consumer trends

Stores consolidate to save

For years, it's been common to see a grocery store and discount retailer put together or a gas station and fast food restaurant in one. But some Odessa businesses are bringing "one stop shopping" to... more »

Study predicts a lean Christmas shopping season

Many shoppers are expected to gravitate to discounters and downplay gift-giving in favor of get-togethers as they try to keep spending under control this holiday season. Two-thirds of shoppers polled in a recent survey by... more »

Forrester predicts online retail sales will grow 8% this holiday season

Online holiday retail sales will grow 8% this year to $44.7 billion, predicts Forrester Research Inc. That would represent a continued shift of shopping to the web, as the National Retail Federation has forecast total... more »

U.S. consumer confidence up for first time since 2007

Hong Kong - Global consumer confidence is rebounding, and in the United States has risen for the first time since 2007, amid signs the world economy is picking up although spending is still restrained, a... more »

The Art of the Soft Sell

Walk into one of Yoforia's three frozen yogurt stores in Atlanta, and you'll get a warm hello from a server, who will encourage you to try all four of the company's frozen yogurt flavors. The... more »

Fighting Back Against Shoppers’ Guilt

In the past year, the guilty pleasure of shopping has turned to plain old guilt.Guilt has always been part of the shopping experience. But retail executives say it has become such an overriding emotion among... more »

Merchants prepare for a frightful Halloween

Bradenton — In what remains a frightful economy, consumers have plenty of scary Halloween costumes to choose from this year. The most appropriate costume for the year may be the Bernie Madoff mask. But it... more »

Holiday shopping top 10 trends: Food, group gifts, eggnog parties

Sure, consumers are sick of bad news and just want to go shopping -- but they're still waiting for the recession's other shoe to drop.And that means that this holiday season, shoppers will be very... more »