Sep 8, 2009

American Consumers Plan for a Merry and Bright 2009 Holiday SeasonBy Business WireIn.Sys-Con.com

American consumers plan to enter this year’s holiday season more hopeful, resulting in consumer confidence to selectively open their wallets wider than the 2008 holiday season, according to new research from Information Resources, Inc. However, consumers are taking a more strategic approach to shopping this year and are heading into stores with shopping lists in hand and a budget in mind.

IRI surveyed approximately 1,000 households about their 2009 holiday shopping rituals and discovered other shifts in consumer behavior, such as the consumption of meals and beverages at home, purchasing private label, and bargain hunting, will also continue this holiday season.

“While consumers are beginning to awaken from the economic sea change just in time for the beginning of the holidays, they are taking very thoughtful and strategic approaches to their purchasing and are sifting hard through such questions as ‘What do I really need?’, ‘What does my family need?’, and ‘What can we still live without?'” said IRI Consulting & Innovation President Thom Blischok. “Despite what appears to be a permanence of ‘strategic selection,’ last year’s dismal holiday retail results are being left behind as consumers are slightly more optimistic about the economy and are much more savvy about how they attack their holiday gift and meal list.”

Consumer attitudes and concerns surrounding gas prices, cost of utilities, job stability, the rise in food prices, and the recession are all seeing a decline in how these factors will affect this year’s holiday shopping rituals. Consumers’ holiday shopping rituals will be less affected by economic factors than last year, especially regarding the price of food. Principal survey findings include:

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