Most Americans aren’t comfortable yet with the idea of riding in an autonomous car, but at one time, horseless carriages and electricity in our homes were scary, too. Technology companies and automakers are both working to make autonomous cars happen, but wouldn’t self-piloting cars mean that we would share vehicles or pay fares? That would dramatically shrink demand for cars, hurting automakers. Right? [More]
predictions
A Message From The Year 2026 About The Future Of Your TV
By 1.4.16
Thirty years ago, in 1996, you actually used your TV to watch broadcast or cable signals — live, as things aired. Twenty years ago, in 2006, you probably still had cable, but you probably also had a DVR, freeing you to watch programming at your leisure (much to the chagrin of advertisers). Ten years ago, in 2016, you may or may not have decided to cut the coaxial cord — but even if you had cable, odds were high you complemented it with some kind of streaming service. But by today, Jan. 4, 2026, if you even remember what “cable” was, that’s probably because you only see it at your grandparents’ house. [More]
Big-Box Stores Predict Electronics Won’t Be Big Sellers This Year
By 11.19.15
To make consumers want a gadget and not-so-subtly hint that they would really like that item as a gift this year, that gift has to be very innovative. Since what’s on the market are simply upgraded versions of the items that people already have, there aren’t any hot technology items like the Great Netbook Craze of half a decade ago. That’s why big-box tech stores are predicting sort of a glum holiday season. [More]
Retailers Prepare To Fight Holiday Shoppers And Each Other To Not Offer Discounts
By 10.5.15
Retailers really, really want to wean American shoppers off our recession-era addiction to discounts. Will it be possible for them to resist the temptation to slap “40% off” signs everywhere to attract customers? Retail forecasts for this holiday season show that retailers want to avoid selling products at a discount, while consumers plan to make their shopping decisions according to price. [More]
Let’s See How Well You Can Predict What’s Going To Happen In 2015
December 31, 2014
In case you hadn’t checked the calendar, 2014 is over but there’s still a lot of unfinished business oodles of uncertainty in front of us. So let’s see what images your crystal ball is conjuring. [More]
Costume Shops Have To Guess What You’ll Rush In To Buy On October 30th
By 10.23.14
It’s October 23rd: do you know what you’re going to be for Halloween? How about your kids? If your answer is “no,” don’t worry. Most people don’t really plan ahead for this holiday, but do you know who does? Costume shop owners. They have to not only plan for Halloween, but try to figure out what people will be rushing to stores to buy at the last minute. [More]
10 Brands That Might Disappear In 2014
By 5.29.13
Our friends over at 24/7 Wall Street make an annual habit of predicting which everyday brands will go out of business or otherwise disappear in the following calendar year. Their predictions are out for 2014, which feels far enough away in retail terms that we need time machines and binoculars to see it from here. [More]
10 Brands That Just Might Disappear In 2012
By 7.6.11
The site 24/7 Wall Street makes an annual tradition of predicting which brands will disappear in the coming year. Next year, they predict the demise of such diverse brands as Saab, American Apparel, Sears, Kellogg’s Corn Pops, and Soap Opera Digest. [More]
Economists: Second Half Of 2011 Will Be Stronger Than First
By 6.28.11
If the Japanese disaster and out-of-control oil prices slowed economic recovery in the first half of 2011, a second half of the year free of such setbacks could mean better days for the economy. This is according to analysts who say economic growth is set to ramp up. [More]
Formerly Beloved Technical Analyst For Wall Street Warns Massive Market Crash Coming
By 7.7.10
Pick any Roland Emmerich disaster movie and randomly select a scene–that’s more or less what Robert Prechter, a market forecaster who was widely lauded as a technical analyst in the 1980s, says is coming to the Dow, writes the New York Times. [More]
Report: Reader's Digest And Radio Shack Will Disappear Next Year
By 6.21.10
The psychics at 24/7 Wall Street are back with their latest list of brands that won’t be long for this Earth, and the new selection includes deadpool darlings like Blockbuster and Zale, as well as some less obvious choices, including Kia and Moody’s. How’s their record? Last time around, the list included Palm and Newsweek. One of those has already been purchased by a buyer who may not keep the name alive. The other? 24/7 says that “Newsweek has little chance of staying open.” [More]
If You're Losing Money In Stocks You're Dumber Than A Fifth Grader
By 5.26.09
To win a state contest, four Wisconsin fifth graders took a hypothetical $100,000 and more than doubled it in 10 weeks, according to an AP story. The kids focused on financial stocks, which they correctly figured had bottomed out. Out of the 15 stocks they fantasy-invested in, 13 were profitable, the biggest winners being Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan. The kids won a trip to the New York Stock Exchange, where they were surely viewed with utter exasperation.
By 5.5.09
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“We are hopeful that the very sharp decline we saw beginning last fall through early this year will moderate considerably in the near term and we will see positive growth by the end of the year,” Bernanke told the Joint Economic Committee.
Read Pachter's Lips: No New Consoles Till 2013
By 5.4.09
Bad news for gamers who are dreaming of an Xbox 361, PlayStation 4 or Wiii. You won’t be playing hovercraft Mario Kart or holographic Halo until well into President Palin’s first term.
Consumer Electronics Glut Forbodes Post-Christmas Price Slashing
By 12.22.08
Season’s Greetings from Obvious Land: There’s a glut of electronics on the shelves as shoppers only buy essentials. I predict crazy post-Christmas deals as vendors desperately shovel excess inventory out the door. [BusinessWeek] (Photo: Getty)
Consumer Alert: Fortune Tellers Cannot Curse You, Do Not Give Them Your Money
By 3.19.08
Two fortune-tellers in Chicago are in being held in jail in lieu of $750,000 bail each for defrauding customers by convincing them they were cursed, then selling them expensive curse-removal/protection services. Remember, folks, fortune tellers cannot curse you, see your future, turn you into a werewolf, or make you lose horrific amounts of weight. They can, however, take your money.
By 11.19.07
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Auto industry investors are warning that automotive sales could hit a 15-year low in 2008, but that auto makers will probably cut production before they offer steep discounts. [Reuters]
