Economics

Consumer Research & Market Trend Analysis

Understanding consumer spending, market analysis, market size, and opportunity by segment or population with our Consumer Diversity Model .

As consumer demographics change and evolve, companies should target messaging and products to specific demographics to ensure they are reaching the right markets, at the right time, with the right offering. Marketers, retailers, and planners require richer data on their customer segments to engage with their target audience.

Our Consumer Diversity Model provides the data needed to accurately define their addressable US market and track trends for each segment. Our analysis provides a clear view into where US consumers are now—and where they will be in the future—enabling effective execution of multicultural marketing programs that meet and exceed commercial goals.

Over the 2015-2025 time period, you can see:
Gen Z and Millennials markedly increasing total spend as they grow into ‘Head of Household’ age
Boomers and Gen X increasing in spend but at a decreasing rate
By 2025, Millennials’ spending as much as Boomers

Our diversity market analysis examines population trends, patterns, and spending behaviors in the US according to segmented socio-demographic characteristics. We can provide insights across 660 spend categories to provide answers to questions such as:

Race/ethnicity: How do spending preferences for certain goods, such cars and trucks, vary according to consumer ethnicity?
Age/generation: How much of their wallet are millennials spending on durable goods, such as those geared toward home improvements, versus travel and other experience goods?
Income level: How does a high-level income earner allocate their spending versus saving?
Education level: Is there a connection between a consumer’s education level and their spending on health care services?
Gender: What types of apparel are men more likely to purchase versus women?

Population traits listed above can be evaluated singularly as well as in combination

Built on an industry leading data and analysis

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US Macro Service: Population, households and the components of income, consumer spending
US Regional Service: State and County population, households, income, consumer spending
US Population Model:By race/ethnicity and gender derived from Census Bureau data
US Consumer: Buying trends, share of wallet, household income
Hispanic Market Monitor (HMM): Economic and demographic forecasts, rich government socio-economic and demographic survey data, percent of households where Spanish is spoken within the home

Connect with an expert

Laura Hand

She has led, and contributed to, numerous projects specifically related to consumer behavior, spending trends and patterns, share of wallet analyses, market sizing, and forecasting. Laura brings 15 years of experience in economic, demographic, and industry consulting, with a strong focus on developing strategy and planning solutions for clients through in-depth modeling and econometric analysis. Prior to joining IHS Markit, she was an analyst at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, DC. In the Tax Analysis Division, Laura was responsible for the excise tax budgeting process, which included forecasting excise tax income in the United States and analyzing the behavioral effects of past and proposed legislation for Congress. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics from St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and her Master's degree in Economics from Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY).

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James Bohnaker

Mr. Bohnaker is an director in the US Macro and Consumer Economics services for IHS Markit. He is a leading member of the US Macro team and is responsible for forecasting consumer prices, spending, and private income. He also is the lead analyst for the IHS Markit US Consumer Markets services. Prior to joining IHS Markit, Mr. Bohnaker worked as a Senior Economist for CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services firm. He was a lead contributor to the firm's US macroeconomic outlook, and was also responsible for forecasting commercial real estate metrics at both a national and regional level. His experience focused on retail and logistics, capital markets, monetary policy and global financial markets.Prior to joining the commercial real estate industry, Mr. Bohnaker worked as a US regional and macroeconomist for Moody's Analytics. His responsibilities included analyzing trends in inflation, financial markets, and monetary policy. Mr. Bohnaker worked closely with large financial institutions to build econometric models used for stress testing and regulatory compliance. Mr. Bohnaker has also worked as a financial analyst for a consumer electronics firm. He also has public sector experience working for the US Department of Agriculture.Mr. Bohnaker holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, and a Master of Arts in Economics from Old Dominion University. Mr. Bohnaker's analysis of the US economy has been featured in prominent news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, and Marketplace. He is an active member of the National Association of Business Economists (NABE) and is a designated Certified Business Economist (CBE).