The VP and publisher of Lucky magazine, Gina Sanders, teamed up with a media research firm in Boston to identify a new breed of shopaholics that they are dubbing "alpha shoppers," according to WWD.
When these ladies, who make up 14 percent of the U.S. female population, want to buy something, they ignore the common recession-era knowledge and lay down the cash, no matter if the item is full price or discounted, Sanders told the paper. To them, shopping is sport.
The new term "alpha shoppers" was coined after a survey of nearly 2,000 women ages 18-39 completed an online survey, Sanders explained to WWD.
Of these women -- who all had household incomes of at least $50,000, with the majority earning more than $100,000 annually -- 93 percent said they are dishing out for accessories this fall and 78% plan on splurging, nose-diving markets be damned!
So, just what types of things are they snapping up? The survey says that the "alpha shoppers" think that $500 for a pair of shoes is reasonable, and luxury items by super high-end designers like Louis Vuitton are considered investment pieces.
But, the survey also reported that these ladies are doing their research, using 23 "sources of influences" -- from Facebook to magazines to word-of-mouth -- before making their purchases. One-third of the "alpha shoppers" even open all of those pesky emails sent from various stores.
Oh, alpha shoppers, you're a retailer's dream!
So, do you think you deserve to spend a little extra on yourself or are these ladies out of their minds? Leave a comment below.