The New Consumer Psychology
For the roughly 25 years from the mid-'80s through at least 2004, American consumers focused on conspicuous...
The Post-Recession Consumer
How has the Great Recession changed the behavior of the American consumer? Which changes are temporary, and which are...
Defective Products
China has become known as the “world’s factory.” But the focus on ever-cheaper products at ever-higher volumes...
The Newly Frugal American Consumer
Everywhere you look, people seem to be trying to spend less. It started when the average national gasoline price hit...
"The News" Ain't What It Used to Be
published on: Nov 15, 2008
Newspapers are literally shrinking and the clout of network television is disappearing even as blogs, cable TV, and talk radio are flourishing. Most...
Deleveraging the American Consumer Sector
published on: Jul 15, 2008
After years of funding consumption with cheap credit — largely coming from overseas — American consumers have become increasingly cautious about...
Don't Panic - the Best Is Yet to Come
published on: May 15, 2008
Bad decisions by lenders, consumers, and homebuilders have created a big drag on the U.S. economy. But timely and decisive action by the Federal...
The Death of Mass Luxury?
published on: Apr 15, 2008
Recent reports indicate that the “mass luxury strategy” that rejuvenated many top-tier brands in recent years is no longer performing well. ...
Let the Games Begin
published on: Apr 15, 2008
Electronic gaming started with the Boomers. It got really serious with the Xers. And it became “a way of life” with the Millennials. Now,...
The End of Cheap Food?
published on: Feb 15, 2008
For 31 years, starting in 1974, food prices steadily fell. Then, abruptly, over the past two years, food prices have risen sharply. What’s...
Generational Productivity and Spending Waves ...
published on: Jan 15, 2008
The fact that this decade has been prosperous for Americans, and much of the rest of the world, comes as no surprise. Not only have we put in...
The Long, Slow Road Back for Residential Real...
published on: Jan 15, 2008
What is your home likely to be worth in five to ten years? What does this imply for builders and investors? What are the implications for the...
Boomers Go "Hog Wild"
published on: Oct 15, 2007
Since the mid-‘80s, sales of motorcycles have grown steadily. Not only are there many more units on the road, but also each machine is...
The Pet Economy Roars Ahead
published on: Oct 15, 2007
Americans now spend $41 billion a year on their pets — more than the gross domestic product of all but 64 countries in the world. What are the...
Active Baby Boomers Set America's Economic Pa...
published on: Sep 15, 2007
Cash was one of mankind’s earliest inventions, dating back to late pre-history. By the end of the Renaissance, it had almost totally replaced...
The Cashless Society
published on: Aug 15, 2007
Cash was one of mankind’s earliest inventions, dating back to late pre-history. By the end of the Renaissance, it had almost totally replaced...
A Car Next to Every Hut
published on: Jul 15, 2007
Automakers are now poised at an inflection point of mammoth proportions. As the Trends Editors explained in 2003, stagnant auto sales in the...
The Supposed Tragedy of American Consumption
published on: Jun 15, 2007
Several times every decade, you’ll encounter a whole series of articles in the media lamenting the spendthrift ways of the American consumer: ...
The Single-Serving Size Reality
published on: Apr 15, 2007
A new breed of restless consumers is motivated by the desire to achieve both status and satisfaction from the products and services they buy. They...
Digital Tailors Start Sewing Up the Custom Ap...
published on: Apr 15, 2007
In today’s casual world, many have gotten used to a reasonably good fit from off-the-rack garments. However, there are plenty of us who are still...