Category Archives: Consumer
The New Adulthood
Written on June 2, 2015 at 4:15 pm, by Eric
While Peter Pan might have wanted to never grow up, some otherwise age-appropriate individuals are having trouble entering anything like a traditional adulthood. For decades, society has been slowly erecting higher and higher barriers along the pathway to adulthood, to the point that no clear pathway to a socially prescribed adulthood exists. In that historical Continue Reading »
Fast Food’s Place in a World of Healthier Living
Written on May 21, 2013 at 9:01 pm, by Eric
With numerous healthier alternatives now available, are the fast-food chains recognizing that they are relegated to a market share battle for value customers? In 1997, researchers at the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that on a scale from 0 (least healthy) to 100 (most healthy), on average, fast-food chains including McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Continue Reading »
Demographics and Older Workers
Written on March 1, 2013 at 10:05 pm, by Inferential Focus
Much has been written about the aging population and the demographic challenges that the U.S. will face, but it is not only the U.S. that will need to deal with these issues. The following are some recent facts and events regarding the aging global population. We currently don’t have enough intelligence to offer a Continue Reading »
Observations on Housing
Written on December 21, 2012 at 9:11 pm, by Inferential Focus
In an August inFocus on the housing market, we wrote about some ways in which the buying public have re-prioritized what they value while also dealing with different financial realities. The following are some recent facts and events that begin to illustrate the new reality of housing- that the majority of new construction will be multi-family, smaller and Continue Reading »
Postal Service Gets With the Times
Written on November 30, 2012 at 2:42 pm, by Inferential Focus
Starting December 12, the U.S. Postal Service will begin a test of same day delivery service for online shoppers residing in San Francisco – with additional plans to expand this program next year into Boston, New York and Chicago. Could such an offering eventually become the moneymaker the Postal Service needs to replace the Continue Reading »
Mailboxes and General Stores: What Year is This?
Written on November 19, 2012 at 7:00 am, by Inferential Focus
Are mailboxes and general stores new/old solutions for contemporary service? For one, the mailbox is answering the call for delivery of online purchases. Amazon is now teaming up with Staples, Radio Shack, 7-Eleven and Albertsons for its Amazon Locker Service. The physical retailers will install Amazon lockers in their stores, allowing customers to buy from Continue Reading »
Process Over Products
Written on November 12, 2012 at 9:39 pm, by Inferential Focus
As we have been discussing, consumers now trust their shopping “process”, which includes things such as comparison shopping, blog reviews and friend queries more than they trust any specific product or brand. Yabbly is a new community-based question and answer Website and app which allows consumers to receive feedback on potential purchases from others who Continue Reading »
Faking It
Written on October 19, 2012 at 2:56 pm, by Inferential Focus
“Trust. But verify.” That was President Ronald Reagan’s perspective on international diplomacy. Increasingly, that is advice all individuals, all the time, need to apply. On Amazon.com, for instance, roughly 80 percent of all reviews are four stars or higher, a positive perspective that defies human nature. Yelp!, which knows that fake reviews undermine its Continue Reading »
Go Big, Go Small or You Aren’t Selling a Home
Written on October 15, 2012 at 2:54 pm, by Inferential Focus
For home builders the message from the market is clear: it is now go multi-generation, go micro, or get stuck with investory. With one quarter of 25-to-34 year olds living with their parents, multi-generation homes are becoming more practical for many families. In the U.S. as a whole, the number of 25- to 34-year Continue Reading »
Is Going Green Worth the Money?
Written on October 11, 2012 at 3:32 pm, by Inferential Focus
Last year, sales of environmentally friendly products in the U.S. surpassed $40 billion, including $29.2 billion on organic foods and $2 billion on energy-efficient light bulbs. Meanwhile, in a GfK survey, 93 percent of consumers said they had changed their behavior to conserve energy in their household. This all looks good for things going green. Continue Reading »
