X-Envelope-From: merilee@kerncommunications.com Return-Path: Received: from dukecmmtar03.coxmail.com (dukecmmtar03.coxmail.com [68.99.120.44]) by mail190c38.carrierzone.com (8.13.6/8.13.1) with ESMTP id p7EJsj2P000911 for ; Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:54:47 -0400 Received: from dukecmimpo01.coxmail.com ([68.99.120.134]) by dukecmmtar03.coxmail.com (InterMail vM.7.08.02.01 201-2186-121-102-20070209) with ESMTP id <20110814195444.EEVS18106.dukecmmtar03.coxmail.com@dukecmimpo01.coxmail.com>; Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:54:44 -0400 Received: from merilee07cf8a9 ([68.15.13.44]) by dukecmimpo01.coxmail.com with bizsmtp id LKui1h0060x1YcL01Kuj8Y; Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:54:44 -0400 Message-ID: <90ABAB84C66249348CC29EF87EC583F8@merilee07cf8a9> Reply-To: "Merilee Kern" From: "Merilee Kern" To: , , "Raoul Davis" , "Tina Wells" , , , , "Merilee Kern" Subject: New Jersey Courier Post Online Placement Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:54:59 -0700 Organization: Kern Communications MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="multipart/alternative"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_19AB_01CC5A81.5FF00BF0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5931 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.6109 X-CSC: 0 X-CHA: v=1.1 cv=zu+ytscq//UEdoG6srMphrkNC3HUYIgrxWWj3IZm6sM= c=1 sm=1 a=uEobXfZcp3oA:10 a=nGo8SpNOHtMA:10 a=OkTZCP_1vwgA:10 a=AKOHMRsPwIEA:10 a=amoHW2/Lxk+JwdK3UfH89Q==:17 a=Ca7Sqc2mAAAA:8 a=_78bPrbLAAAA:8 a=NM3IPqj84bOVgkrs-isA:9 a=PDhKJjCYshSYHcbipdgA:7 a=wPNLvfGTeEIA:10 a=hRaz4tQOgj4A:10 a=vx2Nl2DdrLdz1p60:21 a=LD9oSVjH735FrRR1:21 a=lUCNlVu7axZFMFzsWwoA:9 a=-rK_RE5UImIT-HUfly0A:7 a=aTnxH5rqqb0A:10 a=vBFjoi8P1Dd64DMbJSAA:9 a=1Vq_FK4TplAA:10 a=u5FYfu7kNYXlQSfRJdMA:9 a=GQNcxYAmtLXB/ffFAU8xTQ==:117 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_19AB_01CC5A81.5FF00BF0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_19AC_01CC5A81.5FF255E0" ------=_NextPart_001_19AC_01CC5A81.5FF255E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable http://beta.courierpostonline.com/article/20110804/NEWS01/108040339/1006/= Millennials-have-knack-for-finding-top-bargains =20 August 4, 2011 Millennials have knack for finding top bargains By EILEEN SMITH Courier-Post Staff=20 Meet the Millennial consumer, molded by hard knocks and hot = technology into an economic powerhouse dedicated to never paying full = price for anything -- except maybe a heart-melting designer handbag. "Something might retail for $3,000, but a Millennial expects to = pay $1,000," says Tina Wells, author of "Chasing Youth Culture and = Getting it Right." "They are determined to get the best price on = everything from the shirt they buy on their lunch hour to a luxury = vacation." Wells, of Erial, is a noted teen whisperer who advises such retail = A-listers as Steve Madden and MAC Cosmetics on ways to capture young = consumers. Her business, Philadelphia-based Buzz Marketing Group, is = valued at $10 million. Also known as Generation Next and Gen Y, Millennials are defined = as the first generation to come of age in the 21st Century. A study by = the Pew Research Center puts the starting date for the group at 1980. = Project Millennials, an ongoing consumer research initiative, uses the = dates 1982-2000. Wells sets the parameters at 1984-2002. What ever yardstick you use, Millennials now make up more than = one-quarter of the U.S. population, outpacing the Baby Boomers. "They are more wired, interconnected and informed than any = generation ever," Wells says. As more young people come of age, Millennial spending is up, = growing 13 percent from $270 billion in 2009 to $306 billion this year, = according to Campus Auction, a firm that caters to buyers and sellers in = the school-age market. Still, in a stubbornly sour economy, youthful shoppers are = especially challenged. Of adults age 18-29, 37 percent do not have jobs, according to the = Pew study. Of 16- to 24-year-olds, only 47 percent are employed, the = lowest number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started recording = data in 1948. Wells says adversity and an acumen for technology have shaped = Millennials into supremely savvy consumers. "They are the ultimate recessionistas," she says. "They have = always had to live within a budget." Before 19-year-old Steve Zigari headed to Cherry Hill Mall from = his home in Medford, his mom filled his wallet with coupons. He is working three part-time jobs while going to school, but = still needs to stick to a strict budget. "I'm not making very much money, so I always buy wherever I can = get stuff the cheapest," he says. "I like the plain, black T-shirts at = Foot Locker, five for $20." Zigari allows himself one indulgence, Nike Air Max athletic shoes. "They are about $100 no matter where you look, so I just pay the = price," he says. Building brand loyalty is a priority for luxury retailers eager to = usher in a burgeoning pool of customers, banking on their eventual = prosperity. Coach is reaching out to Millennials with youthful pastels and = backback designs. Louis Vuitton has introduced a bag geared toward = younger consumers priced at $500, about half its standard entry-level = price point. "Pick up an issue of Teen Vogue and you will see ads for Tiffany = and Marc Jacobs," Wells says. At 31, she considers herself a Gen Xer. The daughter of a minister = and one of six children, she grew up with a natural sense of style and a = nurtured appreciation for a good deal. "I was completely obsessed with fashion even at a very young age," = she recalls. "But my mother waited until mid-September to shop for = school, when everything went on sale." Wells headed to Echelon Mall (now Voorhees Town Center) scouring = JCPenney and Joyce Leslie for to-die-for tops and perfect jeans. "What we could do with $20 at 16 was amazing," she says. "By Oct. = 1, I had the best wardrobe ever." Wells sees that burning desire for bargains in Millennial teens, = who patronize such purveyors of cheap chic as XXI Forever and H&M. "Why go to Bebe and spend $118 for a dress when you can go to Wet = Seal and get a dress with a similar silhouette for $20?" she asks. Angela and Natalie Sperlunto, 13-year-old twins from Haddon = Township, recently shopped at Hollister when they learned jeans had been = marked down 50 percent. "They are good shoppers," says Aurora Sperlunto, their mother. The twins do much of their research on the Internet, where Angela = found a voucher for free panties at Victoria's Secret. "We can't remember a time when we didn't look for things online," = Natalie says. Wells notes Millennials often are more technologically hip than = their moms and dads. "Kids go online and Google to research what car their parents = should buy," she says. According to a Buzz study, 61 percent of teens learn about new = products online; 41 percent of Millennials have used a smartphone to = make a purchase. The oldest Millennials are now shopping for school supplies for = their own kids. The youngest are too small to earn cash baby sitting or = mowing lawns. Millennials in the middle -- old enough to make money, but without = homes and kids of their own to support -- tend to have the most = disposable income. "Their money isn't allocated toward car, rent and cellphone," = Wells says. "They can spend it on entertainment, eating out and = shopping." She says Millennials ultimately will teach their elders in a = movement of smart, proactive consumers of all generations. "The way we shop for things will never be the same," she says. = "There is not a single day I don't go on jetsetter.com and dream of my = next vacation." =20 ------=_NextPart_001_19AC_01CC5A81.5FF255E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
http://beta.cour= ierpostonline.com/article/20110804/NEWS01/108040339/1006/Millennials-have= -knack-for-finding-top-bargains
 
=
August 4, 2011

Millennials have = knack for=20 finding top bargains

By EILEEN = SMITH
Courier-Post=20 Staff

Meet the Millennial consumer, molded by hard knocks and hot = technology=20 into an economic powerhouse dedicated to never paying full price = for=20 anything -- except maybe a heart-melting designer handbag.

"Something might retail for $3,000, but a Millennial expects to = pay=20 $1,000," says Tina Wells, author of "Chasing Youth Culture and = Getting it=20 Right." "They are determined to get the best price on everything = from the=20 shirt they buy on their lunch hour to a luxury vacation."

Wells, of Erial, is a noted teen whisperer who advises such = retail=20 A-listers as Steve Madden and MAC Cosmetics on ways to capture = young=20 consumers. Her business, Philadelphia-based Buzz Marketing Group, = is=20 valued at $10 million.

Also known as Generation Next and Gen Y, Millennials are = defined as the=20 first generation to come of age in the 21st Century. A study by = the Pew=20 Research Center puts the starting date for the group at 1980. = Project=20 Millennials, an ongoing consumer research initiative, uses the = dates=20 1982-2000. Wells sets the parameters at 1984-2002.

What ever yardstick you use, Millennials now make up more than=20 one-quarter of the U.S. population, outpacing the Baby = Boomers.

"They are more wired, interconnected and informed than any = generation=20 ever," Wells says.

As more young people come of age, Millennial spending is up, = growing 13=20 percent from $270 billion in 2009 to $306 billion this year, = according to=20 Campus Auction, a firm that caters to buyers and sellers in the = school-age=20 market.

Still, in a stubbornly sour economy, youthful shoppers are = especially=20 challenged.

Of adults age 18-29, 37 percent do not have jobs, according to = the Pew=20 study. Of 16- to 24-year-olds, only 47 percent are employed, the = lowest=20 number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started recording data = in=20 1948.

Wells says adversity and an acumen for technology have shaped=20 Millennials into supremely savvy consumers.

"They are the ultimate recessionistas," she says. "They have = always had=20 to live within a budget."

Before 19-year-old Steve Zigari headed to Cherry Hill Mall from = his=20 home in Medford, his mom filled his wallet with coupons.

He is working three part-time jobs while going to school, but = still=20 needs to stick to a strict budget.

"I'm not making very much money, so I always buy wherever I can = get=20 stuff the cheapest," he says. "I like the plain, black T-shirts at = Foot=20 Locker, five for $20."

Zigari allows himself one indulgence, Nike Air Max athletic = shoes.

"They are about $100 no matter where you look, so I just pay = the=20 price," he says.

Building brand loyalty is a priority for luxury retailers eager = to=20 usher in a burgeoning pool of customers, banking on their eventual = prosperity.

Coach is reaching out to Millennials with youthful pastels and = backback=20 designs. Louis Vuitton has introduced a bag geared toward younger=20 consumers priced at $500, about half its standard entry-level = price=20 point.

"Pick up an issue of Teen Vogue and you will see ads for = Tiffany and=20 Marc Jacobs," Wells says.

At 31, she considers herself a Gen Xer. The daughter of a = minister and=20 one of six children, she grew up with a natural sense of style and = a=20 nurtured appreciation for a good deal.

"I was completely obsessed with fashion even at a very young = age," she=20 recalls. "But my mother waited until mid-September to shop for = school,=20 when everything went on sale."

Wells headed to Echelon Mall (now Voorhees Town Center) = scouring=20 JCPenney and Joyce Leslie for to-die-for tops and perfect = jeans.

"What we could do with $20 at 16 was amazing," she says. "By = Oct. 1, I=20 had the best wardrobe ever."

Wells sees that burning desire for bargains in Millennial = teens, who=20 patronize such purveyors of cheap chic as XXI Forever and = H&M.

"Why go to Bebe and spend $118 for a dress when you can go to = Wet Seal=20 and get a dress with a similar silhouette for $20?" she asks.

Angela and Natalie Sperlunto, 13-year-old twins from Haddon = Township,=20 recently shopped at Hollister when they learned jeans had been = marked down=20 50 percent.

"They are good shoppers," says Aurora Sperlunto, their = mother.

The twins do much of their research on the Internet, where = Angela found=20 a voucher for free panties at Victoria's Secret.

"We can't remember a time when we didn't look for things = online,"=20 Natalie says.

Wells notes Millennials often are more technologically hip than = their=20 moms and dads.

"Kids go online and Google to research what car their parents = should=20 buy," she says.

According to a Buzz study, 61 percent of teens learn about new = products=20 online; 41 percent of Millennials have used a smartphone to make a = purchase.

The oldest Millennials are now shopping for school supplies for = their=20 own kids. The youngest are too small to earn cash baby sitting or = mowing=20 lawns.

Millennials in the middle -- old enough to make money, but = without=20 homes and kids of their own to support -- tend to have the most = disposable=20 income.

"Their money isn't allocated toward car, rent and cellphone," = Wells=20 says. "They can spend it on entertainment, eating out and = shopping."

She says Millennials ultimately will teach their elders in a = movement=20 of smart, proactive consumers of all generations.

"The way we shop for things will never be the same," she says. = "There=20 is not a single day I don't go on jetsetter.com and dream of my = next=20 = vacation."

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