By George Anderson
Marian Salzman, chief strategy officer of the advertising agency group Euro RSCG Worldwide, told attendees at the National Retail Federation's Shop.org annual summit that shifts are taking place in society and in consumer behavior and keeping pace with these changes is essential to retail performance.
Ms. Salsman, reports DM News, identified four areas worthy of particular attention on the part of retailers. These include prosumers, metrosexuals, the Flash Dance alert and globesity.
Prosumers are those who actively use technology to research and comparison shop. This informed consumer requires retailers to raise the bar on customer service while aggressively managing prices.
Metrosexuals refer to men interested in the finer things in life, including grooming products, fashions and personal services such as day spas and hair salons.
The Flash Dance alert, according to Ms. Salzman, is a return to some of the excesses of the eighties. Evidence of this, she said, is the growing popularity on everything from Lacoste apparel to heavy metal music.
Globesity is the term Ms. Salzman used to describe the obesity epidemic facing the US and other nations.
Moderator's Comment: What consumer trend or other development do you think will have the most profound effect on spending and shopping behavior in the years ahead? [George Anderson - Moderator]