
.
For more information call:
C. Britt Beemer or
Chris L. Cooper
800-723-3253
Furniture Shoppers Stay
the Course for Christmas
--Index continues longest run of solid shopping plans --
Charleston, SC
December 1, 1999 - Consumers are continuing to include furniture in their
shopping plans as the Furniture Buying Index fell one point to 84, but
remained above the key 80 mark for a record ninth consecutive month.
"Although this is our fourth month to drop," Britt Beemer, senior retail
analyst and chairman of America's Research Group announced today, "we
continue to see furniture included in the buying plans of many consumers,
even in the Christmas season." "This is especially good news as we head
into the final sale season this century, the '13th month,' that last week
between Christmas day and New Year's."
"After last month's sharp drop, I was expecting to see another strong
move down, but to fall just a point indicates that shoppers aren't excluding
home furnishings from their Christmas shopping list."
Citing a list of still-positive factors, including low unemployment,
high wages, high stock market values and increased household savings over
the past few years, Beemer said it wasn't hard to understand why shoppers
are still focused on spending when they see the price points they want.
"Those retailers who jump into the season's battle, with sharp promotions
driven by four-color print advertising and TV campaigns that feature a
good selection of branded items, will definitely see strong traffic in
their stores," Mr. Beemer predicted.
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America's Research
Group from interviews with up to 5,000 consumers across the country. Typically,
80 percent of the consumers interviewed in a month can name a specific
furniture piece they intend to buy. The Index's mark reveals what percent
of those consumers actually have a particular item in mind. Britt Beemer
is founder and chairman of America's Research Group, a full-service consumer
behavior research company.
With corporate offices located in scenic Charleston, SC, ARG serves many
leading consumer products manufacturers and retailers by providing in-depth
original research and strategic planning services. Britt, often called
a 'retail terrorist' for his aggressive strategies to win customers from
the competition, is the author of Predatory Marketing, What Everyone
Needs to Know to Win Today's Customer. His second book, spotlighting
emerging trends that will impact business in the coming decade, will be
published in the spring of the year 2000 by Simon & Schuster.
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