1. The BIG Call
July 2012
PA M E L A G O O D F E L L O W
CONSUMER INSIGHTS DIRECTOR, BIGINSIGHT™
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR:
E L L E N D AV I S
S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T, N AT I O N A L R E TA I L F E D E R AT I O N
E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R , N R F F O U N D AT I O N
400 W. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 200, Worthington, OH, 43085 614-846-0146 info@BIGinsight.com

2. July 2012 Consumer Survey
 July 2012 Results
• Consumer Confidence
• Employment Outlook
• Practical Purchasing
• 90 Day Outlook: Future Purchase Plans
• Holiday 2012 Spending Preview
 Back-to-School Overview with Ellen Davis, NRF SVP
This report is derived from the following studies:
• BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey, July 2012 (N = 8509, respondents surveyed 7/2 – 7/9/12)
• BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey Trends, July 2007 – July 2012
Disclaimer: BIGinsight™ is a trademark of Prosper Business Development Corp. Services are delivered by Prosper and/or a Prosper affiliated company (“Prosper”).
Prosper makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning: data gathered or obtained from any source; the present or future methodology employed in
producing the statistics; or the data and estimates represent only the opinion of Prosper and reliance thereon and use thereof shall be at the user’s own risk.
© 2012, Prosper®

3. Consumer Confidence
Confident/Very Confident in Chances for a Strong Economy
Adults 18+ 30%+
50% decline
40%
from
45% Jul-07
35% 40%
32.8%
35%
30% 30%
31.3%
25%
26.5%
25% 20%
15%
20%
10%
47.8%
18.8%
27.2%
27.9%
26.5%
31.3%
32.8%
5%
15%
0%
Jul-07 Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jun-12 Jul-12
© 2012, Prosper® Source: BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey, JUL 07-12

4. Practical Purchasing
In the last 6 months, have you made any of the following changes?
Adults 18+
60%  Highlights:
58% • Practicality off slightly from June
56% as more consumers cite
confidence in the economy
54%
 Nearly half pragmatic in
52%
spending (47.8%)
50%  Down a few points from Jul-
48% 11 (49.9%)
46% • 56.1% are focused on just the
necessities
44%
 Up more than a point from
42%
June, but down two points
40% from a year ago
Jul-11 Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul-12
• Spending Rebound?
I have become more practical and realistic in my purchases
 Not so fast: indicators
I focus more on what I NEED rather than what I WANT
remain well ABOVE rates
recorded before the “Great
Recession”
© 2012, Prosper® Source: BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey, JUL 11-12

5. Holiday 2012 Spending Preview
Based on your present situation and feelings toward the economy, which of the following best
describes your plans for the December Holiday Season?
Celebrants who have Holiday Spending Plans in Mind
 Highlights:
60%
• 28.1% say “it’s too early” to know
50% • Among those with spending plans in
46.3%
43.4% mind:
40%
 One in ten plans to spend more,
30% up from 6.5% last year
 Vast majority spending the same
20%
(46.3%) or less (43.4%)
10.2% • For more, click over to the
10%
BIG Consumer Blog
0%  Spending plans among
Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12
Generations
I plan on spending more for gifts than last year.
I plan on spending the same for gifts as last year.  Pinterest’s possible influence Gen
I plan on spending less for gifts than last year. Y’s gift decisions
 Which groups are most likely to
Generation Gap: opt for Layaway?
Holiday 2012 Spending Preview
© 2012, Prosper® Source: BIGinsight™ Monthly Consumer Survey, JUL 09-12

6. The Economy: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going
 Retail sales expected to grow 3.4%
this year
• First half 2012 sales grew 4.5%
• Factors behind growth
 Warm weather
 Inflation
© 2012, Prosper®

7. Back to School, Back to College 2012
 Combined
spending to
total $84 billion
 Average parent
of K-12 student
to spend about
$690
 Average parent
of college
student to spend
about $900
© 2012, Prosper®

8. Why the increase?
 Replenishment
• Replace what children
had to “make-do” with
last school season
 Population growth
• More children entering
elementary and
middle school
© 2012, Prosper®

9. Thank you
Thank you for your interest in our
July 2012 BIG Call insights.
CLICK HERE
to view the full deck of BIG Call
slides for July 2012
© 2012, Prosper®

10. Contact 400 W. Wilson Bridge Road
Suite 200
Worthington, OH 43085
Ph: 614-846-0146 for complimentary insights:
info@BIGinsight.com www.BIGinsight.com
National Retail Federation
Back-to-School Headquarters
www.nrf.com/backtoschool
© 2012, Prosper®