Apr 19, 2010

New shopping landscape: Economic changes mean unexpected bargains; social networking discountsBy Jean ChatzkyNYDailyNews.com

In 2008, near the start of the recession, my mailbox was brimming with coupons and advertisements. You couldn’t walk into a department store without someone handing you a flyer. Online, it was fairly easy to get a discount and free shipping.

Retailing is slower now, and aggressive discounting is no longer the norm.

“There was so much extra inventory during the initial part of the recession. Now, manufacturers have cut back on their output, so there is less product, and less of a need to discount,” said Daniel De Grandpre, co-founder of dealnews.com.

That sounds like bad news for consumers, but it just means we have to shop differently.

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