In the fourth quarter of 2024, increased economic pressures continued to affect households in the United States. With inflation at 2.9% by December, 65% of consumers reported living paycheck to paycheck, indicating ongoing financial strain. The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Struggling Consumers Go to Short-Term Strategies...
In the U.S., mobile phones have become an essential tool for shopping, forever changing how consumers engage with retailers. Mobile-first shopping is no longer a trend, but an expected experience. As smartphones become critical to online and in-store shopping, U.S. merchants need to adjust to the evolving...
Last quarter’s holiday shopping might have represented a burst of consumer optimism at the register that has now been dampened. The souring sentiment is in evidence among young, affluent consumers, who have been the drivers of commerce online and offline. They’re worried in the face...
Earnings season, like clockwork, offers up a dizzying mosaic of data and qualitative analysis of revenues, profits (or lack thereof) and high-level views of the economy. The state of the consumer also comes into focus. In taking stock of what banks, payment networks and digital-only...
The American consumer has been given a crash course in global trade over the last three weeks. On February 1, 2025, President Trump’s announcement of a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada — coupled with an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports —...
Mobile phones have long been our go-to cameras, atlases, encyclopedias, newspapers, calculators, clocks, calendars and, occasionally, telephones. It was only a matter of time before they became the preferred storefront of consumers worldwide. At least that’s the conclusion of the “2025 Global Digital Shopping Index” from...
While their millennial peers may have been the first to embrace subscription services and gig economy jobs, zillennials (born between 1991-1999) are redefining ownership altogether. Unlike older generations, the idea of purchasing a car or house is a major challenge, thanks largely to the financial...
Consumer sentiment dropped about 5% in February, falling to its lowest level since July, according to preliminary results for the University of Michigan’s February Surveys of Consumers. This was the second consecutive month in which consumer confidence dropped, following a 4% slide in January that...
A significant segment of the U.S. population — approximately 53 million individuals — remains outside the traditional credit card ecosystem. These “credit card outsiders” encompass diverse groups, each with unique financial behaviors and preferences. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for financial institutions (FIs) because reengaging...