According to a new Harris Poll, over half of Americans (53 percent) say they are planning to purchase toys as gifts this year while two in five (40 percent) say they will not purchase toys and 7 percent are not sure. Three-quarters of those surveyed in a household with children (73 percent) say they will purchase toys as gifts this year. I feel sorry for the one-fourth of those kids who live in those other households. These are just some of the results of a special Harris Poll of 3,084 adults surveyed online between October 11 - 18, 2010.
The economy is still taking its toll on holiday spending, no matter what people are planning on buying. While more than two in five toy purchasers (44 percent) say their spending will be no different than last year, over one-third (37 percent) say they will spend less than they did last year while 15 percent say they will spend more than they did last year. Among those toy purchasers with a child in the household, almost one-quarter (23 percent) said they will spend more than they did last year, over one-third (36 percent) said their spending will be no different and two in five (41 percent) said they will spend less than they did last year.
Books, video games and board games are the top purchases this year, according to the polling data. Two in five toy purchasers (43 percent) will purchase children's books, one-third will buy games for consoles (32 percent) and board games (32 percent). Three in ten (29 percent) will purchase arts and crafts, while one-quarter (26 percent) will buy dolls as gifts. One in five will each purchase building blocks and bricks (22 percent), sports equipment (21 percent) and handheld electronic games (20 percent) while 13 percent will purchase game consoles.
Men are more likely to purchase games for consoles (36 percent vs. 27 percent of women), video game consoles (16 percent vs. 9 percent) and sports equipment (29 percent vs. 12 percent).
Find out more at harrisinteractive.com.
