After spending $88.01 on recent graduates and $123.89 on mothers in May, U.S. consumers plan to spend an average of $90.89 on fathers, down from last year’s $94.54. The National Retail Federation also expects total spending to reach $9.4 billion, according to the D.C. trade association’s most recent survey.

Sporting goods, gardening tools and appliances are still mainstay Father’s Day gifts, as consumers anticipate spending more than $500 million in each product category.

But while ties and socks also remain popular gifts, consumers plan to spend the most on a special outing, such as dinner or a sporting event. In fact, more than a third of total holiday spending, or $3.2 billion, will go toward both outings and clothing.

And while consumers recognize the special interests of their fathers, they are celebrating Father’s Day not much differently than Mother’s Day. For both mothers and fathers, special outings, gift cards and clothing have become favorite purchases. And for both holidays, they will shop the most at discount stores, as their popularity continues to rise.

Side note: This Father’s Day survey also points out that since 2004, consumers have spent an average of $30.33 more on mothers than fathers for their respective holidays. Why do you think this happens? Let us know by commenting below.

Throughout the past year, consumer confidence has largely been measured and addressed as a whole. But according to marketing and media researcher Nielsen, consumers will not all respond in the same manner to current economic conditions.

The study created consumer groups based on how and by how much they save money:

• Recession Indifferent consumers are barely, if at all changing their spending habits.
• Recession Insensitive consumers will cut spending on luxuries like entertainment and eating out, as they find themselves slight affected by the economy.
• Switch to Private Label consumers generally buy generic brands or store labels. Nielsen characterizes them as “young, bustling families” earning up to $35,000.
• Stock Up and Save consumers, on the other hand, are probably coming from older households earning $50,000 or more. While they remain loyal to their favorite brands, they will also let coupons and sales determine what they replenish.
• Light Coupons and Sales consumers are typically coming from older, smaller households.
• Switch Stores for Best Deal consumers do not mind store-hopping for the better bargain.
• Brand Disloyal/Promo Sensitive consumers are mainly drawn to sales and generic brands. They likely come from households earning between $35,000 and $50,000.
• Panic Stricken consumers have greatly reduced their living expenses – in any way they can – to save money.

Once the study cross-examined these consumer groups some of their media consumption habits, all to lead to some interesting comparisons. When Recession Indifferent and Recession Insensitive consumers are online, they are most likely viewing search engine, community-based, and news and information Web sites.

But while their Internet browsing habits are similar, these two “least recession-impacted” consumer groups are watching very different television shows. Recession Indifferent consumers watch more sports and news programming, while Recession Insensitive will probably tune in to comedy and quiz game shows.

As also measured by Nielsen, the heaviest Internet users are those searching for bargains – the Switch Stores for Best Deals, Stock Up and Save, and Recession Indifferent consumers.

For more information, view Nielsen’s report, “Reaching the Recession-Proof Consumer.”

As fewer consumers decide to participate, so do their total expected spending. This year, 44.1 percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend $3.29 billion on St. Patrick’s Day. Both figures show a slight decline in both participation and spending from last year, when 46.0 percent of consumers said they planned to spend $3.64 billion to celebrate.

The notable decline in spending derives from everyone – even the biggest holiday spenders, young adults – choosing to spend cautiously this year.

“Increased concern about the economy among young adults has forced many of them to pull back on discretionary spending,” said Tracy Mullin, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation. While 71.8 percent of them celebrated last year, only 66.3 percent decided to participate this year.

The most profitable St. Patrick’s Day observed in past five years, back in 2007, fell on a Saturday. As a result, nearly one-third of participating consumers planned to celebrate at a restaurant or bar. Slightly less, about 29.6 percent, plan to do so this year.

Traditionally though, the ways U.S. consumers celebrate the holiday tend to remain the same, according to the National Retail Federation. As observed this year, the majority – almost 82 percent – plan to celebrate by wearing green, while about one-third of those surveyed said they plan to make a special dinner at home.

Governments, businesses, and individuals are all on the green train, but there is a new worry on the horizon: will people eventually tire of being told what to do in order to save the planet?

There is a curve when it comes to marketing of any product or idea. First, the idea starts small, then gains momentum. Eventually the idea has the support of thousands of people, but then a funny thing happens: all of a sudden, everyone gets tired of hearing the same old message.

It Ain’t Easy Being Green

This has happened time and again in marketing, but the problem with consumers and so- called eco-fatigue is that the very life of the planet depends on people continuing to live greener – and supporting businesses that conduct business in a greener manner.

In other words, no one can become eco-fatigued enough that they actually fall asleep, or the result may be a permanent coma.

So how does a business go about helping others, and the business itself, to avoid eco- fatigue? Well, first of all businesses need to be leaders in the area of green living. Businesses need to show people, through example, that their impact on the environment is important to them.

They can do so by using recycled and recyclable packaging with the recycle symbol on it. Refusing to use too many supplies – and making sure those supplies are eco-friendly – will also send the message that your business cares about the environment.

Use A Light Touch

And that is really what avoiding eco-fatigue is about; staying away from the point where people begin to feel as though they are being bullied into inconvenient behaviors in order to circumvent a catastrophe at some point in the distant future.

The campaign surrounding green living has traditionally centered around fear and guilt, and people just can’t take that kind of treatment for long (just look at how effective it is on your teenager!).

Sooner or later they rebel, and it usually happens in a big way; while they may have done little things before to help out, now they do nothing because they are just tired of being pushed into it.

The way to avoid this problem lies in the way we state what green living is all about. It is surprising how little of the ‘living green’ campaign focuses on how smart green living actually is; it is not just about the environment, it is about the bottom line.

Turning off lights, using less water and driving less means a far less outlay of cash. It is just more convenient to do paperless paper work; much easier to send messages wirelessly, and much easier to keep records.

In order to avoid eco-fatigue, then, it is important both to lead and to emphasize the positive. Doing so will be good for your business – and good for the planet.

I remember the days when cell phones were exciting because they were cordless AND you could use them past your front porch without it crackling and buzzing you deaf. Then came the ringtones. And the cameras. And the text messages, email, internet, music and video. I can’t afford the latest and greatest (mine simply allows for phone calls and a few texts) but when they add a "Makes You Breakfast in Bed" feature I’ll seriously consider upgrading.

But as is, I, along with countless others, still possess the capability of participating in text shopping, the latest service offered by Amazon.com called TextBuyIt. Here’s how it works (courtesy detnews.com ):

"It lets people text the name of a product, its description or its UPC or ISBN to 262966 (that’s "Amazon" on the keypad) from anywhere their cell phones work — including from inside physical stores.

If Amazon stocks matching items, the service returns two results at a time. Shoppers can immediately buy one of the first two the selections by texting back the number "1" or "2," or they can ask for more by texting the letter "M."

New TextBuyIt customers will be prompted to enter the e-mail address associated with their existing Amazon account plus a shipping zip code. The service then calls them and walks through the checkout process using an automated voice system. Shoppers get confirmation by text message and e-mail.

From there, the customers can check on order status on Amazon’s Website."

First I just have to say that I think this is pretty awesome–as a consumer that is. I keep thinking that there is no way things can get easier and lo and behold, someone finds a way. I’m not so sure I would use this personally (remember, I’m too cheap to upgrade to a cooler cell phone so I’m not exactly a ’shopping on demand’ kind of person) but I do know that this service will likely be widely accepted by shoppers and replicated and perfected in different forms by Amazon’s top competitors.

So what kind of effect do you think this will have on brick and mortar stores? Or small businesses for that matter that do not possess the capabilities of offering such a service in order to compete with Amazon?