Tag Archives: consumer preferences

Super Bowl Economics 2014

1 Comment
BTW, I love it when companies who haven't paid millions of $$ to the NFL have to call it "The Big Game" in their commercials!
BTW, I love it when companies who haven’t paid millions of $$ to the NFL have to call it “The Big Game” in their commercials!

This Sunday, in bars, basements, living rooms and even churches (like mine – complete with chili contest and a 102” screen!) we will gather. And whether we are interested in X’s and O’s, team rivalries, funny commercials or simply drinking a buttload of beer, we are all a part of something – the biggest night of consumerism in the U S of A!

An now, according to Business Journal and Convenience Store News, here are the stats for Super Bowl 2014!

  • Over 180 million of us will watch the game.
  • 55% will watch at home, 17% at a bar or restaurant or at a party.
  • 60% will watch on TV (as the Lord intended), 15% on a smartphone, 14 on a PC, and 11 on a tablet.
  • 77% will buy food and beverages. Top choices include pizza (3rd fave), wings (4th), veggie trays (9th). Only 8% of us plan to eat healthy.
  • Get yo’ drank on: 53% will drink beer and 51% will drink soda. That’s a switch from last year, when it was 71 soda and 42 beer.
  • Party Planning! 39 million will throw a party, 62 million will attend one. Hosts will spend around $100 on supplies.
  • Why are we watching? 48% say “the Game!” 25% say “the Ads!” 17% said “just hanging with friends!”
  • What ads do we like best? 1. Funny, 2.Sentimental, 3. Product features, 4. Ones we saw last year, 5. Price comparisons. And in a sign of the times, 53% of us will comment on the ads real-time on social media.

Trends this year? If you look at the notes, you see the creeping, insidious rise of healthy snacks and no beer has been halted in the nick of time. Otherwise, slight improvements in consumer confidence (because we are all fooling ourselves) mean that we are spending more on food and fun.

Anyway, it’s time to celebrate, friends. I can’t think of a more American event than Super Bowl Sunday. Whichever team you support, have a blast!

Super Bowl Predix: WHO YA GOT!? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

(photo credit: employmentandthelaw.com)

Data Breach: the Fun Continues!

michaelsSo, the latest round began with Target. It continued with upscale retailer Nieman Marcus. The latest shoe to drop is that Michaels, the 1000-store crafting outlet, has announced a breach.

But don’t worry. Now that there’s all this attention being paid, it won’t happen any more. Right.  So what can you do? Well, your friendly federal government has a few tips (funny how “Don’t Panic” is always number one) in a file you can download HERE.

Here are some highlights:

  1. Don’t panic. (see?)
  2. Monitor accounts for unauthorized charges or debits
  3. Alert your bank or card provider immediately if fraud is suspected
  4. Follow up with the bank or card provider and maintain records
  5. Avoid scams that ask for personal information over email or by phone

Another couple of useful notes:

For credit cards : If your account number, not your physical credit card, has been stolen, you are not responsible for unauthorized charges under federal law.

For debit cards: If an unauthorized transaction appears on your statement (but your card or PIN has not been lost or stolen), under federal law you will not be liable for the debit if you report it within 60 days after your account statement is sent to you.

There’s a lot more at the website, so check it out!  How about you? Are you nervous about this? Ever been victimized, or has someone you know? How did you fix it? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Facebook Fans Speak!

megaphone-kid-croppedIt’s time once again to feature comments from satisfied MindField Online panelists, collected from our over 41,000 Facebook fans (and blog fans, too!)  You will find them at our “Panelist Feedback” page. Here’s a sample from Lois…

If you are interested in helping companies make decisions regarding their products and which areas of sales they want to expand into…if you enjoy helping to shape the future of the companies whose products you purchase, then this is a great company to work with.

I have worked with many different companies doing surveys over the years, and there are really only a handful of them that I would highly recommend to my friends and family. MindField is right at the top of that list. Your earning potential is limitless, all they ask is that you share their sense of integrity.

Their pay rate is fair and I have never, ever had a problem receiving any earnings from them. They also have a terrific support team, and the community of people who work with them is full of people just like you who want to earn some spare cash and help to shape the market. Just be honest, be yourself, and enjoy the job.

Wow, Lois…THANKS! Be sure to check out the rest of the satisfied commentary at the Panelist Feedback page.

(photo: southerncrescentsolutions.com)

Winter Weather Woes, 2014

152997244Here’s another web roundup, this time all about this NUTTY weather. As they said, “first the snow, then the cold.” Even here in Charleston SC, it’s going to down to 21 degrees (but it will feel like 9!)

So here are some links about travel delays, economic impact, lost work, etc. More importantly, how to stay ALIVE in this mess if you find yourself stranded, or if you happen to be unlucky enough to have to work outside (yeah, I would call in sick!)

So there’s your roundup! Two questions: have you ever heard of a Polar Vortex before now? Secondly, who is naming these things? Hercules? Ion? Give me a break!

Also, who has an outdoor NFL playoff game this weekend? Have fun with that!

Notes on 300

1 Comment
sorry, this is NOT sparta!
sorry, this is NOT sparta!

Welcome to MindFieldLive’s 300th post! This blog came online on September 11, 2010. A Saturday, oddly. Just a quick hello and an invitation to tour the site – which thousands have done. The various permanent pages describing how the whole MindField thing works have always been the most visited pages.

 

But we have also talked about a bunch of other stuff, some serious topics and some goofy ones too. We have made note of just about every Facebook milestone. Note this headache-inducing graphic from October 15, 2010…

today: 40,657!
today: 40,657!

We’ve asked questions like “what makes this product FOR WOMEN when all they did was take the regular product and make it pink?”

Like so.
Like so.

We have discussed the return of old habits, like layaway. Who would have thought?

We talked a lot about technology changes, and how they affect our shopping habits. Online shopping immediately springs to mind. Other “advancements” include a boatload of smartphone apps that allow you to comparison shop on the showroom floor, make dinner reservations, help you remember where you parked, receive insta-coupons, etc. Where is this trend heading? Will our increasing paranoia about privacy blunt its growth? (I kind of doubt it!)

The sad journeys of some old favorites. JCPenney comes to mind, with the hiring of an old Apple retail exec. He made a bunch of changes (no more Saturday sales, everyday low prices, etc.) that everybody hated, forcing JCP to flip-flop. They continue to circle the drain, and it doesn’t look good for the 110-year-old retailer.

Mom & Pop video stores vs. Blockbuster vs. Netflix vs. Redbox. It has been a wild 20 years in this segment, but it really came to a head in the MindFieldLive blog era. Mom & Pop were already dead and Blockbuster was king – though stumbling. Netflix was killing them with home-delivered DVD’s – until Redbox came along and forced them to change course. Today, Blockbuster is dead (with zero tears shed,) there’s a Redbox at every corner gas station and Netflix owns home streaming

Overall, the major trend has simply been the economy. What decisions have you made in the last 3 years that weren’t colored by anxiety over how things are and where they are heading? Is it getting any better? I honestly can’t say. What do you think?

Anyway, it’s been fun. We’re glad to see you every Tuesday and Friday, and we hope you keep coming around. Thanks to the best bunch of consumer panelists in the business! Have a great weekend, and see you on New Year’s Eve!

TARGET-ed!

1 Comment

target-credit-card-breach-stolenBeen keeping up with that credit card breach at Target? Here’s the skinny….

Target says 40 million credit and debit cards may have been compromised. If you shopped at a U.S. Target store between November 27 and December 15, you should assume you’re at risk and keep a close watch on your account statements. It’s not clear whether every Target store was affected, but at least one card issuer says it’s seeing signs of fraud all over the United States, according to Krebs on Security. You’re not in any danger if you shopped at Target’s website, or one of the company’s Canada stores. Time Magazine

At my house, we got our notices from Target via email. It answers a lot of questions, offers advice, as well as the opportunity to access free credit reporting from the big agencies.

Some, of course, are saying it’s too little too late. The public relations nightmare – and the lawsuits – have already begun. In my opinion – very much a “seems to me” without any hard evidence – Target was a little late in admitting there had been a breach. When they did, they talked about it happening on Black Friday weekend (let’s say 11/27 to 12/1.) By the time I got my email, that weekend period had stretched to December 15!

On the other hand, let’s not place ALL the blame on (seemingly) inadequate security. Let’s be sure to thank the jerks who stole the credit cards. They KNOW you and I won’t be held accountable for the fraudulent purchases, and they see it as a victimless crime. In my opinion, it’s ECONOMIC TERRORISM pure and simple.

Anyway, here are some (FRESH) links if you need to catch up:

Did you get your notice? Is this an outrage, or more of the same in today’s super-connected, ever-more-vulnerable world? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and Merry Christmas Eve!

The Smell of the Sell

1 Comment

sens-MMCWhat does a Hugo Boss store smell like? I couldn’t tell you. But I know it smells like something. And the scent was scientifically chosen, and it’s the same in every store. Why? To sell stuff!

Such sensory branding is becoming a bigger part of stores’ consumer marketing. Retailers often rely on music and colors to create a mood, but now they’re targeting the other sense, smell, to get customers to make a more sophisticated connection to the brand through their shopping experience — they even have a name for it: olfactive branding. Time.com

What have the eggheads learned with these sorts of sensory branding?

Sight: displays consisting of warm colors (red/yellow/orange) are good at attracting impulse buyers, while cooler blues and greens attract the more analytical shopper.

Sound: you may be tired of the holiday music in stores now but, like it or not, it put you in a Christmas mindset, which fuels gift buying.

Taste: there’s a reason Starbucks (and everybody else) whips out the pumpkin spice in the fall and peppermint in the winter!

Smell: has really captured the retailers’ imaginations in the past few years. Baby powder smell in the kids. Section, coconut in the swimwear section, and so on. There are even professional smell consultants who design official scents for retailers. By the way, I said I didn’t know what a Hugo Boss smells like. Actually it’s “musk with a hint of citrus.” I don’t know what that MEANS, of course. So, technically, I wasn’t lying!

So, what do YOU think? Trickery or smart business? What smells have you noticed? Do you notice them at all? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Online Spending and Trending

1 Comment

online-holiday-shoppingA survey by the Marist Poll, entitled “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Last Year” states it pretty bluntly: The hope that an improving economy would spur holiday shopping does not seem to be materializing.

But while spending isn’t up much, they point out the way we split opur shopping time and dollars. Across the board, online shopping keeps nibbling away at the total.

What are we spending compared to last year?

  • 52% expect to spend about the same
  • 10% plan to spend more this year
  • 38% think they will spend less.

…numbers almost identical to 2012

Where are we purchasing?

  • 19% strictly online, up from 14% in 2012
  • 41% buy some online, some brick & mortar, unchanged
  • 40% brick & mortar only, down from 44% last year

Regional differences in online buying?

  • Northeast: 28%, up from 19% last year
  • South: 17%, up from 12%
  • Midwest: 16%, up from 11%
  • West: 18%, up from 16%

Online buying age gap? Yep.

  • Under 45: 27% mostly online shopping, up from 20% last year
  • Over 45: 13% mostly online, up from 11%

More stats and analysis at the original piece, so, you know, check it out! So, do you see yourself in these numbers? Are your shopping habits changing? Online more? Brick& mortar less? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page.

Ditching the Name Brands?

1 Comment

110924-ketchupHere’s a lightweight Friday piece on brand loyalty vs. pinching pennies. Times are tight y’all! We all have our favorite brands of food and health & beauty items. For some, our loyalty is so strong we will stick with them even when the budget gets tight. Others, not so much. Turns out, according to Forbes.com, there’s a pattern to which items we will sacrifice first.

Here’s a list of everyday items, with the percentage that the name brand has lost to the generics since the economy up and got dead in 2008 (with bonus dumb commentary!)

  • Paper Towels down 1%
  • Facial Tissue down 8%
  • Laundry Detergent down 9%. Not in our house. Sgt. Wife insists on Tide!
  • Pasta Sauce down 10%. Definitely. A couple of cans of Walmart Italian-style diced tomatoes (68 cents each!) is just as good.
  • Fruit Juice down 12%
  • Soup down 12%. I do think Campbell’s is better, but it’s been forever since I bought any.
  • Shampoo down 12%. Can’t say. I have always been a Suave girl. Guy. Whatever.
  • Toothpaste down 12%.
  • Mouthwash down 14%. It’s blue alcohol. Is NameBrand-sterine that much better than Walmart-sterine?
  • Over-the-counter medicine down 17%. When one is $7 and the other $4.59? Definitely!

There’s more to be had at the original article (not much, really) including the percentage of each of these segments that the generic brands have swiped from the name brands. So check it out!

How about you? Which of your fave name brands have you given up for the economic apocalypse? Did you switch, and then switch back? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Holiday Spending 2013

christmas_spending-258x300Ah, statistics. How much are we spending this holiday season? You can ask 5 different experts and get 5 different interpretations of the numbers. What seems to be universal is that we still aren’t back to where we were in 2007, before everything went wacky, but slowly (painfully slowly) we are clawing our way back. Of course, that’s relative too. Is spending $800 per family at holiday time something we SHOULD be striving toward? I’m not so sure.

Anyway, here’s the latest look at Holiday Spending by the Numbers, 2013 edition, courtesy of Mint.com.

  • 2007: The year holiday spending peaked, before the crash
  • 39%: How much spending went down in 2008
  • 2009: The year holiday spending bottomed out
  • $682: The low point, per family, in 2009
  • $750: what we worked our way up to, per family, in 2012. Expected to rise again in 2013
  • $400: How much we spent on family gifts, 2012
  • $75: Gifts for friends, 2012
  • $25: Gift for co-workers, 2012
  • 60%: The number of us that bought gifts for ourselves, 2012
  • $224: The amount moms spend on each child and spouse
  • #1: The most requested gift on wish lists: Gift cards!

The article is full of stats from different survey firms. Sometimes the numbers differ, but the trends seem stop hold up across the board. It also offers for tips to cut costs (I’m going to guess “buying gifts for yourself” is the first to go!) So check it out!

How about you? Are you spending the same? Less? More? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great (shopping) weekend!