As the economy has weakened, traffic at club stores targeting the budget-conscious shopper has grown faster than the U.S. population, with upscale consumers driving the increase, according to new data from Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI).


The number of people who shopped at club stores such as Costco, B.J.'s and Sam's Club increased 3.6% from September 2006 to April 2008, while the total adult population increased just over 1% in the same time period, according to MRI's Survey of the American Consumer. Moreover, club store shoppers with household incomes of $75,000 annually grew almost 12% in the same time period.
Almost four in 10 U.S. adults (39%) say they shopped at club stores in the last 6 months. Who are these frugal consumers? Not only is the recent growth in club store traffic driven by upscale consumers, club store shoppers are quite upscale in general. For instance, consumers who shopped in a club store in the last six months are 38% more likely than the average adult to have household incomes of $75,000 or greater; they are 26% more likely to have graduated college; and they are 32% more likely to hold management, business or financial operations occupations.

Being a parent is also a significant influence in shopping in club stores, as parents are 9% more likely than the population as a whole to have shopped in this type of store in the last 6 months.

"Upscale consumers have always been a large part of club stores' customer base. It's now clear that a greater number of affluent consumers are being careful with their hard-earned dollars during this economic downturn," said Anne Marie Kelly, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning at MRI. "Marketers may wish to take note that price-sensitive strategies and messages will increasingly resonate with even the well-heeled."