Consumer Insights news and trends

Credit Lines Become the New Household Liquidity Buffer

July 21, 2026
credit-cards
Every Dollar Gets a Job as Financial Pressure Builds
Consumer Finance // July 21, 2026

Consumers under the greatest financial pressure are not simply spending less. They are becoming more selective about where every dollar goes. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins...

Is Revolving Credit Cooling or Simply Catching Its Breath?
Economy // July 08, 2026

Consumer credit rarely moves in a straight line, and May’s Federal Reserve data offered a reminder that one month’s pause can support more than one interpretation. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS...

Flexible Rewards Push Merchants and Issuers to Rethink Loyalty
Loyalty & Rewards // June 30, 2026

Loyalty points have largely remained trapped inside the programs that issued them. That model is beginning to loosen as a growing number of initiatives promote greater flexibility, making rewards easier to earn, redeem and use across shopping journeys rather than within a single brand. Get...

The Pink Skirt Problem: Why AI Agents Can’t Own Serendipity
Artificial Intelligence // June 10, 2026

The best thing I ever bought while shopping for a blue blazer was a pink skirt. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily...

Interviews & Exclusives
Every Dollar Gets a Job as Financial Pressure Builds

July 21, 2026
Consumers under the greatest financial pressure are not simply spending less. They are becoming more selective about where every dollar goes. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By completing […]

Is Revolving Credit Cooling or Simply Catching Its Breath?

July 08, 2026
Consumer credit rarely moves in a straight line, and May’s Federal Reserve data offered a reminder that one month’s pause can support more than one interpretation. Get the Full Story...

72% of Consumers Pay for Instant Income Access

June 04, 2026
Instant payments are increasingly being judged less by how fast money moves and more by what faster access allows consumers to do. Get the Full Story Complete the form to...

Retail Sales Growth Masks Consumer Pullback Across Key Categories

May 14, 2026
Retail sales rose again in April, but the latest government data showed consumers continuing to shift spending toward necessities while pulling back in several categories tied to discretionary purchases and...

Quick Reads
The Conference Board Finds Labor Market Optimism Lifts Consumer Confidence

February 24, 2026
Slight improvements in consumers’ expectations for business conditions, labor market conditions and incomes drove a turnaround in consumer confidence in February, The Conference Board said Tuesday (Feb. 24). Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our […]

Holiday Shoppers Increase Their Use of Cross-Channel Shopping and AI Tools

December 23, 2025
American consumers spent more this holiday season while using cross-channel shopping and artificial intelligence (AI) tools for bargain hunting and convenience, according to separate analyses by Mastercard and Visa. Get the Full Story...

American Express Reports 9% Increase in Consumer Spending Around Thanksgiving

December 10, 2025
Consumer retail spending from the week before Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday (Dec. 1) was up 9% year over year, American Express Chairman and CEO Stephen J. Squeri said Wednesday (Dec....

Procter & Gamble Says Its ‘Very Strong Price Ladders’ Serve All Consumer Cohorts

October 24, 2025
Procter & Gamble is seeing a split in the shopping habits of consumers, with some buying the company’s products in bulk and others looking to spend only a small amount...