Dr. Val Srinivas, Principal at Decitica, says, "This research... decisively shows that marketers need a fresh lens through which to view consumers in the post-recession world..."
Specifically, this research concludes that:
There are four distinct consumer segments emerging from the recession according to the study, identified as:
Steadfast Frugalists are committed to self-restraint, engaging in prudence with unequivocal enthusiasm. They make up about one-fifth of the American consumers, representing all income and age groups.
80% of Steadfast Frugalists say the new behaviors they have adopted will likely stay with them for a long time. This is in contrast to 24% of Apathetic Materialists who feel this way.
The main characteristics of the Steadfast Frugalists are:
"Marketers will find this group to be the most challenging, as they are the least brand loyal and most likely to discount marketing messages," notes Dr. Srinivas.
Involuntary Penny-Pinchers, about 29% of the population, have been severely affected by the recession, and are mainly made up of households with less than $50,000 in income, with more women than men.
This segment has been forced to embrace thrift like never before. Presently, their actual behaviors do not differ widely from those of Steadfast Frugalists. Where they drastically diverge is in their aversion to expending effort in money-saving strategies. Only 17% find buying store or generic labels to be satisfying, compared to 59% of Steadfast Frugalists.
77% of Involuntary Penny-Pinchers admit to being more scared by the recession, 81% stressed, and 87% more worried about the future than other groups. The main characteristics are:
"Pragmatic Spenders are the most attractive group for marketers because of their higher spending power," says Dr. Val Srinivas. "While it is true that they have also curbed their spending, they are the most capable, both psychologically and financially, to willfully resurrect their past spending patterns," he added.
This group comprises 29% of consumers whose income has blunted the effects of the recession on this segment. Only 28% of Pragmatic Spenders feel the recession has changed what and how they will buy in the future, compared to 55% of Steadfast Frugalists. The main characteristics of this group are:
Apathetic Materialists seem least changed by the recession. They have not embraced the new frugality to the same extent as others and get minimal satisfaction from such behaviors. Only about 6% in this group find price comparison to be satisfying, in contrast to 85% in the Steadfast Frugalists camp.
The Apathetic Materialists segment has more men (55%) and younger consumers (72%) are below the age of forty. Only 8% admit to being very focused on value compared to 30% of Pragmatic Spenders and 52% of Involuntary Penny-Pinchers. The main characteristics are:
What makes this research particularly unique, says the report, is the examination of consumers' self-efficacy (the belief in one's abilities to successfully achieve certain outcomes) in practicing spending restraint. Evident from this chart is that Steadfast Frugalists and Pragmatic Spenders are the most confident in controlling spending, resisting the temptation to spend now and worry later, save money and stick to a budget. Apathetic Materialists have the least confidence in successfully restraining themselves,
Satisfaction from Frugal Behaviors and Self-Confidence in Practicing Restraint | |||||
Behavior | Total | Steadfast Frugalists | Involuntary Penny-Pinchers | Pragmatic Spenders | Apathetic Materialists |
| Percent Who Find each Activity "satisfying" | ||||
Buying on sale or using coupons | 40% | 87% | 37% | 34% | 11% |
Buying store labels | 22 | 59 | 17 | 15 | 6 |
Shopping at discount stores | 29 | 77 | 24 | 19 | 8 |
Surfing the Internet for coupons and discounts | 30 | 73 | 24 | 24 | 10 |
Comparing prices before purchase | 35 | 85 | 32 | 26 | 6 |
| Percent Who are Highly Confident in their Ability toPractice Restraint | ||||
Resisting the temptation to spend now and worry later | 53 | 87 | 46 | 73 | 5 |
Saving money | 35 | 70 | 18 | 54 | 5 |
Sticking to budget | 44 | 87 | 46 | 73 | 5 |
Source: Decitica, November 2009 |
Self-Efficacy Income, Gender and Age Differences
Percent Who are Highly Confident in Controlling Spending | |||
Income Group | Gender | Age | % Highly Confident |
>$75K | Females | 21-39 | 37% |
<$75K | Females | 21-39 | 42% |
<$75K | Males | 21-39 | 43% |
>$75K | Males | 21-39 | 47% |
<$75K, | Males | 40+ | 57% |
<$75K | Females | 40+ | 58% |
>$75K | Males | 40+ | 60% |
>$75K | Females | 40+ | 61% |
Source: Decitica, November 2009 |
Percent Who are Highly Confident in Resisting the Temptation to Spend Now and Worry Later | |||
Income Group | Gender | Age | % Highly Confident |
<75K | Males | 21-39 | 37% |
<$75K | Females | 21-39 | 41% |
>$75K | Males | 21-39 | 41% |
>$75K | Females | 21-39 | 43% |
<$75K | Females | 40+ | 63% |
>$75K | Males | 40+ | 66% |
<$75K | Males | 40+ | 67% |
>$75K, | Females | 40+ | 72% |
Source: Decitica, November 2009 |
Price has become the dominant consideration in the purchase of all kinds of products, concludes the study. Of considerable significance is the fact that half of Pragmatic Spenders are looking at price before other features and one-third say that brand name products are not worth the extra price, heralding what will likely be a long uphill struggle by marketers to shift the focus away from price, says the report
"I am the kind who first looks at price before I consider other features." | |
Consumer Segment | % Who Agree |
Apathetic Materialists | 27% |
Pragmatic Spenders | 52% |
Involuntary Penny-Pinchers | 14% |
Steadfast Frugalists | 66% |
Source: Decitica, November 2009 |
"I have come to realize that brand name products are not worth the extra price." | |
Consumer Segment | % Who Agree |
Apathetic Materialists | 16% |
Pragmatic Spenders | 32% |
Involuntary Penny-Pinchers | 4% |
Steadfast Frugalists | 49% |
Source: Decitica, November 2009 |
Please visit here for highlights of the report.
It seems to indicate that there are substantial opportunities in positioning our service as a means of beign thrifty without giving up the good life. The only thing that bothers me about following that course is the proportion who say they will be thrifty until their savings and market losses recover. Does that mean the "long term" effects are only going to be as long as the recession lasts, and that if a new boom happens such positioning will crash and burn?
We have been tracking a segment called the "True Frugals" (looks like the Steadfast Frugalists) since April '09 and note that they have definitely changed over time: while in the height of the Recession they reported frugal behaviors being a part of their internalized value system and were steadfast in their commitment to be frugal, we find that many have reverted back to old behaviors as consumer confidence rebounds. The data show this trend clearly. I'd be happy to send stats on request: sgraiko@sentientdecisionscience.com
It's a whole new world out there and as marketers we need to stop thinking with the old muscles and develop new marketing muscles. The consumer is a lot smarter now after this recession and we need to grow with them.
Changing consumer spending habits and how they view those habits should induce changes to marketing messages and the research behind those messages. All of the segments noted in this post still have some level of discretionary spending which companies are now in higher competition for. This is especially true in the "little luxury" space. For more on "little luxuries," visit the Luminosity Marketing blog at http://luminositymarketing.com/blog/
I have reviewed the methodology of this "study" available in the "highlights" PDF available from the Decitica website and have concluded the methodology used is so deficient as to be impossible to project the findings to any known universe with any degree of either statistical validity or even reliability. You can put lipstick on a pig . . . .
Mr. Gary Kromer:
In response to your assertion that "the methodology used [in the Decitica study] is so deficient," I wanted to clarify that the segmentation in our study was derived using Latent Class analysis. The differences among segments are statistically significant and the measures are highly reliable and valid. Happy to share more details about the statistical approach if you are so inclined.
The main point the Decitica study makes (empirically) is that there is great heterogeneity in the way consumers have internalized the recession. And these differences have not been successfully leveraged by marketers to position and communicate with consumers.
Looking at the Income Groups listed in this post - there appears to be some duplication of demographics listed - is this correct?
Dave: There is no duplication in the demographic groups. There are eight categories based on gender, income and age.