This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A new report issued this week by Austin, Texas-based RetailMeNot, the largest digital coupon destination in the U.S., examined consumer behaviors on personal wealth, savings, confidence and buying patterns for 2014.
Major findings in the report included:
• Sixty-two percent of those surveyed used credit cards to pay for their winter holiday gifts.
• Nineteen percent of married individuals carried $500 or more in debt into 2014.
• Thirty-nine percent of people surveyed described themselves as spenders, not savers.
• Of those planning to shop online in 2014, the report said 87 percent plan to shop the same amount or more, with 26 percent planning to shop more.
• Seventy-seven percent of parents used cash to pay for their gifts as opposed to 59 percent of those without children. Seventy percent of parents also used debit cards to pay for gifts versus 49 percent of non-parents.
• Sixty-seven percent of consumers surveyed including 72 percent of women said that they wanted retailers to offer more discounts in 2014 than they did in 2013.
• Ninety percent of those surveyed reported they planned to use their desktop computer to go shopping in 2014 versus 53 percent who planned to use a smart phone and 47 percent a tablet.
"We are excited to release our Retail Forecast for the year," said Jill Balis, senior vice president of marketing for RetailMeNot, Inc. "The data provides great insights into what consumers are shopping for in 2014 and also reveals interesting retail trends."
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