Fashion
Clothing and related accessories. Clothing is a basic need but people overspend on fashion when the economy is good and cut back during a recession.Retail
Retailers that sell any type of consumer discretionary good. This can be contrasted with retailers that sell consumer staples such as food that are relatively unaffected by economic conditions.Ecommerce
Ecommerce retailers that sell consumer discretionary goods.Luxury Goods
Consumer goods that command a high price due to superior quality or social status.Automobiles
Automobiles sales are sensitive to the business cycle and interest rates.Consumer Durables
Anything sold to consumers that lasts a long time such that purchases can be easily deferred. For example, a toaster.Home Improvement
Home improvement items such as paint or windows.Home Furnishings
Furniture and fixtures such as a couch or a ceiling light.Housewares
Housewares such as pots and pans.Homebuilding & Renovation
The construction of new homes and renovation of existing homes.Travel
Travel such as flights, hotels and attractions.Leisure Facilities
Leisure related facilities such as a ski hill.Leisure Products
Leisure related products such as a surfboard.Footwear
Shoes are essential but people overspend on them in the good times resulting in sales declines in a recession.Electronics
Consumer electronics such as a mobile phone.Media & Publishing
Media such as movies and publishing such as books.Arts & Entertainment
Arts and entertainment such as a museum or theatre.Advertising
Advertising is impacted by a cutback in consumer spending and therefore behaves like a consumer discretionary good.| Overview: Consumer Discretionary | ||
Type | ||
Definition (1) | A category of products and services that are purchased by consumers out of choice as opposed to need. | |
Definition (2) | Consumer goods that are sensitive to the business cycle and consumer confidence. | |
Also Known As | Consumer Cyclical | |
Related Concepts | ||
