How do Total Market consumers feel? We conducted a nationwide study to discover their feelings about the economy, their financial situations, and a few of their spending plans. Take a look at what we learned.
4. Methodology
Method Online survey via ThinkNow Research’s Omnibus Study
Sample Size
Hispanics: n=611
White: n=317
African-American: n=302
Asian: n=306
Screening Criteria
• Hispanics: self identify as Hispanic origin
• Non-Hispanics: self identify as White, African-American, Asian
• 18-64 years of age
Quotas/ Weighting
Quotas:
• Age bracket
• Gender balance
• Region
• Primary language spoken at home (Hispanics only)
Some light weighting applied to balance samples to U.S. Census data
with respect to age, gender and region.
Test Area Nationwide
Fieldwork Timing January, 2015
6. Hispanics are noting a significant improvement in
their finances compared to last year.
African Americans and Asians are on par with
Hispanics reporting their finances have
improved.
Recent Trend in Household Finances
7. Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
Recent Trend in Household Finances
47%B
34%
12%
32%
44%AC
22%A
49%B
33%
14%
43%B
39%
14%
Improved Stayed the same Worsened
Hispanic (A) White (B) African American (C) Asian (D)
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
+20% from
27% in 2014
Thinking of all of the sources of income that contribute to your household , compared to this same time last year
would you say your household financial situation has:
8. Hispanics are more optimistic about family
finances for 2015 than they were last year about
finances for 2014.
Non-Hispanic Whites and Asians equally report
their optimism for 2015 with 47% saying they
believe finances will be “better than 2014.”
Outlook for Household Finances
9. Outlook for Household Finances
56%B
29%C
6%
47%
37%C
7%
64%AB
23%
4%
47%
36%C
8%
better than 2014 about the same as 2014 worse than 2014
Hispanic (A) White (B) African American (C) Asian (D)
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
+10% from
46% in 2014
Thinking of your own personal and your family finances for 2015, which of the following would you say best
describes your feelings towards this upcoming year?
Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
Acculturation
Low: 56%
Medium: 62%
High: 44%
10. Hispanics were slightly more likely to have
purchased tech items this past year versus the
year prior.
There was no significant difference in the types
of purchases among the four ethnicity groups.
Recent Purchases
11. 29%
24% 23%
21%
15%
12%
8%
30%
18%
24%
17%
12%
15%
7%
25%
22%
28%
23%
12% 12% 12%
37%C
25% 25%
23%
16%
13%
7%
Smartphone with
Internet
New tablet New computer or
laptop
New home electronics Large kitchen
appliance
Brand new car or truck Home, condominium
Hispanic (A) White (B) African American (C) Asian (D)
Past Year Purchases
Thinking about major purchases that people might buy for themselves or their family, have you purchased any of
the following in the past 12 months?
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
+5% from
24% in 2014 +4% from
20% in 2014
+4% from
19% in 2014
+3% from
18% in 2014
Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
12. In comparison to last year, future plans for
purchasing electronic devices remain
unchanged for Hispanics.
Non-Hispanic whites are the least likely to
have plans to buy electronic devices, a new
vehicle, home or condominium.
Purchases Planned for Next 12 Months
13. 38%B
30%B
37%
35%D
26%
35%B
22%B
26%
21%
31%
28%
22% 23%
15%
42%B
29%B
40%
35%
27%
35%B
23%B
38%B
28%
41%
27%
21%
36%B
19%
Smartphone with
Internet
New tablet New computer or
laptop
New home electronics Large kitchen
appliance
Brand new car or truck Home, condominium
Hispanic (A) White (B) African American (C) Asian (D)
Purchases Planned for Next 12 Months
Thinking about major purchases that people might buy for themselves or their family, are you planning to purchase
any of the following in the next 12 months?
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
For Hispanics, measures remain
on par compared to 2014.
(+ or – 4% for any category)
Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
14. Although Hispanics are the group most likely to
say their decision to purchase a new car or
truck was ‘in whole’ to get better gas mileage,
that measure dropped 10% compared to last
year.
New Car/Truck Purchases
15. New Car/Truck Purchases
Base: Recently purchased/planning to purchase a vehicle. Hispanics (n=77), Whites (n=30*), African Americans (n=36*), Asians (n=44*)
67%
19%
14%
57%
30%
13%
56%
27%
17%
60%
22%
18%
Yes, in whole
Yes, in part
No, gas mileage was not an important factor
Hispanic (A)
White (B)
African American (C)
Asian (D)
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
*Caution, small base
-10% from
77% in 2014
Was your decision to purchase a brand new car or truck motivated in whole or in part by desire to get a car that gets
better gas mileage?
16. Hispanics are considerably more optimistic
about the US economy in 2015, compared to
how they felt last year about 2014.
Non-Hispanic Whites are most pessimistic and
more likely to say the economy will be worse in
2015 than any other group.
Outlook for U.S. Economy
17. 46%B
32%C
10% 11%
32%
37%C
18%AC
13%
52%B
21%
10%
16%AD
46%B
33%C
11% 10%
Better in 2015 About the same in 2015 Worse in 2015 Not sure
Hispanic (A) White (B) African American (C) Asian (D)
Outlook for U.S. Economy
Thinking about the U.S. economy in general, which of the following would you say best describes your feelings
about where things are headed over the next year?
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)
+9% from
37% in 2014
-6% from
38% in 2014
-4% from
14% in 2014
Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
Acculturation
Low: 49%
Medium: 50%
High: 35%
18. Availability of jobs is the top concern among all
groups, but it’s notably higher among African
Americans.
Economic Issue of Greatest Concern
19. Economic Issue of Greatest Concern
If you were to rank the following economic issues in our economy as a whole where "1" is the issue you are currently
most concerned about and "5" equals the one you are least concerned about, how would you rank the following?
33%
32%
15%
10%
9%
33%
24%
21%C
12%
9%
40%
29%
13%
11%
6%
32%
27%
16%
13%
11%
Availability of jobs
Rising prices
National budget deficit
Financial markets
Housing market
Hispanic (A)
White (B)
African American (C)
Asian (D)
Letters indicate statistically
significant difference (95% confidence)Base: All Respondents Hispanics (n=611), Whites (n=317), African Americans (n=302), Asians (n=306)
21. Metric
Hispanics
n=611
White
n=317
African-
American
n=302
Asian
n=306 Metric
Hispanics
n=611
White
n=317
African-
American
n=302
Asian
n=306
Male 51% 50% 48% 47% Born in the U.S. 67% 95% 94% 46%
Female 49% 50% 52% 53% Moved here 33% 5% 6% 54%
Average years living in
U.S.
14 17 17 11
Age
18 to 34 47% 34% 41% 39% Household Income
35 to 64 54% 66% 58% 60% Less than $30,000 14% 9% 16% 9%
Mean age 37 42 40 40
$30,000 to less than
$50,000
20% 14% 22% 15%
$50,000 to less than
$70,000
16% 21% 15% 15%
Census Region
70,000 to less than
$100,000
12% 10% 9% 13%
Northeast 14% 19% 17% 21% $100,000 or more 13% 28% 12% 37%
Midwest 9% 26% 17% 12% Median income ($000) $43 $60 $38 $73
South 37% 35% 57% 23%
West 40% 20% 9% 44% Own/Rent
Own home 53% 68% 48% 63%
Rent home 44% 31% 49% 35%
Sample Profile
22. Sample Profile
Metric
Hispanic
n=611
White
n=317
African-
American
n=302
Asian
n=306 Metric
Hispanic
n=611
White
n=317
African-
American
n=302
Asian
n=306
Marital Status Educational Attainment
Married 48% 49% 35% 63% Less than High School 5% 5% 3% 0%
Single 32% 27% 44% 26% High school graduate 21% 23% 20% 6%
Living with partner 10% 12% 8% 4% Some College, but no degree 25% 25% 29% 16%
Separated/divorced 9% 8% 11% 5% Trade or technical school 6% 5% 5% 3%
Widowed 1% 3% 1% 1%
Graduated from 2-year
College
9% 10% 13% 10%
Graduated from 4-5 year
College
27% 21% 24% 44%
Average household size 3.4 2.9 2.7 2.9 Post Graduate Degree 6% 10% 5% 20%
Presence of Children Employment Status
No children <18 present 46% 61% 64% 54%
Employed or self employed
(net)
68% 62% 58% 69%
Any children <18 present 54% 39% 36% 46% Full-time Homemaker 10% 11% 9% 11%
Currently unemployed 10% 12% 11% 9%
Student, not employed 7% 4% 8% 5%
Unable to work/Disabled 3% 5% 7% 1%
Retired 2% 7% 7% 5%
23. Sample Profile
Metric
Hispanics
n=611
Language Spoken at Home
Spanish only 11%
Spanish mostly 23%
Spanish and English equally 28%
English mostly 19%
English only 19%
Country of Origin
Mexican/Mexican American 64%
Puerto Rican 13%
South American 11%
Cuban 6%
Central American 7%
Dominican 4%
Acculturation
Less Acculturated 25%
Bicultural 47%
More Acculturated 27%
24. Contact Info
Quantitative Research
Carlos Yanez
818-843-0220 x110
carlos@thinknowresearch.com
Qualitative Research
Jairo Moncada
818-843-0220 x111
jairo@thinknowresearch.com
Panel
Gus Peña
818-843-0220 x107
gus@thinknowresearch.com
Corporate
Mario X. Carrasco
Partner
818-843-0220 x101
mario@thinknowresearch.com
Roy Eduardo Kokoyachuk
Partner
818-843-0220 x102
roy@thinknowresearch.com