Survey: Carefree shopping segment least affected by economy

New York City A shopper profile report issued by mall media operator EYE and Arbitron, which identified three shopper segments -- carefree, power and value -- found that the 18- to 24-year-old carefree shopper has been least affected by the downturn.

According to the study, just half of the segment has jobs but is supplemented financially by parents. That additional support and a relative lack of obligations allow them to spend around $500 each month at EYE malls, which encompass over 3,500 panels in 250 shopping malls across the country.

Power shoppers skew female, tend to be between the ages of 25 and 44, and are more likely to have children in the household. The power mom shops for the entire family, visits more stores per mall visit and spends over $9,000 per year in EYE malls.

The value shopper specifically looks for sales while shopping and is twice as likely to buy items on sale as other shoppers. Even with these sale strategies, the value shopper spends nearly 25% more than the average shopper as they are triggered to spend more than they intended when they see good value in an offering.

Almost three-quarters of value shoppers are female and are likely to be between the ages of 25 and 44.

“The Adult Shopper Profile is a key measure of consumer spending and engagement with advertising,” said Alton Adams, CMO of Arbitron. “Advertisers can better target shoppers near the point of purchase by including these profiles in their place-based advertising decisions.”

The EYE Adult Shopper Profile study by Arbitron can be viewed online at www.eyecorp.com/shopperprofile.