Father’s Day spending is one of the lowest of all ‘holidays’
June 14, 2010 – 1:24 pm | No Comment

When it comes to spending money on our dads, the average is about $95 dollars. That is one of the lowest spending dollar amounts for gifts of any of the ‘holidays’ in this country. However, we will spend on our dads, so on Good Morning Maryland @ 9 we showed off a few ideas from local stores.

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Articles in Consumer Habits

Hesitant Consumers May Slow Sales This Summer
June 17, 2010 – 11:36 am | No Comment

On a hot, humid day in Washington, D.C., customers are lined up at the registers of an H&M clothing store waiting to make their purchases.

Why Do Consumers Visit CPG Web Sites?
June 3, 2010 – 9:18 am | No Comment
Why Do Consumers Visit CPG Web Sites?

In the consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) sector, there’s no shortage of online interaction between consumers and brands these days.

U.S. Retail Sales Gains Slow as Shopper Pullback Hits Teen Clothing Chains
June 3, 2010 – 9:07 am | No Comment

Sales gains at U.S. retailers probably slowed during May as concerns about the economy crimped purchases in the second half of the month.

How to Wake Dormant Customers
June 1, 2010 – 3:48 pm | No Comment
How to Wake Dormant Customers

Customers go quiet… they just do. They may no longer buy a product or service, or they may have stopped interacting with the brand altogether.

Retailers, restaurants offer deals as more of us pinch pennies
April 24, 2010 – 12:15 pm | No Comment
Retailers, restaurants offer deals as more of us pinch pennies

America has become a nation of penny pinchers.
The economic meltdown was the 500-pound catalyst, but even amid signs the economy is picking up, many of us still are pinching away. It’s a trend that analysts say reflects a seismic — and perhaps lasting — change in our spending habits, and retailers are responding.

Guess what? Men shop too!
April 15, 2010 – 5:51 am | No Comment
Guess what? Men shop too!

In an industry obsessed with the wants and needs of women, men have been an afterthought among retail and marketing executives for as long as many can remember.

Is khaki due for another day in the sun?
April 15, 2010 – 5:46 am | No Comment
Is khaki due for another day in the sun?

The former casual Friday staple was overtaken in recent years by denim. But the beige twill is finding its way into sportswear collections and high-fashion designs and appears poised for a comeback.

Free-spending teens return to malls
April 3, 2010 – 6:45 am | No Comment
Free-spending teens return to malls

Youth-oriented retailers report strong sales for the second consecutive month, nurturing hopes of a broader upswing.

How America Now Shops: Dollar Stores, Online Retailers
March 29, 2010 – 6:20 am | No Comment

Consumers may be emerging from the Great Recession a little more willing to spend these days, but they’re still incredibly price-conscious and making smaller, more frequent purchases rather than loading up on costlier bulk goods.

Department stores: The new social experience
March 29, 2010 – 6:05 am | No Comment
Department stores: The new social experience

In a world consumed with technology, where Twitter and Facebook are the new “hot spot” for social interactions, where–or rather how–does the department store fit in?

Consumer Spending Perks Up Economy
March 15, 2010 – 12:11 pm | No Comment
Consumer Spending Perks Up Economy

A string of surprisingly strong corporate earnings reports and economic data show that U.S. consumers have emerged from a long hibernation to start spending again on everything from new TVs and restaurant meals to spring outfits.

Retailers expect to see more green this St. Patrick’s Day
March 15, 2010 – 12:06 pm | No Comment

Retailers are likely to see more green this St. Patrick’s Day, according to a recent survey from the National Retail Federation.

Report: Gen Y Will Spend Us Into Recovery
March 15, 2010 – 12:03 pm | One Comment
Report: Gen Y Will Spend Us Into Recovery

Don’t look to Baby Boomers to lead the way in consumer spending in the months ahead. A new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Retail Forward, owned by Kantar Retail, says that this recovery — unlike those in last few decades — will be shaped by the values of tech-loving Gen Y, and to a lesser degree, affluent members of Gen X.

More shoppers trying to beat the bottom line
March 1, 2010 – 10:25 am | No Comment
More shoppers trying to beat the bottom line

When Greg Schmidt was shopping for a bathroom vanity just before Valentine’s Day, paying regular price never was an option. When he found one he liked on clearance — its price slashed more than 30 percent — Schmidt knew it was time to find a manager of the Alton Lowe’s store.

Women buying clothes for themselves again
March 1, 2010 – 10:22 am | No Comment
Women buying clothes for themselves again

Women are starting to buy clothes for themselves again, an encouraging sign for retailers as spring approaches. A new report suggests that women, middle-income ones in particular, finally are feeling good enough about the economy that they will splurge on a piece of clothing.

Emotions will unlock your wallet, study finds
February 25, 2010 – 9:47 am | No Comment
Emotions will unlock your wallet, study finds

Imagine getting a promotion and being publicly praised by the boss for your hard work. On the way home, do you buy a fancy watch or comfy couch?

Disney Invites ‘Goths’ to the Party
February 25, 2010 – 9:21 am | No Comment
Disney Invites ‘Goths’ to the Party

Disney, the company that created “the happiest place on earth” and cornered the market on pink, is embracing a darker aesthetic as it reaches out to an unlikely audience for new merchandise: female “goths.”

Firm Points To E-Tail, Mobile Internet ‘Collision’
February 25, 2010 – 9:07 am | No Comment
Firm Points To E-Tail, Mobile Internet ‘Collision’

The mobile phone is more than just a device for speaking to people while on the go. Consumers are using it more often to compare and shop for deals and products.

Kardashians show off legs in bebe collaboration
February 25, 2010 – 9:04 am | No Comment
Kardashians show off legs in bebe collaboration

Reality show stars Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian can now sell the clothes right off their backs to their fans.

As Retail Sales Climb, Consumers Stay Glum
February 16, 2010 – 9:13 am | No Comment
As Retail Sales Climb, Consumers Stay Glum

Retail sales rose in January as consumers bought more electronics and appliances, but a separate consumer-sentiment index fell in February, highlighting the mixed signals coming from the economy.