Burst Media Survey Reveals Consumer Spending to Be Flat This Holiday
Season ? But More Online
85.3% of Respondents Will Shop Online This Holiday Season
BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Burst Media, (www.BurstMedia.com),
a leading provider of advertising representation, services and
technology to independent Web Publishers, today released the results of
a survey focused on consumer?s 2009 holiday spending outlook.
Administered last month to over 2,300 adults 18 years and older, the
survey found that 62.8% of consumers plan to spend the same or cut back
on their holiday purchases compared to 2008. Although consumers plan to
hold tight with their spending this holiday season, 85.3% of respondents
will shop online.
Given prevailing economic concerns, it is not a surprise that only 14.6%
of respondents expect to spend more this holiday season than they did in
2008, while one third (32.7%) expect to spend less and 30.1% expect to
spend about the same as they did last year. Interestingly, women will be
more frugal than men this holiday season with 38.1% planning to spend
less on gifts and entertainment, compared to 27.3% of all men. All
income segments will trim holiday spending this year with 29.5% of
respondents reporting household income (HHI) of less than $35,000
cutting holiday spending, as will almost half (46.3%) of households
reporting HHI of $35,000-$75,000, and nearly one-third (31.3%) of
households reporting HHI of $75,000 or more.
The Internet has undoubtedly become a go-to holiday shopping resource.
Despite the fact that 63% of consumers express concern over credit card
security when making an online purchase, seven out of ten (69.3%) still
plan to make an online holiday purchase. Consumers will also use the
Internet to ?window shop?. The most popular online window-shopping
activities are comparing different retailers to find the best price
(56.8%), and comparing the features of different brands (55.3%).
The Burst study also found that there does not seem to be a clear start
to the holiday shopping season as only one out of ten (13.6%)
respondents consider ?Black Friday? (the day after Thanksgiving) to be
the official kick-off.
?There is no denying that consumers will be shopping online this holiday
season, and it is clear that the holiday shopping season for consumers
has no definitive starting point,? said Chuck Moran, Chief Marketing
Officer for Burst Media. ?This provides an incredible opportunity for
marketers to spread their holiday message on the Internet this year.
Advertisers can start building awareness now, and quickly change to a
more seasonal action as the holidays approach.?
About Burst Media
An online media and technology company founded in 1995, Burst Media (www.BurstMedia.com)
is a leading provider of advertising representation, services and
technology to independent Web Publishers. Burst Media enables
advertisers to reach finely segmented, engaged consumers as they visit
Burst?s extensive number of interest-based sub-channels. Through its
Burst Network and Burst Direct units, the company represents one of the
broadest and deepest offerings of interest-based websites online. Burst
also markets its ad management platform, adConductor?, which empowers
content websites, online ad networks, and web portals to manage the
complete process of ad sales and service. Burst Media is headquartered
in Burlington, Massachusetts, with offices throughout the United States
and in London, UK. For more information, visit www.BurstMedia.com
or call 781.272.5544.