That newfound focus on family and home has affected our holiday shopping habits this season as well, according to Robbie Blinkoff, principal anthropologist of Context-Based Research Group, which uses anthropological research to identify consumer trends and has conducted studies of consumer behavior in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. NEWSWEEK’s Jennifer Barrett spoke with Dr. Blinkoff about how the holiday shopping experience will be different this year.
NEWSWEEK: How have the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and ensuing war on terrorism affected U.S. consumers’ behavior?
Dr. Robbie Blinkoff: First, people have undergone an identity crisis. They’re refocusing on their values, trying to figure out who they are. As part of that, there’s more of an emphasis on home values. In addition, consumers have a heightened critical consciousness, so that every purchase decision they’re making is put through a new value filter.
How is the new “value filter” different than the old?
It’s not necessarily a change–it’s more that people are trying to determine what is most important to them. One priority is the value of home–not just the house in suburbia with the nuclear family, but community. They are turning to friends and neighbors. They’re trying to connect, first with their family and then with friends and community. They’re trying to find meaning in everything they do, at home and in the workspace. They are also thinking more about personal security and control, and places where they feel safe and comfortable. They are just starting to expand their safety net beyond the home.
How are these changes affecting our shopping habits this holiday season?
A lot of things are going to be different this year. People are seeking a really meaningful Christmas this year. They really want to make sure that they find the right product. It’s so much more about the relationships with other people than the product itself this year. People will spend a lot more time making sure they get the right gift. People are also looking more to homemade gifts. It has to be something meaningful, though-it could be baking something from an old recipe you haven’t used in years, a grandmother’s recipe. It all connects back to home values. It’s quality over quantity. That’s never counted more.
What types of gifts will be most popular this season?
The meaning is what counts, and people define that differently. But some gifts will work more than others. Gifts that bring a family together are very important. If your mom and dad are deciding between a computer and a DVD home entertainment system, they might say the computer is something you do on solo time versus an entertainment center, where it would increase the time the family spends together and their interaction. So the entertainment system would win out. Gifts that make people feel comfortable in the home are also popular. That’s not just big gifts, but people have had a real nesting response to the attacks and this is all about trying to feel more comfortable in the home with the family. It’s a great year to buy seasonal items you can re-use each year, establishing a tradition. The Fisher Price hero action figures are also a great idea for toys. Firefighters and policemen are great hero role models. Kids still want to get action-figure satisfaction, but this is a bad year to give a violent action figure.
Will people be spending less or just spending their money differently?
They will be spending about the same amount, but it will be redirected. They are in flux in terms of what shopping category they are in. This year it’s all up for grabs. People will likely experiment with different categories to find the right gifts for people.
So, even with the economic downturn, you’re not seeing a decrease in the amount of money consumers plan to spend this holiday season?
People are willing to spend the money if it is going to help them have a more meaningful Christmas, but it has to be spent on the right gifts. People also understand that their dollars can stimulate the economy. That’s another justification for spending the money. Also, people are buying thoughtful and meaningful gifts and that means quality gifts that will last for a longtime, so you can see them as investments both functionally and emotionally.
Are fears of public places prompting more people to do their shopping on-line this season?
The mall issue is really interesting because of the fear factor people have now about going into crowded places. Maybe with the recent successes in Afghanistan, their anxiety levels are going down a little. People have been creating a sort of safety zone around their homes and then slowly expanding it. If malls can communicate that they are safe places to come to, then they will be successful this season. I see people going on-line for window shopping, but going to the mall to pick up the gifts. The idea is that you have to give a thoughtful and meaningful gift, it’s experiential–you want to touch it, pick it up and hold it, before you buy it. I’m not sure that comes through on-line or in a catalogue.
What should retailers do to address the consumers’ new fears and desires?
This is the season for retailers to establish brand loyalty. It’s a great opportunity to either get new customers or lose customers. In this holiday season, people are re-establishing their values and doing it very consciously and that is spreading over into their purchasing decisions. Retailers need to be observant and they need to listen to their customers in order to have a good holiday season.
Do you think these post-Sept. 11 changes in consumer attitudes and behavior are here for the long run or are they part of a seasonal trend?
The rules of society have changed; therefore, life as we know it will change, and that will translate into the way we buy things. People will not always be as conscious of it as they are this season, though there will be times when it will resurface. We are seeing a new value system being established that wasn’t there before Sept. 11.
