By Jayne O’Donnell, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — The recession pushed shoppers to pick necessities over discretionary items, discounts over luxury. But retailers hope to shift such behavioral changes further in coming months, affecting what consumers will buy, pay and experience at stores.
“Retailers are following through on their strategy to get their houses in order during the recession so they are positioned to be strong players as the recession ends,” says Dan Butler, vice president of retail operations for the National Retail Federation, which held its annual conference here this month. “Whether it’s technology, product assortment or sustainability, they’re asking themselves, ‘How can we be smarter about meeting the needs of our customers quickly?’ ”
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