Back in May, we wondered if American consumers might have too many choices. Well, it looks like some companies think so. The Wall Street Journal [subscription req'd] reports that some of the nation's largest retailers, like Wal-Mart and Rite Aid, will be cutting the assortment of products in their stores by at least 15 percent. It's a huge move for the retail industry, where big-box stores have dominated the market by offering consumers a huge variety of products. According to Walgreen vice president Catherine Linder, that's no longer good for business:

All that go-go 1990s where we were adding items in and adding items in, and people wanted more, more, more, more choice... just didn't pay off. People say, 'Whoa, you're bombarding me. Help me figure out what I need.

categories: Economic Scene

12:25 - June 26, 2009

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