BusinessWeek published a robust special report last week entited How We Buy. It's full of insight into the modern shopping mechanism and how our attitudes, and options, are changing with the times.
Among the articles are pieces covering both how consumers' mindsets have changed and retailers' efforts to adjust to the "new normal." Brand-centric articles focus on companies from Gucci to Facebook.
The whole report is a great read for people working or interested in the retail arena.
They're old news in the business community, but the widespread growth of pop-up stores is becoming an important consumer trend this fall. The Los Angeles Times gave them a closer look this weekend, noting how the stores are "filling in the gaps at recession-battered shopping centers" and giving both shoppers and retailers intriguing retail options.
The concept of pop-up stores is not new. The New York Times reported on pop-ups in Europe five years ago this week, and stores with Christmas or Halloween themes thrive on such setups annually. But the concept has gone mass this year, and watching the stores' impact on shopping styles in 2010 will be interesting.
