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Consumer Spending

Spending Up, Jobless Claims Down, But Still No Economic Recovery Yet

Posted 11.25.2009 | Business

Read More: Economic Recovery, Paul Krugman Nyt, Unemployment, Economy, Fed, Federal Reserve, Spending, Paul Krugman New York Times, Unemployment Claims, Consumer Spending, Krugman, New York Times, Jobless Claims, Paul Krugman, Business News

There's good news and bad news today for the US economy. The good news is that consumer spending rose 0.7% last month, according to the Commerce Depar...

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Faced With Strong Banks And Weak Credit Markets, Treasury May Be Rethinking TARP

AP | JIM KUHNHENN | Posted 11.24.2009 | Business

Read More: Tarp, Finanical-Crisis, Treasury Department, Credit, Bailout, Wall Street, Lending, Tim Geithner, Troubled Asset Relief Program, Gm, Banks, Consumer Spending, Credit Markets, Recession, Business News

WASHINGTON — Big banks are roaring back. At crisis' edge last year, they are repaying billions of dollars dumped into their vaults to rescue th...

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Credit Card Delinquencies Fell In Third Quarter

AP | EILEEN AJ CONNELLY | Posted 11.23.2009 | Business

Read More: Credit Crisis, Credit Card Debt, Credit Cards, Consumer Spending, Business News

NEW YORK — Consumers got more serious about paying down their credit card debt this summer, a time when deliquencies usually go up. Cardholders...

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Economists Predict Job Losses Will Stop In Early 2010

AP | EMILY FREDRIX | Posted 11.23.2009 | Business

Read More: Job Losses, 2010 Economic Outlook, Recovery, Unemployment Benefits, Economy, Consumer Spending, Nabe, Job Cuts, Gdp Growth, National Association for Business Economics, Stimulus, Recession, 2010 Predictions, Layoffs, 2010, Gdp, Financial Crisis, Economists, Consumer Confidence, Economic Stimulus, Great Recession, Nabe Survey, Business News

Economists expect the joblessness that has weighed down the nation's economic recovery will start to slowly abate in 2010, but they predict consumers ...

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Marketing in Disguise

Sarah O'Leary | Posted 11.16.2009 | Business

Read More: Retailers, Women in Business, Retail, Business, Consumer Spending, Shipping, Rebates, Serving Sizes, Retail Industry, Consumer Confidence, Advertising, Marketing, Consumers, False Advertising, Airlines, Consumer Protection, Business News
Sarah O'Leary

When marketers knowingly play in the darker parts of the gray to drive sales, they're doing a disservice to the consumer and the industry. A good deal not a good deal when it misinforms consumers.

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Retail Sales Up 1.4 Percent In October On Big Boost From Auto Sales

AP | MARTIN CRUTSINGER | Posted 11.17.2009 | Business

Read More: Walmart, Retailers, Auto Sales, U.S. Consumers, Retail Sale, Cash for Clunkers, Consumer Spending, Retail Sales October, Consumer Demand, Consumer Price Increase, Recession, Business News

WASHINGTON — Improved retail sales gave Wall Street a boost Monday but provided little hope for a robust holiday shopping season that might invi...

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Rich Buying Again, But Middle Class Still Hurting

AP | EMILY FREDRIX | Posted 11.14.2009 | Business

Read More: Walmart, Wealthy, Luxury Shopping, Middle Class Economy, Luxury Brands, Middle Class, Consumer Spending, Wealthy Americans, Recession, Transparency, Business News

American shoppers are splitting again: The affluent are finally starting to buy, picking up designer clothes at places like Nordstrom, while those on ...

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Jimmy Choo and the New Frugality

James Jubak | Posted 11.12.2009 | Business

Read More: Jimmy Choo, New-Frugality, Luxury Goods, H&M, Consumer Spending, Shoes, Business News
James Jubak

The New Frugality, whether it's a real trend or just a Madison Avenue marketing slogan, is certainly going to leave us short of the kind of stories that my Depression-era parents told me.

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An Open Letter to Retailers About Keeping Customers Happy this Holiday Season

Jenny Darroch | Posted 11.12.2009 | Home

Read More: Holiday Shopping, Recession, Inventory Management, Consumer Spending, Retailers, Gifts, Customer Satisfaction, Marketing Strategies, Sales-Associates, Retailing, Home News
Jenny Darroch

It seems that many retailers have slashed inventory this year, perhaps more so than previous years.

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China Setting Itself Up To Profit From Africa's Consumer Markets

TIME | John Lee | Posted 11.11.2009 | Business

Read More: Consumer Spending, China Economy, China, Africa, China-Africa Relationship, Business News

China has big economic plans and ambitions in Africa that go beyond oil and minerals. While much of the world still views Africa as a basket-case cont...

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Jeffrey Sachs: Why Obama's Failing On The Economy

Jeffrey Sachs | Posted 11.11.2009 | Business

Read More: Interest Rates, Keynesian Economics, Jeffrey Sachs, Economic Stimulus Package, Unemployment, Economy, Federal Reserve, Consumer Spending, China Economy, Barack Obama, Fiscal Policy, Business News

The past week brought news of US double-digit unemployment and the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain near-zero interest rates. Both pieces of new...

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Digital: Beyond Our Control, But Within Our Reach

Chris Curtin and Bob Greenberg | Posted 11.10.2009 | Media

Read More: Digital Experience, Digital Media, Twitter, Nike, Publishing Industry, Advertising, Digital Advertising, Hewlett Packard, Consumer Spending, Youtube, Fiat, Publishers, Okrut, Telemarketing-Campaigns-Iowa, Media News
Chris Curtin and Bob Greenberg

Marketers should create campaigns and branded platforms that explain how to get more value out of products, and "why" someone should have them in the first place.

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Gas Prices By State: The Highest And Lowest Costs (MAP)

billshrink.com | BillShrink Guy | Posted 11.09.2009 | Business

Read More: Oil Prices, Gas Prices, High Gas Prices, Gasoline Prices, Consumer Spending, Business News

Planning on traveling for the holidays? In the U.S., where you go will affect how expensive a trip by car may be. Here's a look at where you'll pay th...

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Left, Right & Center: Consumer Spending, Health Care, Hillary and Pakistan, Elections

Huff Radio | Posted 10.31.2009 | Politics

Read More: New Jersey Elections, Health Care Reform, Hilary Clinton, Public Option, Consumer Spending, New York Elections, Pakistan, Virginia-Elections, Politics News
Huff Radio

We discuss: Hillary Clinton in Pakistan -- did she say the wrong things? Consumer spending -- did we save the banks at the expense of the people? And the 2009 elections -- what are the implications?

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Why The Vitamin Industry Did So Well In The Recession

The Big Money | Daniel Gross | Posted 10.30.2009 | Business

Read More: Baby Boomers, Vitamins, Supplements, Economy, Healthy Habits, Consumer Spending, Recession, Business News

On Thursday, the government declared the recession over, which means it's time to figure out who won. During the past several months, I've been identi...

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Consumer Spending Falls In September, Biggest Drop In Nine Months

AP | MARTIN CRUTSINGER | Posted 10.30.2009 | Business

Read More: Cash for Clunkers, Unemployment, Consumer Spending, Income, Economy, Business News

WASHINGTON — Flat incomes suggest more weakness ahead in consumer spending, reinforcing concerns about a ho-hum holiday shopping season and a sl...

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Eighty Years After Black Tuesday

Jenny Darroch | Posted 10.29.2009 | Business

Read More: Consumer Behavior, Wedding Anniversary, Consumer Spending, Economic Recession, Great Depression, Business News
Jenny Darroch

It's a shame we aren't talking about the 42nd anniversary, when the appropriate gift is improved real estate, or the 43rd year when the gift is travel or the 44th year where the gift is groceries.

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Selling Simplicity -- Not Just Marketing It

Ron Ashkenas | Posted 10.29.2009 | Business

Read More: Cisco, Marketing, Simplicity, Aeron Chairs, Technology, Consumer Spending, Choice, Business News
Ron Ashkenas

People want uncomplicated products, straightforward guidance, and things that work quickly and simply the first time, without lots of extra effort.

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2010: The Year Main Street Sticks It to Wall Street and Washington

Don McNay | Posted 10.27.2009 | Business

Read More: Mid Term Elections, Upheaval, Congress, Kentucky Guardianship Administrators, Hank Paulson, Lobbyists, Bailouts, Consumer Spending, Big Money, Roger Ailes, Lawrence Summers, Arianna Huffington, State Legislature, Cnbc, Economic Pain, Unemployed, Lexington KY, Spending Cuts, Wall Street-Washington, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Timothy Geithner, Kenneth Feinberg, Inside the Beltway, McNay Settlement Group, Incumbants, Republican National Committee, City Council, High Unemployment, Ky, Willie Stark, Democratic National Committee, Pay Czar, Fox Business News, Clu, Anger, Louisville, Million Dollar Round Table, Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, Bonuses, Czars, Jefferson Airplane, Small Business, President Obama, Congressional Elections, 2010 Elections, Washington, Main Street, donmcnay.com, Tea Parties, Msnbc, Unemployment, Tea Baggers, All the Kings Men, Rural Journalism, Financial Crisis, Housing Crisis, Running for Office, President Bush, Richmond, American College, Incumbant Politican, Personal Finance, Msfs, Chfc, Small Towns, Kentucky, Don McNay, www.mcnay.com, Structured Settlements, Layoffs, Wall Street Bailouts, Wall Street, Vanderbilt University, Robert Penn Warren, Self Dealing, Eastern Kentucky University, Fox News, Certified Structured Settlement Consultant, Glenn Beck, Cssc, Too Big to Fail, Bill O'Reilly, Business News
Don McNay

If anyone has ever dreamed of being an office holder, 2010 is the year to do it. There are going to be several situations where voters elect a complete unknown, just to express their anger about the incumbent.

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Hiring, Consumer Spending Set To Improve Over Next Six Months According To Survey

AP | BETSY VERECKEY | Posted 10.26.2009 | Business

Read More: Unemployment, Jobless Recovery, Economy, Financial Crisis, Jobs, National Association for Business Economics, Consumer Spending, Recession, Business News

CHICAGO — Results from a new economic survey may ease concerns about rising unemployment and its effect on consumer spending, as forecasters say...

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No Impact Week: The Most Ridiculous, Wasteful Consumer Products Ever (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Huffington Post | Posted 10.23.2009 | Green

Read More: Slidepoll, Green Living, American Consumerism, Bacon, Pet-Products, Pet Snuggie, Noseaid, Wrapped Tic Tacs, Spinning Ice Cream Cone, Unnecessary Products, Tic Tac Silvers, Snuggie-as-Seen-on-Tv, Consumer Spending, Crazy-Japanese-Inventions, Products, Tatermitts, Avocado Slicer, Consumerism, Snuggie, Umbrella Hat, Exercise Machines, Automatic Ice Cream Cone, Funny, Funny Ads, No Impact Week, Green News

A major theme throughout No Impact Week has been consumption, and how much we buy (and waste!) that is unnecessary. Here at HuffPost Green we've been ...

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Don't Get Too Excited by Green Shoots, They Might Turn Brown

Jenny Darroch | Posted 10.20.2009 | Business

Read More: Neiman Marcus, Marketing Strategy, Employment, Consumer Spending, Economic Growth, Safeway, Recession, Google, Dow Jones, Business News
Jenny Darroch

As we frantically look for evidence of economic recovery, we need to take care not to mistake all measures as signs that everything is back to normal.

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Not In Love With New Anymore

Schuyler Brown | Posted 10.21.2009 | Living

Read More: Marketing Trends, Consumerism, Neophilia, Newness, Schuyler Brown, Trendspotting, Trends, Marketing, New Thinking, Green Living, Consumption, Consumer Spending, Living News
Schuyler Brown

Neophilia is in itself a new word. It was popularized around 1999 in techie and sci-fi subcultures to describe the trait of being enthralled by all things novel.

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What Consumers Can Do About Overdraft Fees

Christine Escobar | Posted 10.14.2009 | Business

Read More: U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Banks Overdraft Fees, Consumer Spending, Bank of America, Overdraft Protection, Harris Bank, JPMorgan Chase, The Center for Responsible Lending, Banks vs Credit Unions, Consumer Financial Protection, Overdraft Fees, Banks, Consumer Protection, Consumers Fighting Back, Christine Escobar, Business News
Christine Escobar

Even if you're embarrassed to admit it, you're very likely among the estimated 50 million Americans who have been overdrawn on their checking account in the course of any given year.

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Will Consumer Spending Change Once the Recession Ends?

Jenny Darroch | Posted 09.30.2009 | Business

Read More: Post Recession Behavior, Conspicuous Consumption, Consumer Spending, Marketing in a Recession, Brands, Consumer Behavior, Business News
Jenny Darroch

It won't be hard to identify an increase in consumer spending but it will be more difficult to detect whether in fact consumer values have fundamentally changed. Now that will be interesting.

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