USA - The significantly higher price of gold and increased compensation for minimum wage workers will make Christmas more expensive this year, according to the PNC Christmas Price Index. The tongue-in-cheek economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management is based on the cost of gifts in the holiday classic, 'The 12 Days of Christmas.' 28 Nov 2007
The supermarket retail market is becoming overtraded, with customer service now making the difference between mere survival and success. 28 Nov 2007
The Wine Council of SA is is taking aim at commercial 'tie-ups' between large wine producers and retail outlets and restaurants. 28 Nov 2007
Lovers of SAB's once-mighty beer better hurry to the bottle store. 28 Nov 2007
If you are one of those people who always sticks to their shopping list and does one big buy a month, you're the Joe Soap of the retail shopping world. 28 Nov 2007
Despite geopolitical tensions, economies are thriving in the Middle East resulting in an increasing focus on customer service in the region presenting opportunities for contact (call) centre vendors. 28 Nov 2007
South Africa's Consumer Price Index (CPIX) figure for October 2007, excluding mortgage costs, has come in 0.6 of a percentage point higher at 7.3% year-on-year (y/y) compared to September's 6.7% y/y. 28 Nov 2007
The country's third quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen to 4.7% on a seasonally adjusted and annualised rate for the third quarter compared to the second quarter, reported Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Tuesday. 28 Nov 2007
According to a new Beef Eco-Report: Pound-for-pound, beef produced with grains and growth hormones produces 40% less greenhouse gas emissions and saves two-thirds more land for nature compared to organic grass-fed beef. 28 Nov 2007
The last thing I need to do is explain the value and importance of search advertising. According to recent statistics, more than a million companies advertise via Google's AdSense program, and, obviously, those companies range from Fortune 500 to individual entrepreneurs. 28 Nov 2007
Zimbabwe is so short on consumer goods, the government can't even calculate inflation, the chief statistician said on Tuesday. 28 Nov 2007
The scale of migration to Britain by Zimbabweans escaping their country's economic and political woes has reached the point where, with typically wry humour, London is referred to as "Harare North". 28 Nov 2007
MWEB has opened its second retail store – in the Cresta Mall in Northcliff, Johannesburg. This is the second store that the ISP has opened, the first being in Maponya Mall in Soweto. 28 Nov 2007
MasterCard Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index explores strategic role of cities in driving global commerce. 28 Nov 2007
With the new year fast approaching, new product developments promise better health and happier taste buds in 2008, Datamonitor's Productscan Online takes a look at trends in consumer packaged goods for the coming year. 28 Nov 2007
Women are the key to African economic development and are increasingly driving the global economy. 27 Nov 2007
According to a recent Piper Jaffray study in the United States, nearly 90% of people with digital video recorders (DVRs) skip TV ads. Forrester Research predicts DVRs will be in over 50% of homes by 2010. 27 Nov 2007
After two seasons of their cookery series Chef in my Kitchen, McCain Foods decided to give viewers of SABC2 what they were they were asking for: those delicious recipes... 27 Nov 2007
USA - By 2014 the global jeanswear market is forecast to rise by US$4.6 billion according to recent research undertaken by industry website just-style.com. The current global jeans market is currently valued at US$51.6bn (rising to US$56.2bn), taking into account the historic price deflation, the cumulative growth at 1.25% per year is pretty good. 27 Nov 2007
DionWired has upped its consumer electronics game yet again with the opening of its flagship store at Durban's Gateway mall earlier this month. 27 Nov 2007
