A change in federal tax law that decreased the take-home pay of many working Americans is impacting household budgets. According to NRF’s 2013 Tax Returns Survey conducted by BIGinsight, nearly three-quarters (73.3%) of those polled say their spending plans are taking a hit. When asked how the new federal tax laws have affected spending, saving,…
As a consumer group, African-Americans continue to experience population growth, have unique generational behavioral trends and characteristics, and are projected to reach $1.1 trillion in buying power by 2015. This makes them a viable market segment full of business opportunities, according to the “African-American Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing 2012 Report,” released by Nielsen and…
Many people have transferred a home to the child and then discovered it wasn’t the prudent thing to do for a variety of reasons. If you’re considering giving your home to your children, talk to your estate planning advisor first to make sure you do it right for your situation. Many people mistakenly believe they…
A new report by Technomic reveals that Americans are turning to adult beverages in growing numbers, with total volume up 1% to 7.7 million gallons and dollar spending up 3.6% to $199.8 billion, according to its Special Trends in Adult Beverage Report: 2013 State of the Industry report. “Many factors drove the industry in 2012,…
Liquid fuels will continue to be the dominant fueling option for drivers for the next two-plus decades, but the composition of these fuels will undergo significant change, according to a new NACS report, Future of Fuels 2013, which analyzes U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2013 Annual Energy Outlook projections. The market share of liquid fuels…
Prepaid cards are becoming increasingly popular among under-banked consumers. As a result, companies have been rolling out a range of prepaid cards that appeal to a variety of financial interests, USA Today reports. Prepaid cards are becoming increasingly popular for several reasons: The number of consumers forgoing traditional banking is rising, prepaid cards often tout…
Food retailers of all kinds are finding ways to ramp up their retailer meal solutions (RMS) programs, which have emerged as a critical strategic initiative for not only most supermarket chains and supercenters but also for convenience stores, dollar stores, and drug stores, says food consultancy Technomic. Shifting consumer dynamics are one reason RMS continues…
Craft brewers have had their eyes on expansion in recent years, gobbling up shelf space and capturing a bigger slice of the beer market. But now, breweries are turning to a different way to expand their business: larger container sizes, the New York Times reports. For example, Dogfish Head Brewery will soon switch one of…
Abe Abraham, the chairman of distributor S. Abraham & Sons Inc. celebrated his 100th birthday on Aug. 21, 2012. Abraham was born in a small village in Lebanon. Like many immigrants, he and his mother crossed the Atlantic in 1921, landing at Ellis Island. His father, Sleyman, had already been in this country for several…
Consumer pessimism related to gas prices and the economy remains high, but did not increase in March, according to the results from the most recent NACS Consumer Fuels Survey. Because convenience stores sell 80% of the gasoline purchased in the country, NACS conducts monthly surveys of gasoline customers to gauge their feelings related to gas…