The September 2011 Consumer Reports Index, a measure of overall consumer financial health, showed signs that sentiment is improving after plummeting to its lowest level in nearly two years last month. The Consumer Reports Sentiment Index rose to 48.8, up from 43.4 in August 2011 and 44.1 in September 2010.
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Despite shrinking transaction volume, growing transaction size increased year-over-year spend in the luxury jewelry, apparel/accessories, and department store sectors during Q2 2011, according to [pdf] the American Express Business Insights Q2 2011 Spend Sights Report. In addition, spending dipped in the furniture/home furnishings sector.
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Amica Mutual ranks highest for a 10th consecutive year among US homeowners insurance companies and performs particularly well in all five factors that contribute to overall customer satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 US National Homeowners Insurance Study. Amica scored 831 points on a 1,000-point scale, significantly outperforming the industry average of 769.
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The August 2011 Consumer Sentiment Index of the Consumer Reports Index, which measures how consumers are feeling financially when compared with a year ago, fell to its lowest level since December 2009 and registered its sharpest drop in two years, according to Consumer Reports. The August score of 43.4 is down sharply from 48.5 last month, which itself was stagnant from the June score of 46.2.
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BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust) ranks highest in customer satisfaction among primary mortgage servicers for a second consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Primary Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study. BB&T scored 768 on a 1,000-point scale, while the industry average score was 718.
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The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data from 2009 which was released in July 2011. Median white household wealth in 2009 was $113,149, compared to median Hispanic household wealth of $6,325 and median black household wealth of $5,677.
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US home buyers indicate they are less satisfied with real estate company services, compared with 2010, while home-seller satisfaction has improved during the same time period, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Home Buyer/Seller Study. Overall satisfaction among home buyers averages 797 on a 1,000-point scale in 2011, a decrease of six points from 2010.
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KraftMaid ranks highest in customer satisfaction among kitchen cabinet manufacturers with a score of 771 out of 1,000 (and compared to average industry score of 754) and performs particularly well in three of the five factors: design features, operational performance and ordering and delivery, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Kitchen Cabinet Satisfaction Study. The study shows that overall customer satisfaction with cabinet brands has increased notably from 2010, primarily due to improved satisfaction with cabinet design, performance and value.
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Below are some links to recent research news, studies and lists from the collection of items that MarketingCharts didn’t get to writing up this week, but still may be worth a peek: ... Read More »

Americans continue to see a buyer’s market in housing, according to an April 2011 Gallup poll. Sixty-nine percent of respondents say now is a good time to buy a house, essentially unchanged since 2009.
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