Consumer $ense | by Dr. Audrey Guskey

DR. AUDREY GUSKEY

CONSUMER TRENDS EXPERT

Dr. Audrey Guskey is considered to be one of the nation’s top consumer experts. She has appeared in over 3,000 TV, radio, and print interviews discussing consumer trends including CNN, MSNBC, the CBS Morning Show, the Fox News Channel, Fox’s Morning Show with Mike & Juliet, the Montel Williams Show, the All News Channel, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, Standard News Radio, Westwood One Radio with David Brenner, Associated Press Radio’s Consumer Watch, National Public Radio, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Newsweek, Time, US News & World Report, USA Today, and The New York Times. While working with Dr. Guskey, Steve Capus, president of NBC News, says that she has a “solid camera presence and a good visual image”.

Dr. Guskey has a weekly segment called “Consumer Tuesdays” on KDKA-TV’s CW Morning News. She appears the first Tuesday of every month on KDKA-TV’s “Pittsburgh Today Live”. She has also had a weekly spot on KDKA radio’s “Pittsburgh Weekly”.

Dr. Guskey appeared regularly as the consumer expert on the Fox News Channel’s “Morning Show with Mike and Juliet” through 2007 and 2008.

Audrey Guskey was seen several times daily in Pittsburgh in 2006 on Comcast’s “FYI” and 24/7 on Comcast’s On Demand with ¢on$umer $en$e“, a two minute consumer vignette which helped viewers receive better service in the retail landscape.

The creator and host of “At Your Service”, Dr. Guskey provided advice and tips to consumers for maneuvering through the marketplace. This daily consumer series aired on Pittsburgh’s PCNC (NBC affiliate) 10 O’Clock News and during the 7 a.m. morning news for eighteen months from the summer of 2003 to December of 2004.

From 1996 to 1997, Audrey appeared weekly on HomeLife as the creator and host of an informative, entertaining consumer segment. HomeLife is a news magazine produced by the Southern Baptist national cable station. She also appeared regularly as the consumer expert on the national All News Channel’s Life Reports, in addition to weekly appearances on Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV Live at Five news from 1994 to 1995.

Dr. Guskey has produced and hosted a weekly television interview show entitled “Inside Marketing,” which highlighted timely marketing and consumer issues. The show featured local and national marketing directors and corporate executives discussing their marketing strategies. This show has been aired on the Pittsburgh educational cable channel and the Duquesne University television station.

Audrey was one of the final fifty finalists for “The Apprentice” in 2005.

She also submitted a video for the competition – “Your OWN show on OWN” for the Oprah Winfrey Network. Dr. Guskey’ show, Consumer POW-er, offered to take viewers behind the scenes of marketing and share retail secrets that marketers don’t want consumers to know. The show’s purpose was to help consumers save time and money and to get the inside scoop on consumer trends and marketing tricks. Consumer POW-er helpes viewers get a pulse on the marketplace, just like a MYSTERY SHOPPER.

For the past three years, Dr. Audrey Guskey has had a regular column in the Pittsburgh Business Times, “Service Rules”, which provides advice to readers on how to provide better service to their customers. She is currently completing her latest book, “Service Rules: Be Treated As Every Company’s Favorite Customer“. Using unique qualitative methods of collecting thousands of “stories” over the past decade, Dr. Guskey has researched causes of satisfaction in a service encounter. She has developed a set of rules that customers can follow to receive outstanding service.

In 2007, she was recognized as the 1^st recipient of the Distinguished Marketing Educator of the Year by the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Marketing Association and was inducted into The Marketing Hall of Fame along with the inventor of the Big Mac and H. J. Heinz Corporation.

As Associate Professor of Marketing at Duquesne University for the past twenty-four years, Dr. Audrey Guskey is responsible for teaching Consumer Behavior, Services Marketing, Strategic Marketing, and Introduction to Marketing for the undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. Guskey has received the Teaching Achievement Award from the School of Business and the University has awarded her the Hunkele Innovative Teaching Award. She has consistently been rated in the top faculty by her students. Dr. Guskey has also taught at the University of Pittsburgh.

Audrey Guskey has been a consultant for such clients as the Pittsburgh Steelers, McDonald’s, Fed Ex Ground, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kodak Corporation, General Motors, KDKA-TV, United Way, Ramada Inn, Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Westinghouse, Bayer, Calgon, Duquesne Light, and Mercy Health System.

Dr. Guskey is an active member of the American Marketing Association, serving on the Board of Directors and sponsoring the Duquesne chapter for over 20 years. In addition to being honored with the first Marketing Educator of the Year award, she was also recognized by the American Marketing Association (Pittsburgh Chapter) for 27 years of service in 2010.

Audrey has presented dozens of papers at the annual meetings of the Association of Consumer Research, the American Psychological Association, and the American Marketing Association. Her biography is included in Who’s Who in the 21st Century, International Personality of the Year, 20^th Century Award for Achievement, International Woman of the Year, 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21^st Century, and is included in the Yearbook of Experts, Authorities, and Spokespersons.

Dr. Guskey received her Ph.D. in Marketing/Consumer Behavior from the University of Pittsburgh in 1990. She also earned an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Audrey is the mother of two adult children – Ed and Evonne – and the grandmother of Jake and baby Luke. She has completed eight full marathons and ten half marathons.

Dr. Audrey Guskey

Associate Professor of Marketing

Duquesne University, School of Business Administration

Pittsburgh, PA 15282

(412) 396-5842

Contact Audrey at guskey@duq.edu, on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter

10/30/11

3 Major Ways Companies are Drawing in Consumers This Holiday Season

Well consumers, the holiday shopping season is almost upon us! With October rounding out and Halloween nearly complete, companies are beginning to launch their holiday deals (those that haven’t already done so, that is). Here are three popular stores’ holiday promotions:

1. Free Shipping on BestBuy.com Purchases-From November 1 through December 27, everything bought from Best Buy’s website will be shipped for free. An even bigger bonus is that this deal requires no minimum purchase, so whether you’re buying $15 DVDs or a $500 TV, your order will ship for free!

2. Toys R Us Loyalty Members Will Receive 10% Back-If you aren’t already part of the Toys R Us free loyalty program, sign up ASAP! Starting today and continuing through Christmas Eve, all loyalty members will get 10% back in store credit. But beware of one downside: you’ll have to wait until the New Year to redeem your store credit.

3. Walmart’s Price Guarantee-Shopping at Walmart between November 1 and December 25 means reaping the benefits of the price guarantee. If you purchase something at Walmart that you later find at a lower price somewhere else, Walmart will give you a gift card in the amount of the price difference!

Source: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/10/28/3-deals-aimed-at-attracting-shoppers-for-the-entire-holiday-season/

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10/5/11

5 Things You’ll Wish You Did If the Economy Double Dips

According to the Wall Street Journal, there is a one-in-three chance that we will experience a double-dip recession within the next year. Here is Moneyland’s list of the five things you should make sure to do in case this happens.

1. Develop a fund for emergencies-Don’t panic if you don’t already have one, but start now! Put $400 aside to start and build it to six months of your expenses ASAP!

2. Pay down some debt-It may seem daunting, but get a head start before it’s too late!

3. Turn heads at work-Go the extra mile at work to make yourself invaluable and an asset to your company.

4. Downsize!-Even though it’s not always obvious, there are tons of ways to cut costs in your life. So sit down and figure out what you and your family can do without.

5. Become your own cook-We all know that the luxury of dining out frequently can really affect your wallet, so save some serious money by eating in most of the time.

Source: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/09/20/5-ways-to-prepare-for-a-double-dip/

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9/17/11

11 Tips for Couponing Success

In recent years, many consumers have achieved the impossible by strategically using coupons to spend virtually nothing on hundreds of dollars worth of groceries, a lifestyle that has been highlighted in TLC’s popular show “Extreme Couponing.” With this consumer trend, however, has come less than ideal reactions from stores (including Walmart, Target, CVS, and Rite Aid) who have instituted new rules that limit coupon use and regulate savings. The good news is that these recent changes should not affect you “casual couponers” all that much. Nevertheless, here are 11 ways to wade through this coupon battle and ensure that you are saving.

1.Use your coupons on organic food-Since most of us would love to eat organic but often can’t because it is too expensive, why not take advantage of the coupons you have for organic food?

2. Rain Check!-If you have a coupon for something that a store runs out of, ask for a rain check so you can use the coupon when they’re restocked!

3. Keep Catalina coupons-What’s a “Catalina coupon” you ask? It’s a coupon that prints out at the register after you check out. While your initial instinct may be to crumble them up and throw them away, they could be valuable so make sure to check them out before you make them trash.

4. Remember to look for “Peelies”-”Peelies” are coupons that have been stuck to various merchandise. If they’re on an item that you’re purchasing anyway, take a minute to look them over for opportunities for deals and savings that you weren’t expecting!

5. Organization & Browsing the Web are Key-Sometimes the most obvious place to find coupons is in the newspaper, but don’t forget to check the internet too! After you’ve made your shopping list, search the internet for deals on all the items you need!

6. Stock Up-(but only when necessary)

7. Familiarize yourself with the stores you shop at and their policies-One of the worst things to be when you’re trying to save money is uninformed, so try your best to stay ahead of the coupon-curve by knowing your stores’ coupon and savings policies.

8. Don’t shop when you’re hungry!-This is a big mistake as it may lead to frivolous and unnecessary buys! Shop with your head, not with your stomach!

9. Look high and low for deals-If you want to save money, make sure you keep your eyes peeled and look anywhere and everywhere for savings!

10. Make a shopping list-Don’t just make a list, stick to it! A diligently made and followed list will help you stay on track financially.

11. Download Phone Apps-Believe it or not, there are Apps out there that can help you save at least 30% in stores. Check out two of the most popular: Coupon Zerpa and Yowza.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/CreativeConsumer/coupon-war-top-11-tips-overcoming-store-policies/story?id=14518859

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9/12/11

5 Consumer Trends Resulting from the Struggling Economy

Time Magazine recognizes 5 consumer trends that are very telling of the poor state of our economy. Take a look at what your fellow consumers are doing to help stay afloat during these rough times.

Consumers are:

1. Buying locally grown produce and planting personal vegetable gardens-It is no secret that produce is pricey, but many are trying to save by buying local fruits and veggies. And in situations where buying local is more expensive, a lot of consumers are saving money by planting their own gardens.

2. Utilizing Layaway again-Taking a cue from stores such as Sears and Kmart, Walmart has reintroduced layaway for the upcoming holiday season. From October 17-December 16 Walmart customers will be able to pay in installments for electronics and toys costing at least $50, but they must pay $10 upfront as well as a $5 fee. So beware that while using layaway may seem helpful at the time, it isn’t really a money saver in the end.

3. Buying Lottery Tickets-Because some consumers are feeling desperate in their current economic situations, they are gambling more than they typically would and are springing for lottery tickets.

4. Buying fewer disposable diapers-In recent times, parents are buying less diapers in order to save money. The ugly result of this money-saver is that parents are actually choosing to change their kids less often, resulting in rising purchases of diaper rash creams and ointments.

5. Pet owners are getting rid of their pets-Because of the extra cost of owning a pet in this economy, many consumers have had to give up their pets, causing animal shelters to reach their fullest capacities and keeping them from taking in more animals.

Source: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/09/09/how-consumers-are-coping-more-gardens-lottery-tickets-and-layaway-fewer-diapers-and-pet-adoptions/

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8/31/11

7 Hurdles that Thwart Financial Stability

According to financial author Brett Wilder, if you want to achieve financial security, you’re going to have to breakdown the following seven barriers:

1. No Discipline

As with any personal or professional goal, you must discipline yourself with your money. To help you be more disciplined, work on keeping track of your spending.

2. Being Materialistic

As the saying goes, “money does not buy happiness,” so don’t waste your funds on material possessions that you think will fulfill your life and focus on family, friends, and spirituality instead.

3. Having Debt

It’s almost impossible to be completely without debt in today’s world, but believe it or not there is a difference between good debt and bad debt. So be sure to create good debt with purchases like a reasonable mortgage instead of bad debt with unnecessary splurges.

4. Taxes

Failing to pay your taxes could get you into a lot of trouble with the government, but paying too much in taxes is just as much of a crime. So try to find ways to reduce your tax requirements for your benefit.

5. Inflation

While inflation is unavoidable, you can try to find various ways to lessen the blow.

6. Making Investment Mistakes

Trade emotional investing with educated investing in order to make the very best decisions with your money.

7. Emergencies

Unfortunately, we are all victim to the many tragedies and surprises of life. The best way to be financially prepared for whatever comes your way is to put your money towards good insurance and create a sturdy emergency fund.

Source: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/08/26/7-obstacles-to-financial-success/?iid=pf-category-editpicks

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8/27/11

How to Spend Less on Back-to-School Clothes

Are you feeling overwhelmed at the cost of dressing your kids for school this year? With clothing being one of the most expensive back-to-school necessities, the following tips will help parents complete their children’s back-to-school wardrobes on a budget.

1. Before you shop, browse your closet first-It’s important to check and double check the clothes you already have to minimize unnecessary spending once you get to the mall. Another perk of this step is that it may help you create new outfit combinations that you didn’t even realize you had!

2. Swap clothes with family and friends-Who said new back-to-school clothes had to be brand new? In fact, some of the best gently used clothes found at discount exchange stores end up being the perfect addition to your child’s unique style, so why not cut out the middle man and trade with friends and family members instead?!

3. Extend your clothing’s seasonal wear-Keep your kids’ summer clothes at reach since sometimes the best way to make a cute fall outfit is to simply add a few items to it, like leggings and a sweater to a summer dress!

4. Accessories are a must!-You can spruce up any old outfit already in your child’s closet by adding a belt, scarf, jacket, or even some jewelry and you won’t have to spend nearly as much on a brand new outfit!

5. Don’t forget to shop online and at discount stores-There are so many great ways to shop online for deals such as checking out ebay and searching sites for coupon codes. It is also a good idea to look to discount retailers like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, and Ross for discounted name brand clothes.

6. Utilize Tax Holidays-Some states have designated back-to-school days where they will charge no tax on clothing purchases under $300. But as you know in PA, clothing is always tax free so consider this yet another perk of being a Pittsburgher!

7. Look at the big picture-Although it is easy to get swept away in the back-to-school buying hoopla, keep yourself, your family, and your money grounded by remembering that having style at school is not nearly as important as getting an education at school.Reiterate this to yourself and your kids every time you find yourself practicing big back-to-school spending habits!

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8/17/11

Get a behind the scenes look at ‘Consumer Sense’…

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8/2/11

CONSUMER $ENSE

helps viewers save $’s and ¢’s!

Dr. Audrey Guskey - America’s leading consumer expert will take you behind the scenes of marketing and share retail secrets that marketers don’t want you to know. Audrey’s tips help consumers save time and money while getting the inside scoop on consumer trends and marketing tricks.

Get a pulse on the marketplace by tuning into Consumer $ense, hosted by Dr. Audrey Guskey, {Tuesday nights at 7:30pm on PCNC}!

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7/12/11

TIPS FOR HOLDING A GARAGE SALE:

1. Advertise early and everywhere

2. Know prices and mark everything

3. Create an ambiance

4. Paper or plastic

5. Have change, tape measure, and extension cord

6. Sell refreshments

7. Plan for leftovers

8. Be nice and have fun!!