U.S. holiday spending up 36 pct - Amex survey

WIRE:01/17/2000 17:01:00 ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. shoppers spent an average of $1,558 on holiday expenses in 1999, up about 36 percent from the prior year's $1,148, according to the American Express Retail Index released Monday. The index, which is based on surveys of consumers and retailers, confirmed retail industry analysts' views that a booming economy and high consumer confidence translated into a strong holiday sales season for many U.S. retailers.

The surveys found that the number of Internet shoppers nearly tripled with 16 percent of U.S. consumers buying gifts online in 1999 versus 6 percent in 1998, but bricks-and-mortar stores remained the prime shopping points.

"Shopping has been called our national pastime, and this season it became our 'virtual pastime'," Valerie Soranno, American Express's general manager, retail industries, said in a statement.

"However, while online shopping is becoming more popular among a larger base of consumers, the majority of spending remains focused on a few key categories such as toys, electronics, books and magazines," she said. "In addition, the majority of spending is still taking place in a physical environment."

American Express polled 500 heads of households and 275 retailers in separate surveys. Both were conducted Dec. 27, 1999, through Dec. 30, 1999. The surveys tracked spending on gifts, entertaining, travel and gift wrap.

According to the survey, 46 percent of retailers reported year-over-year sales increases during the 1999 holiday season.

The most popular place to shop was department stores, followed by discount department stores and specialty stores, American Express said.

The top gifts for children were clothing, dolls and action figures, electronics, books and video games. Toys specifically mentioned by those surveyed included Barbie Millennium Princess and Pokemon items.

For adults, the most popular gifts were clothing, electronics, gift certificates and women's jewelry or accessories.



This means 54 percent didn't have any sales increases.
"spending more and more on less and less"

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), January 17, 2000

Answers

Let the good times roll . . . Let them knock you around. Let the good times . . . Let them make you a clown. Let them leave you up in the air . . . Let them brush your rock-n-roll hair. Let the good times roll!

-- Paranoia Will (Destroy_Y@BlackCopters.com), January 17, 2000.

In 1996, two-thirds of all fatal auto accidents in Kansas were committed by completely sober drivers. That's a scary statistic.

Good thing we Americans are not a consumeristic, conformist society, eh, Hokie?

-- High School Dropout (product@the_public.schools), January 17, 2000.

Hey, ahms gonna open me an internet bowteek

-- (CruddyLuddite@good.buddy), January 18, 2000.