Posted on: Sunday, November 9, 2008
Of fastidious shoppers and their silver cars
By John MacIntyre
Percentage of shoppers who would stop shopping at a particular store if they believe the store is not clean, according to a study by MARC Research: 18
Percentage of consumers who consider a clean shopping environment extremely important: 46
Ranks of grocery stores, drugstores and department stores as the stores that could see the largest impact on sales if there is an unclean environment: 1, 2, 3
SILVER ON THE STREET
Rank of silver on the list of the most popular car colors — capturing 20 percent in North America, 35 percent in Europe and 37 percent in Asia/Pacific Rim, according to PPG Industries: 1
In North America, ranks of silver (20 percent), white (18 percent) and black (17): 1, 2, 3
LOVE YOUR PC
Percentage of women office workers who claim to like or love their computer, with the average woman spending nearly triple the time daily with her computer than with her significant other, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Wellgate for Women: 96
Percentage of women office workers who say their significant other thinks they spend too much time with their computer: 10
IMPRESS THE BOSS
Percentage of employees who would do something to impress their boss, according to a survey by Randstad USA: 72
Percentage who would take on additional work or responsibilities to make an impression: 57
Percentage who would work overtime to create more job security: 47
LIVING ON CREDIT
Percentage of Americans taking out more cash advances on their credit cards than they did in the past, according to a survey by Standard and Poor's: 10
Percentage who indicate they are "sometimes" (14 percent) or "always" (6 percent) unable to pay their credit card and/or loan balances each month: 20
Percentage who say they can only make the minimum payment required: 8
UNCLE SAM'S POCKETS
Estimated percentage of the contracts that federal agencies were supposed to give to small businesses that actually were diverted to Fortune 500 firms, according to a recent story by The Washington Post: 40
In the Post's sample review of $13 billion in federal contracts reported as going to small businesses, value of contracts actually awarded to Fortune 500 firms such as Lockheed Martin, Dell Computer, L-3 Communications, SAIC, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and British Aerospace: $5 billion
PURCHASE PERSUASION
Percentage of college students who said their buying decisions are frequently influenced by discounts, according to a national survey by Campus Entertainment and the National Association for Campus Activities: 74
Percentage influenced by coupons: 48
Percentage who admit that their decisions are often influenced by friends on social networks such as Facebook or MySpace: 40
CIO STRESS
Percentage of chief information officers (CIOs) who said rising workloads are the greatest source of stress for their teams, according to a survey developed by Robert Half Technology: 36
Percentage who cited the pace of new technology: 22
Percentage who cited office politics: 18
MEDICAL BILLS
Percentage of Americans who report their household had problems paying medical bills in the past year, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll: 33
Percentage who report that someone in their family skipped pills, or postponed or cut back on needed medical care in the past year because of cost: 47
EVEN IN THE PRIVY
Percentage of working Americans who have been interrupted by a work-related phone call or e-mail while in the bathroom, according to a Nokia survey: 53
Percentage interrupted while on a date: 23
Percentage of working Americans who never turn off their mobile device: 59
IDLE THOUGHT
<"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."
— Eric Hoffer, philosopher and author (1902-1983)
Contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.
