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Why Has Durable Goods Spending Been So Strong during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

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  • Kristen Tauber
  • Willem Van Zandweghe

Abstract

Consumers increased their purchases of durable goods notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic may have lifted the demand for durable goods directly, by shifting consumer preferences away from services toward a variety of durable goods. It may also have stimulated spending on durable goods indirectly, by prompting a strong fiscal policy response that raised disposable income. We estimate the historical relationship between durable goods spending and income and find that income gains in 2020 accounted for about half of the increase in durable goods spending, indicating that the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on durable goods spending were about equally important.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristen Tauber & Willem Van Zandweghe, 2021. "Why Has Durable Goods Spending Been So Strong during the COVID-19 Pandemic?," Economic Commentary, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, vol. 2021(16), pages 1-6, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedcec:92850
    DOI: 10.26509/frbc-ec-202116
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christopher D. Carroll & Edmund Crawley & Jiri Slacalek & Matthew N. White, 2021. "Modeling the Consumption Response to the CARES Act," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 17(1), pages 107-141, March.
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    8. Christopher D. Carroll & Misuzu Otsuka & Jiri Slacalek, 2011. "How Large Are Housing and Financial Wealth Effects? A New Approach," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(1), pages 55-79, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. William D. Craighead, 2022. "Pandemic Preference Shocks and Inflation in a New Keynesian Model," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 50(3), pages 133-146, December.
    2. Francesco Berardini & Fabrizio Renzi, 2022. "Mind the Gap! The (unexpected) impact of COVID-19 pandemic on VAT revenue in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 669, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    3. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Anamaria Diana Sova & Robert Sova, 2022. "The Covid-19 Pandemic and European Trade Patterns: A Sectoral Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 10115, CESifo.
    4. Evren Damar & Ian Lange & Caitlin McKennie & Mirko Moro, 2024. "Banking deregulation and consumption of home durables," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Oleksiy Kryvtsov & James (Jim) C. MacGee & Luis Uzeda, 2023. "The 2021–22 Surge in Inflation," Discussion Papers 2023-3, Bank of Canada.
    6. Jin Cao & Chao Cui & Valeriya Dinger & Martin B. Holm & Shulong Kang, 2022. "Identifying the depreciation rate of durables from marginal spending responses," Working Paper 2022/1, Norges Bank.

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    COVID-19;

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