A survey conducted by Hart Research Associates found 41% of customers are worried about the amount they pay for necessities like food and gasoline, up 18 points from September 2010. A new nationwide survey issued on Aug. 31, by Citibank finds a decline in consumers’ expectations for the economy, even though their assessment of current…
Economists Offer 2010 Outlook
Economists presented both sides of the picture to retailers at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago this week. The 2010 NACS State of the Industry Summit marked the 40th anniversary of the State of the Industry survey conducted by NACS. When the survey began, industry sales were recorded at just over $1…
Trimming the Red Ink
When the economy falls off a cliff like it did in September 2008, is your business going to survive or even thrive? Most companies reacted to the downturn by cutting the usual costs: training, travel, raises, bonuses, headcount and 401(k) matching contributions. The bad news is these kinds of cuts also put employees in a…