Consumers in the US are shunning conspicuous consumption in favour of shopping that gives meaning to their lives
I was casting about for clues on the economic outlook, specifically the consumer's state of wellbeing and his willingness to spend, when a pitch from marketing consultancy Yankel- ovich Partners caught my eye. 'Why is the consumer mood not reviving?' was one of the questions I hoped to have answered when I dialed in to participate in a Yankelovich conference call. Perhaps I needed to look beyond traditional measures of consumer fundamentals, such as employment, interest rates, personal income, confidence and debt burdens, to find the answer. I learned that the American consumer is...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes