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New survey: 63.9% of Americans feel insecure in their jobs |
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Thursday, 20 November 2008 |
SCBIZ Daily Staff
CHARLESTON – A new survey from America’s Research Group reports that only 63.9% of Americans currently feel secure in their jobs; 22.8% have already seen layoffs at their workplace and 31.8% expect layoffs in the future.
In addition, the survey reveals more than 70% of Americans feel pressure from debts; 21.8% of this group feels “a lot” of pressure, 52% feel “some.”
This translates into additional grim news for retailers this holiday season, said Britt Beemer, a consumer behavior analyst and chairman of the Charleston-based America’s Research Group.
“Consumers have snapped shut their wallets this year and it’s difficult to find a bright spot for the Christmas shopping season,” Beemer said.
Of those feeling pressure from debt, 57.9% will spend less this Christmas due to their credit concerns. “
Gift cards were popular last year, but this year consumers are wary because they fear that stores could go into bankruptcy and not honor the cards.
Of those consumers who normally give gift cards but won’t this year, 64.4% will give money instead. Only 35.6% said they would give gifts instead. Of those consumers who will give fewer gift cards, more than a third (36.4%) say that there is a chance they could give nothing at all.
Big bargains may lure some consumers out to shop, however, according to Beemer. This year, 89.2% of consumers say they are driven by sales and discounts. When asked if they were more sales driven than they were three to five years ago, a whopping 84% said yes.”
The America’s Research Group/UBS 2008 Christmas Survey consisted of 1,000 telephone interviews of adults 20 to 59 years of age conducted Nov. 13 and 14. The error factor is plus or minus 3.8%.
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