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BIGresearch:
December economic and consumer insights executive briefing

BIGresearch's Consumer Intentions & Actions Survey monitors over 8,000 consumers each month providing unique insights & identifying opportunities in a fragmented and transitory marketplace. Continued from yesterday.

RETAIL

Still pondering what to give mom, sis or grandma? Check out the Women's Clothing stores shopped most often, and perhaps you'll find something on their wish lists: 1. Wal-Mart (18.2% share), 2. JC Penney (6.0%), 3. Kohl's (5.4%), 4. Target (3.0%), 5. Sears (2.2%). Just remember, gift cards are one size fits all.

For the guys, it may be easier to browse through your local electronics or home hardware store, but just in case he's got a new sweater or pants on his wish list, here's the Top 5 Men's Clothing stores for December: 1. Wal-Mart (21.7%), 2. JC Penney (7.4%), 3. Kohl's (5.5%), 4. Sears (3.9%), 5. Target (2.9%).

( Kmart got run over by a reindeer (...an updated holiday classic, but here in Shoes, the "big" K's getting stomped by eight tiny reindeer pulling a sleigh full of the likes of Wal-Mart, Payless, and JC Penney. Just one year ago, the ailing discounter was the solid #3, but is now battling with Kohl's to remain #4. This month, Wal-Mart leads the pack with 15.9% shopping there most often, Payless is close behind with 15.3%, while JC Penney (3.1%), Kmart (2.5%), and Kohl's (2.3%) round out the Top 5.

Our gift to you...special insights on the Shoe sector. Check out the Consumer Equity Index, our year-over-year look at the growth or decline of a store's share (an index of 100 is flat, an index of 105 indicate 5% growth). According to the December CEI for the Top 10 in Shoes, #3 JC Penney posted almost 30% growth from '04, while Kmart's share declined about 25%. And it looks like DSW, Target, and Foot Locker could heat up competition in the New Year:

For those good little girls and boys with visions of Kanye West and Madonna dancing in their heads, you can expect shoppers to head to Best Buy and Wal-Mart to check CDs, DVDs, TVs, and all things Electronic off their lists. The big box and the discounter maintain a solid lead over the rest of the competition with 25.0% and 22.4% shopping there most often, respectively. Circuit City (8.2%), Sears (3.6%), and Target (1.8%) round out the Top 5.

The majority of consumers (53.0%) prefer to shop traditional grocery stores for sustenance, but there's one discounter - and no, it's not Kmart - that's ahead of the rest...Wal-Mart continues to lead down the Grocery aisle with 16.5% shopping there most often. Grocers Kroger (5.9%), Safeway (3.5%), Albertsons (3.1%), and Publix (2.9%) round out the Top 5.

With almost one in three (31.6%) shopping there most often for Health & Beauty Care, EDLP leader Wal-Mart has an unshakable hold on #1 over Walgreens (7.9%), CVS (6.2%), Target (4.8%), and Rite Aid (2.6%).

FUTURE PURCHASES

The 90 outlook is mixed in December...Gift categories, like CDs and Electronics, as well as casual wear improve from November, according to the BIGresearch Diffusion Index (those who say they'll spend less subtracted from those who'll spend more). However, all major categories continue to decline from '04: