American Express study: Consumers opting for less frequent, but larger transactions in retail

New York City — Consumers are spending more, but doing so in fewer transactions, according to American Express Business Insights’ most recent Business Insights Spend Sights report. The study, which examines spending patterns across several key categories, U.S. cities and demographic groups, finds that while economic uncertainty continues to dampen overall consumer confidence, a new pattern of less frequent but measurable splurging has become evident among a range of customer groups in several categories. “Spending patterns since the recession indicate that value is top of mind for consumers, even among the most affluent customers," said Ed Jay, SVP at