To: Scrapps who wrote (10814 ) 12/17/1997 7:59:00 AM From: Glenn D. Rudolph Read Replies (1) | Respond to
IMRA Predicts Strong Retail Finish to Holiday Selling Season
PR Newswire - December 17, 1997 07:35
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Vast Majority of Consumers (70%) Still Shopping for Gifts
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Retailers can expect sales to
increase during the next week according to the International Mass Retail
Association (IMRA), based on findings included in IMRA's third weekly Holiday
Shopping Poll, sponsored by Visa USA. According to the poll of 1,000
consumers nationwide, nearly three-quarters (70%) report that they have not
yet purchased all their gifts for the holidays.
In IMRA's earlier survey, released last November, about 50% of consumers
said they planned to do the majority of their shopping by the first two weeks
in December, but only 30% of consumers report that they are finished,
according to IMRA's latest poll. Lack of time may be a major factor,
especially since many consumers are trying to fit in other holiday activities
such as baking cookies (50%) and putting up lights (70%), according to the
IMRA Week One poll.
Retailers can expect shopping crowds to be busy all week; half of all
consumers (49%) reported that they are shopping during the week, rather than
fighting crowds on the weekend. Also, many of these shoppers will be heading
to music stores, since forty percent (40%) of consumers said they plan to buy
at least one music CD this holiday season.
The survey also showed that one-third of consumers (33%) are more likely
to make spontaneous purchases, if they are carrying a payment card such as a
credit card, debit card, bank card or ATM card.
The third weekly IMRA "Holiday Shopping Study," random telephone poll of
1,000 adult consumers was conducted over the weekend of December 12-14. For a
complete copy of the poll, contact Robin Lanier at 703-841-2300 or visit
IMRA's Web site at www.imra.org.
The International Mass Retail Association represents the mass retail
industry -- consumers' first choice for price, value and convenience. Its
membership includes the fastest growing retailers in the world -- discount
department stores, home centers, category dominant specialty discounters,
catalogue showrooms, dollar stores, warehouse clubs, deep discount drugstores,
and off-price stores -- and the manufacturers who supply them. IMRA retail
members operate more than 77,000 American stores and employ millions of
workers. One in every ten Americans works in the mass retail industry, and
IMRA retail members represent over $411 billion in annual sales.
SOURCE International Mass Retail Association
/CONTACT: Robin Lanier or Jennifer Roberts, 703-841-2300; or Cathy
Callegari, 914-723-8633, all of IMRA/
/Web site: imra.org
