Friday, December 3, 2010

Consumers Geared to Spend More This Season

According to a Gallup Poll from November, consumers anticipate spending around $714 this holiday season. That's up $75 from last year's $638. While this is not at the higher end of the usual spending habits of Americans, it is a step in the right direction following the economy struggles we've seen in recent years.
To put it in perspective, 2000, 2006 and 2007 were all at averages above $800, with 2007 at the peak with $866. Immediately after, in 2008, it dropped off to $616. Regardless, this is good news not only for the consumers who feel confident spending more, but also for businesses who have struggled lately.
Also, methods of shopping were polled--and a whopping 53% plans to utilize the internet to compare deals, and 37% intend to shop on Free Shipping Day (Dec. 17). This statistic adds to the finding that 63% of online shoppers would be most encouraged to buy with Free Shipping offers.

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