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Thrift Sales: Correlation with Income and Household Ownership in Eau Claire

This research explores the correlation between thrift sales and income level and household ownership in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The study disproves the initial hypothesis but supports existing literature on the trickle-down effect of goods in higher-income populations. Geocoding and statistical analysis using GIS could provide further insights into these correlations.

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Thrift Sales: Correlation with Income and Household Ownership in Eau Claire

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  1. Geography of Eau Claire Thrift Sale Two Hypothesis: 1) Thrift sales will correlate with lower income home owners 2) Thrift sales will correlate with median household income and owner occupied homes

  2. Thrift Sales: A National Phenomenon Nationally, nearly 20 million thrift sales annually. That is a ratio of 1 sale for every 11 people. (Combs, H., et al. 1980) Since the 1960s, thrift sales developed as a way of compensating for the material consumption pervasive in American lifestyles. (Soiffer, S., & Herrmann, G. 1987) • Reasons for holding sales range from housecleaning to • desiring a profit, but 8 out of 10 hosts interviewed in • Eau Claire stated, “getting rid of junk” as a main driver.

  3. Idioms of “Thrift” Sales • Terminology varies by geographic region • Term/Region associations found through • brief reference of large periodical • classified sections • Debate exists for term implications

  4. Data Collection • Thrift sale locations collected from the • Leader-Telegram using August listings • of sale advertisements from 2007-2009 • August listings were highest in number, • corresponding with others research in • Jonesboro, Arkansas • August coincides with peak of • the national moving season Source: J Combs, J Bauer, P Burger. Journal of Cultural Geography. Vol. 25, No. 3, October 2008

  5. Mapping the Data • Addresses were mapped using • Google Earth Pro • 587 data points collected • with 507 points plotted • 80 points were unused due to incomplete • or inaccurate address, or the addresses • listed were in surrounding towns • Data points were then superimposed • onto US Census data maps • US Census block groups were used as they • are the lowest level for which geographic • area decennial data is calculated

  6. Thrift Sales and Median Household Income • Comparison of thrift sales to • median household income • show a correlation • Lower density of thrift sales in • lower median income block • groups • Thrift sales cluster in middle • median income - uppermedian • income block groups

  7. Jonesboro, Arkansas research supports findings (Combs, H., et al. 1980) • Sale locations were positively correlated to income • The block group with the second highest income per household held the highest • amount of sales. Nearly 31% of the households in that block group held a sale. • The lowest income block group did not hold a sale over the course of time sampled Sales per 1000 Households Median Household Income

  8. Thrift Sales and Low Median Household Income Median Household Income A near absence of sales in lower median income neighborhoods such as North, Downtown, and West

  9. Thrift Sales and Median Household Income Thrift sales held largely in middle median income to upper median income block groups

  10. Thrift Sales and Owner-Occupied Homes Thrift sale density is lower in block groups with lower proportion of owner occupied homes

  11. Thrift Sales and Median Income/Owner-Occupancy Median Household Income Owner Occupancy The variance of median household income values within these block groups does not establish a pattern • When compared to owner occupancy, • the pattern becomes apparent

  12. Interpretation and Implication for Future Research • Original hypothesis was disproven, however literature was supported • Higher income families are the impetus for the trickle down of goods • in a population. • People attend thrift sales in higher or equal class neighborhoods • (Herrmann, G. 2004) • Home owners tend to accumulate more items over time and • purge these items to make space for more/newer goods • Geocoding and statistical analysis of addresses using GIS could yield • greater insight into correlations

  13. References 1. Combs, H., Bauer, J., & Burger, P. (2008). A geographical analysis of garage sales in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Journal of Cultural Geography, 25(3), 331-346. doi:10.1080/08873630802472861 2. Herrmann, G. (2004). Haggling Spoken Here: Gender, Class, and Style in US Garage Sale Bargaining. Journal of Popular Culture, 38(1), 55-81. Retrieved from SPORTDiscus with Full Text database. • Soiffer, S., & Herrmann, G. (1987). Visions of power: ideology and practice in the American garage sale. Sociological Review, 35(1), 48-83. doi:10.1111/1467-954X.ep5473250. • Indowebsites. (n.d) Facts and Definitions. Retrieved from http://www.yardsalehelp.com/pages/definitions.html on 2010, August 2. 5. Bogwood Films, Inc. (n.d) Bogwood A-Z. Retrieved from http://www.bogwoodfilms.com/a_z.html on 2010, August 2. • Classifieds. (2009, May). Thrift sales: Section 40-47. Leader-Telegram pp. 3C • Classifieds. (2009, August). Thrift sales: Section 40-47. Leader-Telegram pp. 3C • Classifieds. (2008, August). Thrift sales: Section 40-47. Leader-Telegram pp. 3C • Classifieds. (2007, August). Thrift sales: Section 40-47. Leader-Telegram pp. 3C • Pamplin Media Group. Classifieds. (2001, 09 August). Garage/Rummage sales. Retrieved from http://www.greenlightclassifieds.com/index.shtml on 2010, August 09. • The Providence Journal Co. (2001, 09 August). Yard sales. Retrieved from http://www.projo.com/classifieds/ o on 2010, August 09.

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