How low will prices go? 2009 might become known as the year of the price cuts, rollbacks, coupon redemptions and strong store brand sales. This is good for shoppers, but will the value strategy backfire on retailers?

Online grocery shopping is beginning to show resurgence and is poised for substantial growth. From convenience to selection to pricing, discover what consumers want and which strategies work best to keep them engaged.

As retailers are trying to do more with less, are store brands exempt from consideration? While store brands turn a two-to-one profit (10% of assortment achieves 20% of sales), expanding in certain categories at the expense of branded products could actually hurt sales.

With consumers looking to stretch their money as far as possible, it’s no surprise that they might be attracted by promotions and sales at their local grocery store.

Back in the summer of 2008, gas prices in the U.S. hit record highs, with an average price per gallon topping $4 a gallon.  As a result, consumers changed their behavior in order to save gas when possible.  For example, 78 percent said that they combined errands and trips where before they might not have thought twice about separate trips to the grocery store and mall.  Consumers stayed home more often, choosing to entertain at home and eat out less.  These money-saving steps were taken in an effort to save …

Price cuts are providing consumers with exceptional value, but they are showing up in the form of weakening or declining department, category and same-store store sales trends for many U.S. retailers.

Coupon enthusiasts are the driving force behind exploding redemption rates, according to new findings from Nielsen’s Homescan. Eighty-one percent of the units purchased using manufacturer coupons came from just 19 percent of U.S. households

Social media has not only transformed how consumers shop, but it has empowered them to advocate for the products and stores they love. Retailers need to communicate in a way that encourages trust, engagement, customer satisfaction and, ultimately, advocacy.

U.S. shoppers are trimming down shopping lists, downloading coupons, opting out of pricey goods and downshifting to less expensive product and channel alternatives. Three retail trends prevail in this recessionary economy.

The way consumers shop for everyday products continues its transformation towards the Web. In 2008, online retail accounted for approximately 7% of total retail sales in the U.S, with 1.5% of consumer packaged goods (CPG) spending done on the Web.