NPD Accessorizes
Market-research firm NPD Group is launching a new Accessories Market Tracking Service to track changes in the market for manufacturers, retailers and financial analysts.
The service will track dollar and unit sales, market share, pricing by category and brand and will cover the entire range of accessories including bags and luggage, watches, jewelry, sunglasses and small leather goods. On the retail side, NPD will compile point-of-sale reports for department stores and national chain stores.
“Within the retail industry and most particularly the fashion industry, brands are of enormous significance to the consumer, and with this new look inside the accessories market, we can begin to see in which categories brands play the greatest role,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for NPD Group.
Jewelry was the top seller in terms of dollar volume for the first quarter of 2007, according to the Port Washington, N.Y.–based company. Bags and luggage came in second, followed by watches, small leather goods and sunglasses. During the same period, consumers said styling and features most influenced their buying choices, while price and quality came in second and third. Impulse buying (“caught my eye while shopping”) was the fourth reason, and brand came in fifth.
For more information about NPD’s Accessories Market Tracking Service, visit www.npd.com.—Alison A. Nieder
