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Stories Tagged as

Consumer spending

Small retailers are caught between order backlogs and ramping demand

by Sean McHenry
Oct 29, 2021
Three independent retailers on how they're dealing with shortages, price increases and high demand.
The interior of one Dean's Sweets location in Portland, Maine. "If we sell more chocolate with a lower profit margin, we're still going to be OK," said co-owner Kristin Thalheimer Bingham.
Courtesy of Kristin Thalheimer Bingham
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As inflation mounts, a prime culprit is the price of meat

by Kimberly Adams
Oct 20, 2021
Consumers are seeing rising prices for food, particularly beef, pork and poultry. That's forcing some to shift their eating habits.
Disruptions in the food supply chain, including labor and transportation, feed into the higher cost of meat.
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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Consumers’ confidence, spending less buoyant than their job prospects

by Mitchell Hartman
Oct 1, 2021
Inflation is eating away at incomes while the delta variant is discouraging consumers from going out and spending.
After accounting for inflation, the August consumer spending and income statistics were unimpressive.
Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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Can well-off young women save China's economic recovery?

by Jennifer Pak
Sep 13, 2021
Women drive the bulk of household purchasing decisions in China. What do they want to spend their money on?
Finance major Zhou Hui, 19, spends up to $700 a month on clothing and eating out, which the COVID-19 pandemic didn't change.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace
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For consumers, gloomy times may translate to less spending

by Mitchell Hartman
Aug 31, 2021
But as long as people are holding onto their jobs, they'll still have money to buy.
The Consumer Confidence Index helps provide a picture of how people feel about the economy.
Kevin Hagen/Getty Images
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How do "buy now pay later" services work?

by Marielle Segarra
Aug 2, 2021
The digital payments company Square says it will buy Afterpay for $29 billion.
Shoppers can use "buy now, pay later" services like Afterpay to enable them to pony up for their purchases in installments, often without interest.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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Love Crocs? Hate Crocs? Either's OK with the company's CEO.

by Kai Ryssdal and Daisy Palacios
Jul 29, 2021
Crocs are — and have been — back. Socks are the latest addition to the company's line of products.
Andrew Rees joined Crocs in 2014.
Courtesy of Crocs
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What durable goods tell us about the economy

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer
Jul 27, 2021
Orders for long-lasting items rose 0.8% in June. The data could reflect trends in inflation, automation and the economic recovery.
Spending on durable goods, like washing machines, provides a peek into overall consumer confidence.
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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A Warmer World

Plug-in vehicles might cost more upfront, but should save money in the long run

by Andy Uhler
Jul 20, 2021
Electric cars can save drivers thousands of dollars on maintenance over the life of the vehicle.
Some consumers may be put off by the purchase prices of electric vehicles, but lower maintenance may outweigh those costs.
John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images
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Amazon, other retailers face tight supply chains for Prime Day

by Marielle Segarra
Jun 21, 2021
Retailers have been scrambling to build up inventory — and deals have been disappearing quickly as inventory sells out.
Amazon Prime packages ready to ship.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
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