How We Buy

Special Report

For the Downturn, Gucci Downplays the Logos

The fashion house is going both upscale and down, but its signature Gs are relegated to the back room

Amazon: Turning Consumer Opinions into Gold

The Web giant's cache of consumer-generated reviews lures ever-more shoppers, who increasingly research products before buying

Facebook Banks on a Little Help from Its Friends

They're reaching customers via new tools such as Facebook Connect and pushing the social network toward profitability

Retailers Are Learning to Love Smartphones

As apps have improved, m-commerce—buying all kinds of things via iPhone and BlackBerry—is rising

The American Shopper: Down but Not Out

U.S. consumers have an abiding weakness for the new—which is why retail sales are inching back up

Pinning Down the New American Shopper

It's about information, value, and being green: Today's discriminating consumers are careful about how they spend, and they're concerned about the planet

The Recovery: Will Shoppers Come Back?

Many in retail say this recession has caused a mindset shift among consumers that will stick. We took a quick global pulse of shopper sentiment