Nag and Ye Shall Receive

Kids have a big influence on purchases. A new survey* suggests that 20% to 45% of sales in certain product categories result from nagging by kids. Here is the percentage of product purchases parents attributed to nagging:

* Toys: 46%

* Movies: 34%

* Food: 34%

* CD-ROMs: 33%

* Home videos: 32%

* Theme park visits: 20%

For kids, success is related to technique. Persistent naggers (“I have to have it--please, please”) are less successful than naggers who give their demands “importance.” (“I need a Dream House so Barbie has a place to live.”) A look at some categories:

Toys

* Purchases rose 14% with “importance” nagging.

* Persistent nagging had a low impact.

Food and beverages

* Purchases rose 16% with “importance” nagging.

* Persistent nagging lowered purchases by 18%.

Movies

* Moviegoing rose 17% with “importance” nagging.

* Persistent nagging increased moviegoing by 20%.

*

*Telephone survey of 300 mothers and a written survey of 150 mothers who kept a two-week diary.

Source: Lieberman Research Worldwide and Western International Media