A study of retail expectations from BIGresearch for April/May yielded mixed results, but more than a few were expecting an “almost certain increase” in same-store results over the same period in 2010. That number has eroded, while the number expecting an “almost certain decline” has gone up for May/June.
The good news is that the numbers truly are mixed during both survey periods – only one of the companies surveyed was expecting flat results in each survey, with a fairly balanced distribution of those on the plus and minus sides. However, the increase in pessimism is impossible to miss.
In the April/May survey, only one company was expecting an almost certain decline. Eight thought a decline was likely, one expected flat results, five thought in increase was likely and eight thought an increase was almost certain.
Compare that to May/June. Six now expect an almost certain decline. The good news is that much of that sentiment seems to be a gradation in the negativity of the likely decliners from the previous survey – only four were in that category this time. Again, one expected flat results. Those expecting a likely increase grew to seven, and those expecting an almost certain increase dwindled to five.
In all, there was only one assessment in the negative zone, but the degree of negativity became much stronger from survey to survey.
BIGresearch provides information that ties consumers, retailers and advertising venues together. A report based on the BIGresearch database comparing the occupations of American consumers to their tastes in radio formats will appear in the Saturday 5/7/11 morning edition of RBR-TVBR.
