Survey Reveals Shoppers Spend More Time During Extreme Weather Days

DDI: 83

The correlation between weather and shopping has long been drawn and discussed so here I find nothing noteworthy. It would be illogical, for instance, to conclude from these numbers that Wal-Mart (DDI 144) or Target (DDI 132) have higher revenues in the hurricane belt vs. southern California. The visceral experience of shopping has more to do with the ambience and layout of the store itself, than the raindrops or snow falling outside of the building -- any reader of Paco Underhill will confirm, too. Marketers planning point-of-purchase promotions at large retailers should overlook this survey entirely for their next program that includes geographies of unpredictable weather. 'Nuf said.

Small Companies Unprepared For Disasters: AT&T Survey

DDI: 94

AT&T's fifth annual study of disaster recovery efforts elicits the voice of the IT segment among small businesses, many which look to marketing collateral for making final purchase decisions on servers, fault-tolerant IT systems and the like. Marketers of these products might look twice before considering these data when planning campaigns to reach entrepreneurs with backup and recovery related products. This survey's faults lie in the validity of AT&T's survey method -- did it strictly poll customers familiar with its own products and services?

Survey Reveals Multichannel Shopping Habits of Electronics Shoppers

DDI: 112

Although the readers of Home Electronics Journal comprise the convenience sample for this survey, I must urge high-tech marketers to take note of this study for its affirmation that the purchase experience of high-ticket electronics is still a multi-channel affair. Of particular note is the affluent segment, which is most apt to research the product online, but forego the intangible, impersonal Web experience to make the purchase at the retail store. The Data Dump Indicies of such outlets as Best Buy (DDI 144, +3.3), Circuit City (DDI 138, +2.8), and Wal-Mart (DDI 166, +2.3) move higher as consumers will likely be exposed in the near term gift-buying incentives from these businesses. Despite surging gas prices, I have every reason to believe that these survey findings will support each of their marketing tactics for reaching the consumers online but completing the sale at the store.

Consumer Reports Survey Uncovers Best Chain Restaurants

DDI: 155

Consumers are becoming more critical of requirements and preferences for casual dining restaurants as a once-a-week experience grows more expensive from rising gas and food prices. This survey comes from a highly trusted resource and marketers should gobble these data when planning couponing or direct mail programs to reach casual diners. The credbility and validity of these findings are so high, in fact, that I raise the Data Dump Indices of several leading restaurants in this space, including Cheesecake Factory (DDI 109, +2), Macaroni Grill (DDI 106, +2), and TGIF (DDI 114, +4.3).

Survey Profiles Average VoIP User

DDI: 103

More-credible sources than this are at the disposal of marketers attempting to profile and reach consumers of the burgeoning market of VoIP. TeleGeography Research's study might be useful for directional purposes, but I cannot move the Data Dump needle on VoIP providers such as Vonage (DDI 143) and 8x8 (DDI 97) because of these findings. As such, I expect more relevant data will emerge on the habits and customer insights of VoIP subscribers from Forrester, Gartner and the like and will make necessary adjustments to all Data Dump Indices at that time.