Amherst Times

All of us are learning to make do with a great amount of belt-tightening.  We are buying less and looking for bargains everywhere.  This sends out a scary message to retailers at the time of year when they are looking for sales to be strong, from going-back-to-school sales, right through to the holidays.  The nation’s retailers are bracing for a painful back-to-school shopping season.

“Sales figures released Thursday revealed a country that is rapidly ratcheting back its spending habits even as it piles up credit card debt and abandons midtier shopping mall mainstays that were booming just a year ago.”

“The trouble in the retail sector, including a prediction from Wal-Mart Stores that sales would worsen in August, erased much of this week’s stock market gains.”
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