According to Unity Marketing’s recent luxury consumer survey, affluent consumers spent 3.8 percent more on luxuries in 2005.  “Their spending continues to shift towards the experiential, while they are spending about the same or slightly less in traditional luxury goods categories,” says Pam Danzinger, president.

Pertinent to the beauty industry, personal luxury spending, on things like luxury apparel, pet luxuries, fragrance and cosmetics, rose 5.6 percent in 2005.  Luxury consumers’ spending on experiences nearly doubled in 2005. Luxury experiences includes travel, dining, entertainment, spas and beauty services and home services. 

Every quarter Unity Marketing conducts a Luxury Consumer Tracking Study among 1,000+ luxury consumers.  For the fourth quarter 2005, a total of 1,126 consumers were surveyed with an average income of $139.2k and average age 41.1 years.  Year-end 2005 statistics are compiled from the four tracking studies during the year and will be published in Unity Marketing’s Luxury Report 2006 — Who Buys Luxury, What They Buy, Why They Buy. More information: www.unitymarketingonline.com