As consumers look to stretch their dollars, middle end commercial outlets are being squeezed as they head to discount outlets. One of these expecting to prosper during the holiday season is Wal-Mart. In fact, a reporter at the New York Times said that this is just the sort of environment that the retail giant was made for.
Others have noted that high end shops are relatively immune, since their clients are least likely to feel a major pinch in their discretionary spending budget.
RBR/TVBR observation: So it’s the establishments in the middle that suffer the most. From an advertising perspective, the survivors in this class will either find a way to convince high-end consumers that they provide quality at a better value; or convince low end consumers that it’s not all that much more expensive to enjoy their upgraded service. Your job: Show them how to get this message across.
