Are We Suckers for Infomercials?

ARE WE - SUCKERSMEW NEW! BUY FOR INFOMERCIALS? "But wait, there's more!" it's the soundtrack of late-night television and a call to arms for millions of American consumers. Since its inception 20 years ago, the infomercial industry has become an intregal part of television culture. We take a closer look at who is purchasing and how much is being purchased. THE INFOMERCIAL INDUSTRY BOOM Late-night television shopping has grown by 40 percent since 2006, with over $150 billion worth of consumer goods sold in the united states alone, AS SEEN ON TV NET INDUSTRY SALES $91 BILLION $100 BILLION $150 BILLION $150 $120 $90 $60 $30 $0 2006 2009 2011 PURCHASE PREFERENCES MANY ARE WILLING TO TRY 7 OUT OF 10 SHIP TO: TO TO: SHIP TO: TO: Americans have ordered an item from an SHIP SHIP SHIP TO: SHIP TO: SHIP TO: infomercial at least once. Purchased products because they Purchased products because of the infomercial description. had seen a physical demonstration. 51% 40% CHIA PET Consumers who purchase from infomercials tend to do so because they have interacted with the product outside of TV. BUT FEW RETURN FOR MORE .7 OUT OF 10 SHIP SHIP SHIP TO: SHIP TO: SHIP TO: Americans often order SHIP SHIP SHIP TO: SHIP SHIP items from infomercials. TO: Are satisfied customers. Would purchase from the infomercial again. 52% 10% SNUGGIE However, infomercials don't breed repeat customers. Only 52 percent of consumers were satisfied, and only 10 percent said they would purchase again. WHO IS MAKING THOSE LATE-NIGHT PURCHASES? Who is most likely to purchase that Shamwow at 1 a.m.? According to a recent survey from ABC News and Langer Research, the most common infomercial consumer is a middle-aged African American woman with a middle-class income. WOMEN VS. MEN Women are more likely to order a product from an infomercial than men. WOMEN MEN 34% 25% Women are also more likely to be satisfied with their decision to purchase from an infomercial. WOMEN MEN 30% 20% SINGLE VS. MARRIED Only 21 percent of single Americans order products from an infomercial, as compared to 33 percent of married individuals. SINGLE MARRIED 21% 33% AGE Baby Boomers are more likely to make infomercial purchases than other generations. 45-64 18-34 35% 24% INCOME The middle class is by far the biggest consumer of items sold through infomercials. INCOME: $50,000 TO $70,000 INCOME: $70,000 + INCOME: $20,000 TO $49,000 39% 29% 28% RACE There is also a large racial division when it comes to infomercial consumers. A majority of consumers are African American. AFRICAN AMERICAN CAUCASIAN HISPANIC 39% 29% 22% SOURCES: LANGERRESEARCH.COM I ABCNEWS.COM I NYTIMES.COM I TIME.COM I FORBES.COM I MSNBC.COM I CPODIRECT.COM I COUPON CABIN.COM WSJ.COM I "BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE," REMY STERN