consumers

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Some Caviar With Your McNugget, Madam?

McDonald's free online kits for Valentine's Day appear to be gone already

(Newser) - Valentine's Day at McDonald's is getting a decidedly unexpected twist: Chicken McNuggets, meet caviar. Starting at 11am ET on Tuesday, the chain began handing out a limited batch of "McNugget Caviar" kits via mcnuggetcaviar.com/countdown , each bundling a 1-ounce tin of Baerii sturgeon caviar, creme fraiche, a...

To Challenge Amazon, Walmart Bets on Trendier Home Goods
Walmart Just Got
a Lot More Chichi
Jan 31, 2026 1:52 PM CST

Walmart Just Got a Lot More Chichi

Retailer leans into more upscale offerings to draw in more affluent shoppers, take on Amazon

(Newser) - A $1,699 De'Longhi espresso machine isn't the first thing most people associate with Walmart, and that's exactly the point. The retailer is quietly reshaping its home aisle—think ocher velvet chairs, pastel air crockpots, and higher-end appliances—as it tries to pull in wealthier shoppers and...

Why Americans Are Giving Up on Haggling Over Prices
Why Americans Are Giving Up
on Haggling Over Prices
NEW STUDY
Jan 20, 2026 10:52 AM CST

Why Americans Are Giving Up on Haggling Over Prices

Study links low patience and confidence to declining bargaining

(Newser) - Sticker prices are increasingly where the conversation ends, not begins, according to a new piece at Quartz on America's fading appetite for haggling. Citing research from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, published in Negotiation and Conflict Management Research , the magazine reports that in five studies, 95% of...

California Gives Tesla 3 Months to Fix Self-Driving Claims

Regulators say Tesla misled drivers over self-driving capabilities

(Newser) - Tesla just got a three-month countdown clock from California regulators over how it sells the idea of "self-driving" cars, the Wall Street Journal reports. An administrative law judge found the company misled buyers by suggesting its vehicles could operate autonomously, prompting the state's Department of Motor Vehicles to...

One Retail Chain Is Doing Well These Days. That's Concerning

Rising sales, new pricing strategies drive record quarter for Dollar Tree in struggling US economy

(Newser) - While much of the retail sector is struggling, Dollar Tree just recorded one of its best quarters in years, underscoring how discount chains can thrive when consumers feel squeezed. The retailer reported a 9.4% jump in sales, to almost $5 billion for Q3, with same-store sales up more than...

Car Buyers Finally Push Back Against Soaring Prices
Car Buyers Finally Push Back
Against Soaring Prices
in case you missed it
Dec 6, 2025 3:19 PM CST

Car Buyers Finally Push Back Against Soaring Prices

Sales continue to slow with average new-vehicle price around $50K

(Newser) - The Wall Street Journal detects a shift in the car market: After years of shrugging off rising sticker prices, American car buyers are finally pushing back. With the average price of a new vehicle nearing $50,000, more consumers are balking, opting for smaller vehicles, buying used, or demanding deeper...

OpenAI Bigwig Wants ChatGPT to Be Unavoidable

Fidji Simo, firm's chief of applications, aims to close the gap between AI potential, real-world use

(Newser) - OpenAI's new applications chief, Fidji Simo, is on a mission to turn ChatGPT into an indispensable tool—one that users will eventually be willing to pay for. Simo, who joined the company in August after stints running Instacart and Facebook's main app, oversees the business side of OpenAI,...

Squeaky Sneakers Prompt Lawsuit Against Shoe Maker

CloudTec outsoles blamed for persistent squeaking and customer complaints

(Newser) - A class action lawsuit filed in federal court in Portland, Oregon, alleges that On Inc., a Swiss athletic brand with its North American headquarters in the city, sold sneakers that are prone to an "embarrassing squeak" every time the wearer takes a step. The suit, filed by the law...

Judge Tosses Suit Over Not-So-Spooky Chocolates

Plaintiffs complained that Reese's chocolates didn't match images on wrappers

(Newser) - A federal judge has unwrapped a win for Hershey, tossing out a lawsuit that accused the company of tricking customers with the packaging of its Reese's Halloween treats. The lawsuit, filed last year, claimed Hershey's wrappers—decked out with jack-o'-lanterns, ghosts, and other festive faces—set...

New Retail Sales Data Show 'Strength of the Consumer'

Spending was up more than expected in August

(Newser) - Americans are still spending at a healthy clip, despite worries about the economy. The Commerce Department reported on Tuesday that retail sales rose 0.6% in August, matching July's revised figure and surpassing economists' expectations, reports CNN . Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal expected a rise of...

FTC Doling Out $126M in Refunds to Fortnite Players

Agency says payouts are for consumers 'tricked' into making unwanted purchases

(Newser) - The Federal Trade Commission is sending out the latest round of refunds to consumers it says were "tricked" into purchases they didn't want from Fortnite maker Epic Games, as well as to eligible players who haven't been compensated yet still have time to apply. The FTC said...

Americans Put the Brakes on Their Spending Spree

Consumers turn cautious and retail sales slide after a spring binge to beat tariffs

(Newser) - Retail sales fell sharply in May as consumers pulled back from a spending surge earlier this year to get ahead of President Trump's sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports. Sales at retail stores and restaurants dropped 0.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, after a decline of...

Consumers Hedge on Shopping, but Not Here

Dollar General posts record sales amid tariffs; its stock rises, as does Dollar Tree's

(Newser) - Dollar General set a quarterly sales record and upgraded its annual profit and sales outlook as Americans tighten their budgets and spend more at bargain stores amid economic uncertainty. The US economy shrank at a 0.2% annual pace from January through March, the first drop in three years, as...

Amazon May Spell Out What Tariffs Are Costing You

Meanwhile, online retailer is bracing for price hikes on China-made products

(Newser) - Earlier this month, economic effects from the Trump administration's tariffs blitz hadn't yet made their way to Amazon, though that's been changing in recent days as vendors have started to raise their prices, stating that keeping their costs to consumers the same amid the trade war is...

You Don't Want to Know How Much an iPhone May Soon Cost

If tariff talks don't work and Apple doesn't absorb the hit, an iPhone 16 Pro Max could be $2.3K

(Newser) - As the stock market rides another rough day on Monday, Americans are nervously waiting to see what the Trump administration's tariffs war will do to their shopping bills. It doesn't look good when it comes to picking up a new iPhone: Analysts on Thursday said that iPhone prices...

40-Day Boycott of Target Is Underway

Protest coinciding with Lent is over retailer's decision to curb DEI initiatives

(Newser) - A 40-day boycott of Target that calls for supporters to give up shopping at the company's stores during the Lenten period began this week to protest the retailer's decision to end some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The Rev. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of the New...

'Economic Blackout' Takes Aim at Corporate Greed on Friday

Initiative asks consumers not to make purchases from big retailers

(Newser) - Better move now to fill up your car's tank and grab your milk and bread. There's an "economic blackout" on the way, in protest of surging prices and corporate greed, and the event's organizers want as many consumers as possible to close their wallets Friday.
  • Ground
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Pay Needed to Tempt Workers Away Reaches 10-Year High
Pay Needed to Tempt Workers
Away Reaches 10-Year High
the rundown
Apr 19, 2024 11:47 AM CDT

Pay Needed to Tempt Workers Away Reaches 10-Year High

Average desired wage climbs nearly $8.5K in 4 months, according to New York Fed survey

(Newser) - The lowest compensation job searchers are willing to accept for a new position has increased to the highest level in a decade, even as hiring slows. Job searchers say they require $81,822 in annual compensation, on average, to switch jobs, according to the latest consumer expectations survey , conducted every...

Holiday Sales Takeaway: 'The Consumer Showed Up'

Sales were up 3.1% in November and December

(Newser) - The holiday shopping season is in the books, and retailers will likely be relieved, the New York Times reports. Retail sales were up 3.1% compared to last year between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, according to stats released by Mastercard SpendingPulse. "This holiday season, the consumer showed up,...

US Consumers Appear to Be Angrier Than Ever
US Consumers Appear
to Be Angrier Than Ever
survey
Mar 13, 2023 3:01 PM CDT

US Consumers Appear to Be Angrier Than Ever

National survey finds dissatisfaction (and retaliation) on the rise

(Newser) - If you've found yourself angry at a company or a customer service rep for one reason or another recently, a new national survey suggests you are very much not alone. In fact, the number of people reporting a problem with a product or service is at all-time highs in...

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