Microsoft Advertising, Ogilvy Chicago, and Mindshare surveyed more than 800 women on their digital domains — revealing insight on topics from everyday technology gadgets to overarching online philosophies and how and when they shop and “unplug.” The study examined quantitative data and established proprietary data from “Media Diaries,” Insight Group Discussions, In-Home Ethnographies and “Idea Stations” (online bulletin boards).

The study found 16 percent of the women known as “Digital Divas” were found to have a higher propensity to shop, communicate and employ digital devices

Some Insights on “Digital Diva” group:

1. 22 percent shop once per day.

2. The majority views devices such as cell phones and computers as “extensions of themselves.”

3. 86 percent pass along interesting “finds” with others.

4. On average, they have 171 contacts in e-mail, social networking andcell phone address books.

5. More than half “never” unplug from their digital devices, even when sleeping.

6. They view tools such as Rewards, Loyalty Cards, Cell Phones, Coupons via the Computer, TIVO and DVR, Video on Demand, Opt-In Daily E-mails, and Handheld Wireless Devices to be “blessings” in their lives.

7. Technology “curses” were few and centered on activities and types of communication that were “out of their control.”

8. If forced to, they would “throw out” their television or cell phone first;

9. Only 11 percent would throw out their personal laptop.

10. E-mail is overwhelmingly, 85 percent, the most important tool.

11. On average, they have 5.8 “screens” and 12 digital devices.

AT&T is the most prefered network with 4.4% of its subscribers using mobile video services, followed by Sprint (4.2%) and T-Mobile and Verizon (both 2.4%)
Some Insights from the report:

• 20% of all subscribers also watched full-length TV shows and movies on their mobile devices.
• Overall market penetration for mobile video is still under 3%.
• 15% of mobile subscribers use their phones to access their work or personal email, while just over 26% used them to send photos or videos to their friends
• on-demand video was the most popular format, with 3.6 million viewers. where as1.3 million viewers watched amateur videos,
• Music videos and movie trailers are the most popular forms of mobile tv and video
• Mobile video audience in US has just under three percent penetration comprising mainly of males between 18 and 34 years old

1. Mobile social networking posted the highest growth, at 8.8 percent, while photo and video messaging had the highest rate of penetration, at 26.3 percent.

Some Findings:

• “mature markets” still account for nearly 80 percent of worldwide luxury sales
• In the Americas, which saw 4.0 percent growth in luxury sales in 2007, no growth is expected in 2008,
• apan’s luxury market, 12% of the global total, is already in a luxury goods recession, decreasing by -2% in 2007 and by -7% in 2008. A weak yen versus the euro (€) in 2007 has pushed Japanese luxury consumers toward smaller ticket items such as fragrances and shoes, which drives down average ticket prices. The consumption crisis deepened in 2008 although the yen recovered versus the euro, showing a real recession.
• emerging economies will see a jump of 20 to 35 percent in luxury spending in next 5 years
• Europe holds 38%  market share of the global market and turning in a record-setting €6bn growth (+10%) in 2007. Europe can expect its growth to slow by half to +5% in 2008.  Eastern Europe is where growth in Europe come
• The Americas, which saw +4% growth in luxury sales in 2007, will be flat (+0%) year-over-year. This will be the first year of stagnation since spending retreated after September 11, 2001.  The US luxury market has been hurt by the subprime real estate meltdown and the surge in the euro earlier this year.
• Consumers of ‘Accessible’ brands, characterized by affordability, status and membership, and represented by such brands as Coach and Ralph Lauren, are directly affected by the current global economy. The segment is significantly under-performing the market, growing only +4% in 2007 versus 2006 and estimated to be flat (+0% growth) in 2008.
• ‘Aspirational’ brands, such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, are purchased by consumers looking to buy into the lifestyles these brands represent. Their growth remains steady in 2007 (+9%) as new consumers enter and leave the luxury segment, and will be aligned with market growth in 2008 (+3%).
• ‘Absolute’ luxury brands, like Hermes and Loro Piana, remain truly resilient, as their elitism and brand heritage appeal to the wealthiest global consumers: +10% in 2007 and +8% in 2008.
• Product categories will be up and down in 2008 versus last year and in their outlook for 2009:
• Apparel growth will slow to near 0% in both menswear and womenswear:
  • Even while aspirational and absolute brands were best in class in 2007 (+9.9% and +8.5%), other luxury categories are stealing share from apparel while fast-fashion steals share from all but brands’ first lines. First lines are over-performing (+8%): fast-fashion players are stealing share from second and third lines.
  • Europe remains ‘the’ market for womenswear, accounting for the bulk of the absolute growth (1€B) in the product segment while Asia (+17.6%) and rest of the world (+14.9%) are the fastest growing.
• Jewelry sector growth has dropped off from +9% in 2007 to +2.5% in 2008 as jewelry sales in both Europe and the Americas have cooled.
• Watches (+9%) seem to be the only category resilient to economic downturn, largely due to emerging markets which are driving growth (watches are usually the first “luxury item” to be purchased in emerging economies).
• Accessories are still the kings and queens of the luxury market. Growth in shoes (+8%) and leather goods (+4%) will show strong growth in 2008. The ‘accessorization’ process is ongoing: consumers show strong willingness to concentrate their luxury spending on accessories that differentiate their look as fashion-conscious, now focusing more on shoes than on leather goods.
• Fragrance growth will be cut in half in 2008 to +2.6%, while cosmetics will be less impacted by the weak 2008 holiday season. Year-over-year growth for cosmetics in 2007 and 2008 remains steady at +3.0%.

The other intresting finding is 91 percent of respondents use Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, and Ask.com as their Internet homepages. Over 60 percent of them customized their homepages with content feeds and widgets.

Total mall supply in India will double in 2010 as compared to the supply slated to come up this year according to a survey conducted by SundayET, along with global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield. India may have more than 16.5 million sq ft of fresh retail space supply and 32.5 million sq.ft of retail space wil be available by 2010. NCR region will see more than 7.5 million sq ft of additional space, while in 2010 the retail supply here will come down to 5.5 million sq ft only. Hyderabad, will see a huge growth of retail space to nearly 7 million sq ft in 2010

Full report here