Women Thriftier Shoppers Than Men?

A November consumer survey by Ipsos Public Affairs and SoundBite Communications reveals that almost 130 million Americans planned to rely on loyalty programs for rewards and discounts when shopping for gifts this past holiday season.

Not surprisingly, the study reveals that women are more likely than men to look for, and take advantage of, sales, deals and other ways to curb spending. (Women thriftier shoppers than men? No way!) It shows that roughly 77% of women will take advantage of discounts, coupons and other deals, compared to 65% of men. Nearly 35% of men said that they did not plan to look for deals more than they did last holiday season.

Sixty-two percent of respondents (out of 1,000 surveyed) said they planned to shop with specific retailers to take advantage of loyalty programs, such as frequent shopper rewards, coupons or discounts. And almost a quarter (23%) said they planned to do all or most of their holiday shopping where they can take advantage of these programs.

The study also shows that some people continue to be addicted to credit. While most Americans were hesitant to rely on credit cards this past holiday season, 6% of survey respondents said additional available credit would make them more likely to increase their holiday budget. Westerners are more likely than residents of other regions of the country to spend more than they would otherwise if they had an increased line of credit, the study shows.

Does this reveal any trends for 2009? I think most definitely consumers will be bargain hunting throughout the remainder of 2009