When Smart Shopping Becomes Disturbing

A new study of Wal-Mart shoppers (and that’s 9 out of 10 of us) shows that the economy is reshaping how we shop. As reported by USA TODAY, Wal-Mart has seen a double-digit decline in credit card use, a noticeable shift from the sale of discretionary products to necessary products, twice as many private label purchases, and less frequent store visits, in part so that shoppers don’t have to spend so much on gasoline. Wal-Mart’s CEO termed such shopping behavior changes “disturbing.”

The company’s motto is “Save money. Live better.” But since it’s “disturbing” when people spend smarter, maybe what they meant to say was “Save money, but don’t get carried away.”

What changes have you made in response to the economy? We recently went from two cars to one. At 165,000 miles, my car finally broke down badly enough that the cost of repairs would have been prohibitive. So, we gave the car to a charity that fixes cars and then gives them to needy families. Since I work from home it hasn’t been too much of a hardship and we’re saving a few bucks. It has also made me question which trips are really necessary.

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