That’s ‘In-tertainment’

Consumers are increasingly seeing entertaining in-home as a viable and desirable alternative to going out to socialise. As they make changes to how they spend, but stop short of cutting back on luxuries which they feel maintain their identities, entertaining friends at home seems a convenient solution.

According to Mintel, almost eight in ten (79%) consumers drank alcohol at the home in the last six months. Besides price concern, other benefits to drinking in the home were recognised, over a third (35%) of consumers consider drinking at home less hassle than travelling to a bar and 27% find it more intimate to drink at home.

Online and the In-Store Shopping Experience is Vital for Retail’s Future

Retailers are feeling the pressure at the moment. Slow consumer spending coupled with a shift to digital purchasing have created a challenging environment. 

Hawkin’s Bazaar, LaSenza and Barratts have all entered administration within the last few months and the likes of Tesco, Next, HMV and Game are all down in terms of like for like sales.

A Way to Predict the Future - The Importance of Consumer Insight

Consumers now demand return on what they have helped create. In an era of ‘savvy’ spenders – those who are still spending but prioritising where – the need to appease consumers has never been greater.

The power of the consumer is at its height. Knowing exactly what influences purchasing habits and the best way to reach consumers through evolving media is vital. A true reflection can only be gained through the use of intellectual analysis and research.

Tablets, e-readers and the media landscape

2012 has been christened the year of the tablet yet despite their increasing importance, the impact on traditional media is unclear.

Tablets and e-readers are quickly being recognised as an important change in the media landscape. According to research by UM London, 8% own a tablet computer and 12.5% own an e-reader. Significantly, 37% of tablet/e-reader owners said that ‘my device has changed my life’ and 70% stated ‘everyone will own a tablet or e-reader in future’. The telegraph recently reported that 8 million tablets will be sold this year.

What Does 2012 Have in Store for Consumers?

With many question marks over the economy and consumer behaviour in 2011, this year is exceptionally important for commerce.

The Office for Budget Responsibility has recently downgraded its 2012 growth forecast to 0.7% (down from 2.5%), and so how and where people spend their money has never been so important.