(Berkeley Heights, NJ; July 16, 2002; Business Wire) According to a recent Yellow Pages Research Institute(SM) (YPRI(SM)) survey, Americans have not altered their shopping patterns significantly in the last year because of safety concerns. Of 2,723 consumers surveyed, almost half said they have shopped online more often and 40 percent have shopped closer to home - mainly for reasons of time and convenience. Notably, more than three out of four survey respondents (77 percent) said they have not avoided public shopping spaces in the last year.

"These survey findings lead us to believe that people continue to frequent familiar shopping sites, both in person and on the Internet," said Joel Raphael, director of the Yellow Pages Research Institute(SM). "We expected to find that people would make an effort to avoid public shopping places because of increased safety concerns. Instead, we found that the increased use of the Internet, as well as close-by stores, is mainly a function of time and convenience."

When asked how their shopping habits have changed in the last year with regard to purchasing items such as clothes, appliances, or gifts, 47 percent of respondents said they used the Internet more often; 8 percent have used the telephone more often; and 16 percent have used mail-order catalogs more often. Of those who use the Internet more often, only 1 percent claimed safety as their main reason. Of those who use the telephone or catalogs more often, only 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively, cited safety concerns as their main reason.

Asked directly whether safety concerns have caused them to avoid shopping malls, retail galleries, or other public places with retail stores, consumers responded with a decisive, "No." Although 40 percent have shopped closer to home for some things, fully 77 percent said they have not avoided public shopping spaces, while 5 percent said they regularly try to avoid them, 6 percent said they avoided them on several occasions, and 12 percent said they avoided them on maybe one or two occasions.

"Clearly, the American people have not bowed to terrorist threats - they are still shopping, buying, and living their lives," added Raphael. "Consumers have not changed their shopping habits due to such threats, which is great news for retailers and the economy in general."

The survey also found little change in consumers' use of the Yellow Pages for shopping. While 20 percent said they've used the Yellow Pages more often, more than half - 53 percent - said they've made no change in their use of the Yellow Pages for shopping in the last year.

The YPRI(SM) survey was conducted online by Tierney Digital, the interactive division of Tierney Communications. The survey was sent through opt-in e-mail to 25,000 consumers ages 18 to 59. There were more than 2,700 respondents to the survey between June 27 and July 15, 2002. To view the data, please visit www.yellowpagesima.org.