Inconspicuous Consumption

For all the uncertainty about the current state of the economy, everyone is sure of one thing: this recession has permanently remade American consumers, turning them from spendthrifts into tightwads. (The New Yorker)

Social Shopping Community Increases Conversions by 162% at Juicy Couture

Upmarket fashion brand Juicy Couture has seen substantial increases in page views, average time spent on the site and conversations since adding its Club Couture social shopping community to its site. (Internet Retailing)

Exclusivity for All

It’s hard to overstate the degree to which habits of thrift and frugality have taken on the cast of virtue in the past year. (New York Times)

Prime Tables Do Not Await at Per Se, Babbo, Packed Restaurants

You’ve got a good chance of getting into Masa on short notice. That’s the good news. Otherwise, getting a prime-time table at some of Manhattan’s most expensive — and popular — restaurants hasn’t gotten much easier at a time when a lot of Americans are eating chicken nuggets by the bucket. (Bloomberg)

Italy’s Fashion Houses See No Early Recovery From Sales Slump

Italy’s fashion industry will take years to recover after the biggest sales decline in at least two decades, according to the country’s designers, who criticized the government for not doing enough to assist them. (Bloomberg)

Lexus, BMW, Porsche September U.S. Sales Rise From Weak 2008

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW and Porsche SE posted increases in September U.S. sales as the makers of luxury autos benefited from weak year-earlier comparisons. (Bloomberg)

Luxury Brands Must Brush Up Service to Succeed

Creating a craving for that designer handbag or that trendy watch isn’t enough to get customers to whip out their credit cards, but treating them well certainly can, an expert on luxury brands says. (Fashion Mag)

The Future of Social Shopping

Paul Dunay is global managing director of services and social marketing at Avaya and author of “Facebook Marketing for Dummies.” He talks to eMarketer about the future of social commerce as it shapes up on brand Websites, Facebook and Twitter. (eMarketer)

The Wealthy Are Cutting Back on Thoroughbreds

Along with yachts, private jets, mansions and Ferraris, we can now add another elite asset class that’s ailing: thoroughbred horses. (Wall Street Journal)

Will Consumer Spending Change Once the Recession Ends?

Two of the big questions facing marketing managers today are: (1) when will consumers open their wallets again; and (2) will consumers behave differently when they do? (Huffington Post)