20 Quotes by Phil Rist

The popularity of gift cards is soaring among consumers of all ages.

Many consumers were driven to the stores last weekend by great sales on electronics and toys. Now that many of the most popular electronics are affordable for the average shopper, people are picking up DVD players and digital cameras as gifts, but also for themselves.

Shopping is a sensory experience. People are subconsciously recording things like the layout of the store, the lighting, whether the aisles are overflowing, whether the prices are clearly indicated and how easy or difficult it is to find a product every time you visit a store.

Obviously price is key to determining where people choose to shop. But after that, it's customer service.

Nobody wants to pay for an over-priced item. Donald Trump doesn't want to pay more than he has to for something. For groceries, price is the No.1 issue, whether people admit it or not.

Over the past few years we have seen the bulk of the Valentine's spending shift from young adults to middle-aged consumers.

Retailers look forward to the Super Bowl every year, knowing that it means big business.

Restaurants and bars will benefit greatly from this group's increased spending power.

Wal-Mart gets more than 100 million customers a week. It's still growing its sales double-digit every year.