On a positive note, consumer confidence remains a bright spot in what is otherwise a sluggish economic environment.
On a slightly more optimistic note, consumer confidence fell by a smaller-than-expected margin, coming in at a reading of 62.3 for April, down from a revised 65.9 in March, but better than the 60.0 estimate.
As Mr. Purdy notes, consumers hold the levers for change, and the industry knows it.
Still, Mr. McBride notes, consumers who can handle the requirements may still benefit from the accounts, perhaps as a place to park emergency funds or other cash.
Because of this "price gouging," the report notes, "consumers may find themselves paying fees that are a large percentage of the money they are desperately attempting to save".
As the Brown paper noted, consumers of higher education would be better served by institutions concerned with attracting students as consumers rather than disregarding their needs in favour of politically jostling for limited government funding.
He does not attribute the change to antitheft devices, which lately, he noted, consumers seem to be "layering" -- using several at the same time -- because "instead of saying none are effective, manufacturers are saying no one device is sufficient".
As he notes, consumers, fearing further attacks, are staying in, which inevitably hampers spending.
Meanwhile, Jang notes, consumers are accustomed to downloading files illegally from peer-to-peer networks.
In addition, she notes, "consumers have waste aversion: We hate to throw [food] out, so we just keep eating.
