Luce Performance Group

"While the restaurant business as a whole is suffering, some value-oriented franchises are managing relatively well. Jeremy Schumacher, who manages an Applebee's in Columbus, Ohio, says that for the past three months his restaurant has been pulling in an average of 200 more customers and $4,000 more per week. "People are very happy with happy hour," when drinks and appetizer prices are half off. Schumacher says he thinks people from higher-income brackets who did not previously patronize his restaurant are now coming in. "We're very reasonable," he says, "and people are starting to figure that out."

"Consumers are finding still other ways to save, such as switching from name-brand products to generics(BusinessWeek, 10/30/08). U.S. sales of private-label goods rose 10% in the year ended June 28, according to Nielsen  compared with a meager 4% gain for national brands. And consumers lacking cash flow or credit can once again start putting purchases on layaway at such places as Burlington Coat Factory, which saw its percentage of layaway sales rise from 4.6% in August to 5.3% in October. Kmart, a subsidiary of Sears, which has offered layaway for years, has rolled out a new advertisement pushing the plan."

There are lessons and strategies to take advantage of here, are we sharing them with out clients?