Delos Smith Consumers Quotations

Consumers right now are bargain hunters, and that's what Wal-Mart is talking about. If you're offering a bargain and the consumer thinks it will go away, you'll get the consumer to buy, but there is no impulse buying going on.

Consumers had a nice July and August. Unfortunately, they're on their own for the fourth quarter, which starts on Wednesday. Going into 2004, spending is going to be based on wage and salary growth, which needs a boost.

You want the consumer buoyant. Most consumers are not current-events oriented. When you get everybody involved in current events, when they usually are not, then people are not going to go out and buy things just for pleasure of it.

The economy is generally chugging along. From the consumers' perspective, jobs remain an important issue. Consumers will also be keeping an eye on gas prices and what happening on the global front in terms of terrorism.

We boosted economic growth in one quarter, but that doesn't mean it's sustainable. We still have a long-range view that the economy is changing, and consumers will have to adjust to it.

I think consumers are more cautious, and I think the retailers have kept inventories well under control.