discretionary spending

Costco Reports Sales Growth Slows as Consumers Reduce Discretionary Purchases
Costco Reports Sales Growth Slows as Consumers Reduce Discretionary Purchases
May 25, 2023  |  Retail

Costco’s comparable sales growth has slowed as consumers reduce their purchases of discretionary items. The membership warehouse club’s comp sales rose 0.3% year over year...

READ MORE >
Retail Spending’s Headline Rebound Masks Pullback on Discretionary Items
Retail Spending’s Headline Rebound Masks Pullback on Discretionary Items
May 16, 2023  |  Consumer Insights

The retail data released Tuesday (May 16) by the Commerce Department shows a reversal in consumer spending after two months of declines. But one headline...

READ MORE >
Consumers, Businesses Trim Spending on Phones as Economy Slows
Consumers, Businesses Trim Spending on Phones as Economy Slows
April 20, 2023  |  Earnings

Consumers and businesses are trimming their spending on phones in response to the slowing economy. So said AT&T CEO, President and Director John T. Stankey...

READ MORE >
Smaller Retailers Without Rewards Programs Risk Losing Inflation-Weary Customers 
Smaller Retailers Without Rewards Programs Risk Losing Inflation-Weary Customers 
March 17, 2023  |  Loyalty & Rewards

Everyone loves a bargain, but small- and medium-sized business (SMB) retailers have been pulling back from promotional codes and rewards recently. As noted in proprietary...

READ MORE >
Discretionary Spending Pullback May Paint Clearer US Economic Picture
Discretionary Spending Pullback May Paint Clearer US Economic Picture
March 03, 2023  |  Connected Economy

Sometimes it just comes down to the cold, hard numbers. Three department stores, along with Best Buy, released their earnings this week, and the news was pretty grim when...

READ MORE >
Food and Energy Inflation Data Hint at Disposable Income Pressure
Food and Energy Inflation Data Hint at Disposable Income Pressure
February 24, 2023  |  Economy

Inflation is making paying for basics of everyday life — food especially — harder to swallow. Earlier this week, PYMNTS reported that the cost of essentials...

READ MORE >
FedEx Earnings Put Discretionary Spending In Spotlight as Package Volume Drops 
FedEx Earnings Put Discretionary Spending In Spotlight as Package Volume Drops 
December 21, 2022  |  Earnings

Declining package volumes in the latest FedEx earnings report stoked new concerns about discretionary spending. This was after the company reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings Tuesday (Dec...

READ MORE >
Kohl’s Says Middle Class and Discretionary Items Struggle with Inflation
Kohl’s Says Middle Class and Discretionary Items Struggle with Inflation
November 17, 2022  |  Retail

 With its focus on discretionary products and middle-income consumers, Kohl’s has been hard hit by the current macroeconomic trends, the retailer said Thursday (Nov. 17) during its...

READ MORE >