Report: Handbags - US - May 2009 TOC

Scope and Themes
What you need to know
Definition
Consumer survey data sources
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Executive Summary
Market Size and Forecast
Competitive Context
Market Drivers: A Macro Perspective
Market Drivers: A Psychographic Perspective
Number of purchases in past year
Number of handbags currently owned
Total handbag expenditures in last year
Highest price paid for a handbag in 2008
Highest price ever paid for a handbag
Preferred method of payment
Attitudes towards handbags and barriers to purchase
Retail distribution
Leading companies
Race and Hispanic origin
Market Size and Forecast
Key points
Pace of growth cools in response to recession, but women continue to buy
- Figure 1: Total U.S. sales and forecast of purses and handbags at current prices, 2004-12
- Figure 2: Total U.S. sales and forecast of purses and handbags at inflation-adjusted prices, 2004-12
Market Drivers: A Macro Perspective
Key points
Consumer Confidence stymied growth in 2008 but is on the upswing
- Figure 3: Trended U.S. retail gas prices, average of all grades and formulations, 2001-08
- Figure 4: Consumer sentiment index, 2001-09
Increase in number of 18-34 year olds will help to drive growth
- Figure 5: Female population by age, 2004-14
Relatively high incomes contribute to market growth
Figure 6: Median household income by race/Hispanic origin of householder, 1997-2007
Market Drivers: A Psychographic Perspective
Key points
Affluents more likely to change buying habits in response to recession
- Figure 7: Recession impact on shopping for purses and handbags, by household income, February 2009
Practical necessity, bargains and the search for the "It" look are the primary drivers of purchase for most women
- Figure 8: Reasons for buying a handbag, July 2005- February 2009
18-24 year olds more likely to be influenced by need, and the "fun factor"
- Figure 9: Reasons for purchasing a purse or handbag in the past year, by age, February 2009
Affluent women somewhat more likely to buy for fun or special occasion
- Figure 10: Reasons for purchasing a purse or handbag in the past year, by household income, February 2009
Number of Purchases in Past Year
Key points
Recession causes spike in purchase avoidance
- Figure 11: Number of purses and handbags bought in the last year, 2005-09
18-24 year olds are key target for moderate-priced bags
- Figure 12: Incidence, frequency and average number of purses or handbags bought in the last 12 months, by age, July 2007-September 2008
Income is a good predictor of purchase frequency
- Figure 13: Incidence, frequency and average number of purses or handbags bought in the last 12 months, by household income, July 2007-September 2008
Number of Handbags Currently Owned
Key points
Average number of bags owned holds steady
- Figure 14: Number of purses and handbags currently owned, trended, February 2005-09
35-44 year olds heavy purchasers
- Figure 15: Number of purses and handbags currently owned, by age, February 2009
Affluent women buy more handbags
- Figure 16: Number of purses and handbags currently owned, by household income, February 2009
Total Handbag Expenditures in Last Year
Key points
Average expenditures among women who made at least one handbag purchase increased between 2007 and 2009
- Figure 17: Total amount spent on handbags in the past year, trended, 2005-09
35-44s reported highest annual expenditures for 2008
- Figure 18: Total amount spent on handbags in the past year, by age, February 2009
Affluents continued to spend in 2008
- Figure 19: Total amount spent on handbags in the past year, by household income, February 2009
Highest Price Paid for a Handbag in 2008
Key points
Highest price paid in the last year rose slightly in 2009
- Figure 20: Highest price paid for a handbag in the past year, 2005-09
The vast majority of respondents did not spend more than $50 for a handbag in 2008
- Figure 21: Highest price paid for a handbag in the past year, by age, February 2009
- Figure 22: Highest price paid for a handbag in the past year, by household income, February 2009
Highest Price Ever Paid for a Handbag
Key points
Average amount spent continued to climb in 2009
- Figure 23: Highest price ever paid for a handbag, 2005-09
35-44 year old group buys high-end bags on sale
- Figure 24: Highest price ever paid for a handbag, by age, February 2009
Preferred Method of Payment
Key points
Debit card purchases rise
- Figure 25: Preferred payment method when buying a handbag/purse, 2007-09
Middle-aged women somewhat more likely to use credit cards
- Figure 26: Preferred payment method when buying a handbag/purse, by age, February 2009
Affluents more likely to use credit cards
- Figure 27: Preferred payment method when buying a handbag/purse, by household income, February 2009
Attitudes towards Handbags and Barriers to Purchase
Key points
Most women feel a need for several bags, but not premium designer bags
- Figure 28: Attitudes towards purses and handbags, by age, February 2009
- Figure 29: Attitudes towards purses and handbags, by household income, February 2009
Retail Distribution
Key points
Mass, online and "other" channel posts growth as women seek value
- Figure 30: Total U.S. sales of handbags, by retail channel, 2006 and 2008
Value channels and department stores that run big promotions are most top-of-mind for handbag purchasers
- Figure 31: Stores where handbags were most recently purchased, February 2009
Leading Companies
Key points
Many women unsure or unconcerned about brand
- Figure 32: Handbag brands purchased in past year, February 2009
Coach
Dooney & Bourke
Nine West
Liz Claiborne Inc.
Advertising and Promotion
Introduction
Print ads
Louis Vuitton Print ads
Nine West Print ads
Making the brand part of celebrity lifestyles: Dooney & Bourke
Blogs and resale sites
Purseblog.com
Baghaus.com
Facebook and social network tools likely to be utilized more in the future
Race and Hispanic Origin
Key points
Black women who purchase are heavy users
- Figure 33: Incidence, frequency and average number of purses or handbags bought in the last 12 months, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2007-September 2008
- Figure 34: Number of purses and handbags currently owned, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
Blacks report higher than average spending in 2008
- Figure 35: Total amount spent on handbags in the past year, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
Black women often interested in mid-end bags and seldom spend more than $90 on a bag
- Figure 36: Highest price paid for a handbag in the past year, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
- Figure 37: Highest price ever paid for a handbag, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
Black women less likely to use credit
- Figure 38: Preferred payment method when buying a handbag/purse, by race/Hispanic origin, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
- Figure 51: Reasons for purchasing a purse or handbag in the past year, by employment status, February 2009
- Figure 52: Recession impact on shopping for purses and handbags, by age, February 2009
- Figure 53: Incidence, frequency and average number of purses or handbags bought in the last 12 months, by level of education, July 2007-September 2008
- Figure 54: Number of purses and handbags bought in the last year, by household income, February 2009
- Figure 55: Number of purses and handbags bought in the last year, by age, February 2009
- Figure 56: Incidence of purse/handbag purchase, number of purchases and average # bought in the last 12 months, high income white, non-Hispanic and Asian respondents, July 2007-September 2008
- Figure 57: Number of purses and handbags currently owned, by marital status, February 2009
- Figure 58: Highest price paid for a handbag ever, by household income, February 2009
- Figure 59: Attitudes towards purses and handbags, by employment status, February 2009
- Figure 60: Total amount spent on handbags ever, by marital status, February 2009
- Figure 61: Number of purses and handbags bought in the last year, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2009
Appendix: Trade Associations

Handbags - US - May 2009

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