Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI) annual E-Commerce Report, produced in partnership with customer experience analytics firm ForeSee, customer satisfaction with e-commerce websites continues to rise, gaining 1.2% to 81.1 on the ACSI's 100-point scale. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Consumer confidence in the overall economy and sentiment toward technology both fell again in February, according to the latest figures released by the Consumer Electronics Association.

The CEA Index of Consumer Expectations (ICE), which measures consumer expectations about the broader economy, fell 2.7 points in February to 165.3. Consumer confidence in the overall economy declined for the second consecutive month.

CHICAGO — The latest research from SymphonyIRI Group’s Times & Trends, “2012 CPG Year in Review: Finding the New Normal,” reveals that budget restraints are still causing consumers to remain frugal in 2013, despite signs of economic recovery. 

Chicago -- Shoppers will reduce the number of channels they visit and remain intensely focused on value in 2013, according to the latest research from SymphonyIRI Group.

According to Symphony’s “2012 CPG Year in Review: Finding the New Normal,” consumers are still attempting to ease budgetary strains and are embracing a wide variety of money-saving strategies.

The head of the Grocery Manufacturers Association took exception this week to a new book which portrays consumers as hapless victims preyed upon by food industry giants that peddle addictive products.

In “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us,” author Michael Moss paints an unflattering picture of food companies who pursue a win at all costs strategy by artfully manipulates salt, sugar and fat to addict and fatten consumer with disastrous results.

New York -- With an overall branded basket 4% less expensive than Target’s, Walmart assumes the strongest overall lead in Kantar Retail’s semi-annual pricing study since the study began in 2009.
   
While strategic price discounts on key items continue to be a cornerstone of Target’s price competitiveness, rather than everyday low prices, Target’s overall basket has not been lower than Walmart’s since the January 2011 iteration of this study.

WASHINGTON — The Lenovo ThinkPad T430s topped TopTen USA's list for energy-efficiency.

The nonprofit group, appaluded he fact that the laptop uses only 7.4 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year of typical use. The average comparable model uses 28 kWh per year—almost 4 times the energy.  On average, TopTen-listed laptops use about half (48%) the energy of comparable models.

Washington, D.C. -- Nearly three-quarters (73.3%) of consumers say their spending plans are taking a hit due to the recent payroll tax changes, according to NRF’s 2013 Tax Returns Survey conducted by BIGinsight.
 
When asked how the new federal tax laws have affected spending, saving or budgeting of their households, nearly six in 10 (58.2%) of those polled say their plans have been either somewhat or greatly impacted. Specifically, nearly half (45.7%) say they will spend less overall, and 35.6% will watch for sales more often.