Show Entire Article
We keep talking about consumers. I decided to talk to them, instead.
Specifically, consumers who've seen their incomes take a nosedive.
Where are they shopping this holiday season? How much do they plan to spend?
"I think we're probably going to spend about half of what we spent last year," says Bill Westfall, a minister at Boise State's Impact Ministries.
Westfall and his wife, Leah, have two daughters, and their income depends largely on support from individuals and churches. "Our supporters have been hit financially, they've lost their income," says Leah.
"It's a tough thing for them, and it's a tough thing for us."
So the Westfalls have set aside $500 for Christmas, and they aren't buying anything without hunting online for the best price first.
They weigh the benefits of low cost versus free shipping at places like Target [ TGT 48.78 
+0.00 (+0.00%) ], Wal-Mart [ WMT 52.93 +0.00 (+0.00%) ], and Amazon.com [ AMZN 116.83 +0.00 (+0.00%) ].
Leah also checks for good deals every time she shops for groceries or goes to the drugstore. "I wander through stores and look to see what's available. I don't necessarily buy, but I do look."
Page 1 of 4 | Next PageShow Entire Article
More Top Stories