When coffee drinkers hear that some prices at Starbucks will rise, their response will depend how how elastic their demand is.…
When Choosing a Salad Is Like Buying a Car
Recent research explains why and when we experience choice fatigue after seeing the alternatives at a salad bar or options at an auto dealer.…
The Return of the Disappearing Avocado
If avocado has returned to your favorite veggie wrap, you can ask your economist to explain avocado prices with supply and demand.…
Seeing Gander on 9/11 Through a Different Lens
While Gander’s hospitality on 9/11 is an example of considerable graciousness, it also can be remembered for its economics.…
Why Super Bowl LII Won’t Be a Financial Bonanza
Probably having overestimated the amount of Super Bowl spending, Minneapolis will not find that a huge sports event is a financial bonanza.…
What Santa Would Add to the GDP
Estimating Santa’s salary is a specific task that takes us to the broader issue of whether the GDP should include unpaid work.…
Why We Give The Wrong Gifts
When we receive presents that disappoint us, gift giving creates deadweight loss that diminishes the economic boost from holiday spending.…
Thanksgiving Top Ten List For 2017
Looking at our Thanksgiving meal through a turkey top ten list, you can see how economics is about so much more than money.…
Dollars and (Hotel) Scents
Because we retain smells longer than what we see and hear, hotel scents have become a branding tool that accompanies price and service.…
There’s No Such Thing As A Free Reward
Although there is no such thing as a free reward, consumers rarely consider the rewards programs costs that they wind up paying.…