Stationery and electronics showed the biggest declines in purchases from catalogs in the 12 months ending Dec. 31, according to Abacus Direct Consumer Catalog Buying Trend Report.
The Broomfield, CO-based co-op database company’s latest survey shows these two categories amounted to 13.8% and 0.6%, respectively, of all household dollars.
The three largest categories were women’s apparel, shoes and accessories; home products; and gift items. These categories accounted for nearly half of all male dollars spent on catalog purchases, and 70% of female dollars spent on catalog purchases.
Among males, growth rates within these categories were mixed. While spending on women’s apparel rose by 10.9%, to 17.3% of all dollars spent, home item spending increased by 5.5%, to 17.2%, and gift items rose 3.5%, to 14.7%.
The biggest gainers among male shoppers in the 16 categories measured were books, music and videos, which rose 21.1%, to 2.3% of all dollars spent, followed by crafts and hobbies, which rose 14.3% to 1.6%. Only three categories saw declines: Women’s and men’s combined apparel, which fell 5.7% to 6.6% of all dollars spent; electronics, which dropped 18.8% to 13.8%, and stationery, which fell 40%, to 0.6%.
Among female shoppers, the biggest gainers were books, music and videos, which grew 16.7% to 1.4% of overall budgets, and women’s apparel, which jumped 10.4% to 33.9% of total spending. But 10 of the 16 categories measured showed declines in total dollars spent, and another three were stagnant. Stationery was again the biggest loser, dropping 53.3% to 0.7% of all dollars spent on catalog shopping, followed by a 50% decrease in auto parts and accessory spending, to 0.1%.
Other double-digit declines among female shoppers include electronics, which fell 14.3% to 5.4%; women’s and men’s combined apparel, which dropped 13.2%, to 6.6%; gardening supplies, which at 1.6% was down 11.1% from the previous year’s total; and specialty foods and beverages, which fell 10% to 1.8%.
