure 71: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend: in-store vs. online, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2011
- Black respondents most likely to report no holiday baking/cooking
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- Figure 72: Holiday activities: holiday baking/cooking, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2011
- Blacks, Hispanics least likely to do same amount of holiday food, gift, and alcohol purchases
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- Figure 73: Holiday spending habits, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2011
- Blacks, Hispanics least likely to decorate, shop online
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- Figure 74: Holiday attitudes and expectations, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2011
- Blacks, Hispanics least likely to order online
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- Figure 75: Holiday purchase locations, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2011
Custom Consumer Groups
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- Key points
- Presence of children means an increase of holiday food and gift purchases in 2011
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- Figure 76: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend, by presence of children, April 2011
- Married respondents, those with kids more likely to holiday shop at a range of stores
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- Figure 77: Holiday purchase locations, by marital status and presence of children, April 2011
Cluster Analysis
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- Schizophrenic Shoppers
- Characteristics
- Demographics
- Opportunity
- Grumpy Grinches
- Characteristics
- Demographics
- Opportunity
- Unchanged But Bribable
- Characteristics
- Demographics
- Opportunity
- Characteristic tables
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- Figure 78: Holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
- Figure 79: Holiday spending habits, by holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
- Figure 80: Intentions to increase or decrease holiday spend, by holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
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- Figure 81: The start of the holiday season, by holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
- Figure 82: Holiday attitudes and expectations, by holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
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- Figure 83: Motivations to shop elsewhere, by holiday shopping clusters, April 2011
- Demographic tables
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- Figure 84: Holiday shopping clusters, by gender, April 2011
- Figure 85: Holiday shopping clusters, by age, April 2011
- Figure 86: Holiday shopping clusters, by household income, April 2011
- Figure 87: Holiday shopping clusters, by race, April 2011
- Figure 88: Holiday shopping clusters, by Hispanic origin, April 2011
- Cluster methodology
Appendix—Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Alcoholic beverages and the holiday party
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- Figure 89: Hosted a dinner/party for friends/family, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Decorating for the holidays
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- Figure 90: Bought holiday decorations, by age and holiday, April 2011
- Holiday activities: baking/cooking
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- Figure 91: Holiday activities: holiday baking/cooking, by age, April 2011
- How early does winter holiday shopping start?
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- Figure 92: The start of the holiday season, by age, April 2011
Appendix—Trade Associations
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