Retail
March 23, 2018
Affluent consumers are helping premium retailers' revenues grow. Image credit: Neiman Marcus
By Sarah Jones
The increasing gaps in consumers’ incomes and spending power is driving a divide in retail, boosting both premium and value-driven stores as more balanced retailers struggle.
{"ct":"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","iv":"29a24f5950a9fa4c349e4ae572204e3f","s":"de56265741254ec6"}
Share your thoughts. Click here