美国国家公共电台 NPR--Retailers say shoppers are making fewer purchases but inflation means they pay more

Retailers² say shoppers are making fewer purchases but inflation means they pay more

Transcript³

The latest report cards from top U.S. retailers show shoppers are making fewer purchases and fewer trips to stores. But when they check out, they tend to spend more because things cost more.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Shoppers are making fewer purchases and fewer trips to stores, but when they do check out at the register, they're spending more because things cost more. Inflation is at its highest in decades. Now, these are some of the takeaways from a spate⁴ of midyear report cards by America's leading retailers. Here's NPR's Alina Selyukh.

ALINA SELYUKH, BYLINE⁵: Updates from retailers are chaotic⁶, showing lots of diverging⁷ trends, summed up in a zinger by Dollar Tree Executive Chairman Rick Dreiling.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RICK DREILING: Consumer shopping patterns continue to zig and zag.

SELYUKH: Almost across the board, shoppers are zigging and zagging to stores less frequently. Often, they're consolidating⁸ trips because driving is pricey, or they're simply buying fewer things. Some companies, like Home Depot⁹ and Williams-Sonoma, say their sales are still growing, in part because prices are higher, but even more retailers have announced they are scaling back their financial hopes for the year - Macy's, Nordstrom, Best Buy, Victoria's Secret. Here's Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ERIK NORDSTROM: The uncertainty¹⁰ moving forward is significant, and there's cases to be made that things could get better pretty quickly, and then there's credible¹¹ cases to be made that it's going to be tough.

SELYUKH: Uncertainty right now is all about inflation. Higher prices for gas and food are changing shopping habits, particularly for people with lower incomes. Shoppers are spending more at grocery stores, as people prioritize food on the table, and sales are growing at dollar stores, as people seek bargains on essentials, including wealthier shoppers, says Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

TODD VASOS: We also saw growth in the number of higher-income households shopping with us, which we believe reflects more consumers choosing Dollar General as they seek value.

SELYUKH: In fact, a top Walmart executive also told CNBC that families earning more than $100,000 a year were a huge boost to Walmart sales in recent months. That's one reason why the retail¹ giant has now improved its previously¹² gloomy forecast for the year, signaling better times ahead. Another reason is a recent drop in gas prices, providing a bit of relief to shoppers. Gap, too, called that out in its report, adding that people are still shopping for office clothes, particularly at its pricier Banana Republic stores.

SUCHARITA KODALI: Every metric I see is that the economy is pretty resilient.

SELYUKH: Sucharita Kodali is an analyst¹³ at Forrester, and she points out, overall, wages are higher, unemployment is low, savings¹⁴ rates are decent.

KODALI: Retail spend, even in spite of inflation, is at a record high.

SELYUKH: Some economists¹⁵ warn this may not last, saying this fall, when bills come due after all the summer vacations and back-to-school shopping, more families might tighten¹⁶ their belts. How fast? How much? Still - that word we love - it's an uncertainty.

Alina Selyukh, NPR News.

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

7 diverging   

分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳

参考例句：

• Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。
• With member-country bond yields now diverging, 'it's a fragmented set of markets. 但随着成员国债券收益率之差扩大，市场已经分割开来。

8 consolidating   

v.（使）巩固， （使）加强( consolidate的现在分词 )；（使）合并

参考例句：

• These measures are meant for consolidating the system of basic medical care. 这些举措旨在夯实基层医疗体系，让老百姓看大病不必出远门。 来自互联网
• We are consolidating the Chinese and English versions of our homepage. 我们将为您提供中英文版本一起的主页。 来自互联网

9 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

11 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

12 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

13 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

14 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

15 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。