All articles tagged with #consumer shopping
Dollar General raised its annual sales and earnings targets after beating quarterly estimates, driven by increased shopping across income groups despite tariff-related uncertainties and inflation concerns, outperforming many competitors and boosting its stock.
Shopping expert Su-Jit Lin advises that while Costco offers great bargains on items like rotisserie chicken and hot dogs, shoppers may find better deals on groceries like milk, sandwich bread, salad kits, raw chicken, herbs and spices, canned soup, and cereal at local supermarkets. Lin suggests checking stores like Lidl, Aldi, Target, Publix, Kroger, and Sprouts for potential savings, such as lower prices on milk, buy-one-get-one specials on bread, and sales on salad kits and cereal. Despite the potential savings, she encourages shoppers not to stress over planning their shopping trips and to simply buy items at Costco if they're already there and need them.
Amazon has introduced Rufus, an AI personal shopping assistant, as it races to catch up with other tech giants in the consumer chatbot space. Customers can ask Rufus product questions directly in the Amazon mobile app's search bar, and the AI will provide answers in a conversational tone. The tool will initially be available to a small subset of customers and will be rolled out to more in the coming weeks. Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, sees Rufus as a way for customers to discover items in a different way and seamlessly integrate the shopping experience within the Amazon platform.
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are known for offering low prices, consumer analysts warn that these sales may not actually be the best deals of the year. According to surveys and analyses, a significant portion of items at major retailers offer no savings compared to their pre-Black Friday prices, and the majority of Black Friday deals are the same price or cheaper at other times during the year. However, certain items like fall clothing, televisions, and smartphones can still be found at rock-bottom prices. It may be wise to wait for further discounts on toys and consider purchasing exercise equipment, cosmetics, jewelry, and bedding in January. To snag the lowest prices, consumers can use price-tracking browser extensions, stack discounts, and earn cash back through cash-back sites and receipt-scanning apps.
Despite food inflation easing, economists warn that Thanksgiving won't be significantly cheaper this year. While turkey prices have dropped by about 13%, other items accompanying the meal, especially canned goods, have become more expensive. Canned cranberries are up nearly 60% compared to last year, and canned green beans are up almost 9%. Although fresh fruits and vegetables have seen a smaller increase in prices, overall, shoppers shouldn't expect substantial savings for their Thanksgiving feast.
Amazon's upcoming Prime Day sales event may offer even bigger discounts this year due to consumers' cautious spending in the current economic climate. While some deals are seasonal and not typically included in Prime Day discounts, such as toys, winter clothing, and furniture, steeper discounts could be expected for apparel and electronics. However, analysts advise against buying TVs, gaming consoles, and Apple products on Prime Day, as better deals can usually be found during Black Friday. Consumers should also be cautious of unfamiliar third-party sellers and prioritize trusted brands. To make the most of Prime Day, consumers should set a spending budget, research prices beforehand, and focus on purchasing items they already planned to buy rather than being tempted by unnecessary purchases.