Retailers are figuring out how to appeal to the new 'forever frugal'

jzt83 · Post by **jzt83** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:49 pm

"Retailers are coming to terms with a new reality: the consumer who traded down during the recession and never came back. Buffeted by high unemployment, heavy debt loads, falling home values and high food and gas prices, these shoppers have been whipped into a permanent state of consumer caution. They buy only what they need, avoid premium labels, clip coupons and scour sales."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... _marketing
Translation: Retailers will be selling even junkier junk and finding ways to fleece their employees even more. The race to the bottom will be hastened. Man, I should've started ERE 10 years ago when I was a highly motivated mofo.

biglinguist · Post by **biglinguist** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 1:12 am

I love how the article describes people who've decided not to spend all their money on crap as "whipped into a permanent state of consumer caution". As opposed to the complete absence of whipping into a state in advertising, or (say) business journalism.