Consumer Reports: 1 in 4 plan personal electronics buys at holidays

Though the recession is technically over, many Americans are still feeling the pinch of a slow-to-recover economy. No surprise, then, that shoppers are planning to cut back on spending, something that electronics retailers and manufacturers are looking to combat with an early onslaught of advertisements.

Our most recent Consumer Reports Index, however, which tracks planned purchases for November, shows a bright spot: personal electronics. According to the November Consumer Reports Index, one quarter of Americans are planning to buy smaller gadgets like digital cameras, cell phones, music players, and similar devices. That percentage is up 5 points from October, when only twenty percent of consumers planned such purchases.

By comparison, roughly ten percent of Americans plan to buy major home electronics items like TVs or home-theater systems. That category ticked up only a fraction of a percentage point from October, which might signal a slow season for such big-ticket purchases.

Are you one of the 25 percent planning to buy a personal electronic device, the ten percent who want a TV, or are you forgoing digital gifts–for yourself or others–altogether this season? Given the early push on Black Friday sales, many major retailers would be sorely disappointed to hear the latter.

If you are looking to buy, or if you're still on the fence waiting for the right deal to come along, be sure to check our Holiday Headstart posts as we progress through the season. Also, check our daily (often fleeting) deals on electronics items, courtesy of The Consumerist. –Nick K. Mandle