• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, August 14, 2006

A recent survey by ShopSmart magazine, reported on Business Wire, finds that 76% of American women enjoy shopping, but one-third say the most stressful part is waiting in check out lines, followed closely by 29% stressed by interacting with salespeople. The average woman, says the report, spends 385 hours annually shopping.

The ShopSmart Opinion Poll found that:

• 87% of the female shoppers agreed that getting the best price was the most important thing to them
• 25% would rather save time than save money

The most popular common non-grocery product purchased over the past three months by 95 percent of women was

• Clothing (77%)
• Shoes (58%)
• Cosmetics (56%)
• Vitamins or supplements (52%)

57% of American women find the best bargains at discount department stores like Wal-Mart and Target, while only 17% felt that the best deals were to be had on the Web.

• 56% of the shoppers said that price is least important when purchasing lingerie
• 55% said sporting goods, 53% said auto repair and vitamins or supplements,
• 51% thought that price was least important for cosmetics.

However, 72% of women said that price is key when purchasing clothing/groceries, 70% said travel, and 69% said house wares/small appliances.

Shoppers, concluded the report, rely mostly on friends and family (45 percent) as trusted sources for shopping and products to avoid buyer's remorse, while the least trusted sources of shopping advice were sales people (39 percent), and advertising (31%).

Please read the report on businesswire here.