Looking for Hope
Dec 10 2008
PREV
2b. And over the course of the next year, do you think the state of the economy will get better, stay about the same, or get worse?
| 12/08 | 9/08 | 6/08 | 2/08 | ||
| Will get better | 39 | 28 | 21 | 24 | [142] |
| Will stay about the same | 30 | 35 | 27 | 34 | |
| Will get worse | 27 | 26 | 43 | 24 | |
| Not sure | 4 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
Q.2b/c COMBINED: CURRENT AND FUTURE VIEW OF THE ECONOMY
| 12/08 | 9/08 | 6/08 | 2/08 | |
| Optimistic now/optimistic for the future | 4 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| Optimistic now/pessimistic for the future | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Pessimistic now/optimistic for the future | 37 | 23 | 18 | 18 |
| Pessimistic now/pessimistic for the future | 54 | 55 | 66 | 58 |
| Not sure for now or the future | 4 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
3. Thinking ahead to the holidays in December, approximately how much are you planning to spend on holiday shopping this year? (IF "NOT SURE," PROBE:) Well, if you had to give me your best guess, about how much do you think you will spend?
| 12/08 | 9/08 | 12/07 | 12/06 | ||
| Less than $200 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 16 | [143-147] |
| $200-$499 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 22 | |
| $500-$999 | 24 | 22 | 27 | 25 | |
| $1,000 or more | 20 | 25 | 30 | 27 | |
| Not sure | 7 | 11 | 6 | 10 | |
| Mean | $704 | $781 | $738 | $688 | |
| Mean (Among those who are | $784 | $852 | $782 | $735 |
(ASK ONLY OF RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT SAY "NOT SURE" IN Q.3.)
4a. Is that more than you spent on holiday shopping last year, about the same amount as you spent last year, or less than you spent last year?
| More than spent last year | 7 | Skip to Q. 5 | [148] |
| About the same amount as spent last year | 37 | ||
| Less than spent last year | 55 | CONTINUE | |
| Not sure | 1 | Skip to Q. 5 |
(ASK ONLY OF RESPONDENTS WHO SAY "LESS THAN SPENT LAST YEAR" IN Q.4a.)
4b. Which one or two of the following would you say are the main reasons that you are spending less on holiday shopping this year than you did last year?
THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE
| The cost of necessities such as food and heat are higher | 30 | [149] |
| You want to save more money | 20 | |
| All the talk of the economy being bad makes you think you should spend less | 19 | |
| Uncertainty about the future | 17 | |
| You or a family member has lost, or expects to lose, your job | 16 | |
| You are having trouble paying your regular bills | 15 | |
| Your credit limit or access to credit has decreased | 1 | |
| Other (VOL) | 7 | |
| Not sure | 1 |
5. In which one or two of the following ways have you already done or plan to do most of your holiday shopping? (IF MORE THAN TWO, ASK:) Well, if you had to pick just one or two, which would you pick?
THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE
| 12/08 | 12/07 | 11/06 | ||
| At big box stores, such as Wal-Mart or Best Buy | 45 | 44 | 49 | [150] |
| At department stores, such as Macy's or Sears | 24 | 27 | 25 | |
| On-line, not in stores | 21 | 22 | 18 | |
| At locally-owned, non-chain stores | 11 | 14 | 14 | |
| At chain stores, such as J. Crew or Barnes and Noble | 7 | 11 | 13 | |
| Through mail-order catalogues | 5 | 7 | 5 | |
| At luxury stores, such as Tiffany or Neiman Marcus | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Other (VOL | 9 | 7 | 6 | |
| Not sure | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 12/08 | 12/07 | 11/06 | ||
| One month or less | 32 | 39 | 32 | [151] |
| Two to three months | 9 | 13 | 12 | |
| Four to six months | 3 | 5 | 6 | |
| Seven months to a year | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| More than a year | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Will not have holiday shopping debt (VOL) | 51 | 46 | 46 | |
| Not sure | 2 | 2 | 1 |
500 Startups Hits New York