‘Decade of Data’ Study Reveals Key Trends

January 17, 2008

This article is included in these additional categories:

Automotive | Free-Standing Inserts & Circulars | Retail & E-Commerce | Television | Women | Youth & Gen X

For men 18 and older, TV advertising is no longer the main influencer in purchasing decisions – just 22% say it is (down 8 points), compared with 24% who now cite advertising inserts as the most influential medium, according to the Customer Focus: Decade of Data report from Vertis Communications.

Overall, 27% of total adults survey said they turn to inserts when making a purchasing decision, compared with just 19% 10 years ago, when only 16% of men 18 and older cited the medium as the main influencer.

Decade of Data, based on a survey of 3,000 consumers via telephone, also reveals that young adults have drifted away from personal interaction when choosing leisure activities:

  • Since 1998, the number of young adults participating in team sports has decreased from 19% to 13%.
  • The amount of time spent with computers has drastically increased, from 8% to 21%.
  • The number of young adults going out to the movies has decreased from 13% in 1998 to just 3% in 2008.
  • The number of adolescents staying home to watch television or rent videos has increased from 24% in 1998 to 32% in 2008.

Below, other key findings from Customer Focus: Decade of Data.

The Rise of Single, Influential Women

  • In 1998, only 69% of women age 18-24 reported being involved in the decision-making process when purchasing home electronics; in 2008, 91% report they are a part of that process, with cell phones, desktop computers and digital cameras among their most popular purchases.

vertis-decade-of-data-chief-shopper-home-electronics.jpg

  • Considered late adopters, 68% of women age 50 and older now have access to the internet, up from 30% in 1998.

vertis-decade-of-data-internet-access-women-50.jpg

  • In the past 10 years, the percentage of women age 25-34 who are single or living with their significant others has increased 8 points, from 30% in 1998 to 38% in 2008.

vertis-decade-of-data-marital-status-women-25-34.jpg

  • The number of women who report having an undergraduate or graduate degree has increased drastically in the last decade, from 28% to 41%.

vertis-decade-of-data-education-women-college.jpg

Today’s Consumers Socially Responsible, More Informed

  • Today’s consumers rally around victims of natural disasters and are more focused on making social connections: In 2005, when this attitude emerged following Hurricane Katrina, more than 85% of adults had responded to a charitable appeal, surpassing the 77% that responded immediately after the events of 9/11.

vertis-decade-of-data-money-contributed-charity.jpg

  • Also, since 2004, fewer shoppers visit a store without first researching their purchases, hinting that today’s consumers are much more educated about their buying decisions: Prior to entering a store in 2008, approximately 57% of adults say they will look through advertising circulars, 50% say they will conduct research on the internet, and 38% say they will use catalogs for information.

vertis-decade-of-data-shopping-research-method.jpg

  • In 2004, 31% of adults indicated that  they entered a store without any prior research; this number is down to 17% in 2008.

vertis-decade-of-data-shopping-behavior-go-to-store.jpg

Impact of 9/11, Economy

  • Immediately before the 9/11 tragedy, Vertis’s Customer Focus data showed almost 38% of Americans were planning to purchase a new or used vehicle within the next 12 months. Just four months later, this number decreased to 22%, while the number of Americans planning to purchase a new car decreased by 50%.

vertis-decade-of-data-intent-to-buy-in-12-months.jpg

  • After 9/11, approximately 16% of adults reported making fewer large-ticket purchases totaling $100 or more.

vertis-decade-of-data-current-spending-post-911-down-economy.jpg

  • Interestingly, in an environment of a crisis in housing market and higher gas prices, 40% of Americans indicated they’re less likely to make purchases over $100 in the coming year, 24 percentage points more than after 9/11.

vertis-decade-of-data-higher-gas-price-effect.jpg

Auto Purchases Rising, Vacation Auto Travel Down

  • Among automobile shoppers, more are likely to purchase a new car in 2008, with the percentage growing from 58% in 1998 to 70% in 2007.

vertis-decade-of-data-automobile-consideration.jpg

  • In addition, more adults are planning to buy a used car or truck, up from 45% saying so in 1998 to 53% in 2007.
  • However, adults are shifting their vacation agendas in 2008 to include fewer trips via automobile, the percentage decreasing 5 points since 1998.
  • Fewer adults are planning to take a vacation in 2008, down from 70% 10 years ago to 67% today.

vertis-decade-of-data-vacation-planning.jpg

  • Plans to travel via air while on vacation have increased slightly in the past decade, from 40% in 1998 to 43% today.

More about the study is available from the Vertis website, including a PDF copy.

Chart-Library-Ad-1

Explore More Articles.

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

9 in 10 RevOps professionals view data analysis skills as being important, a high percentage also don’t believe they need this skill for their job.

Marketing Charts Logo

Stay on the cutting edge of marketing.

Sign up for our free newsletter.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This