Ticonderoga Securities analyst, Brian White, is on day six of a tech trip in China and Taiwan. He is meeting with component suppliers for the tech products, such as the iPad. As reported in Apple Insider, “sources have revealed expectations that Apple will sell between 40 million and 45 million iPads in 2011. White said he heard those same figures in a separate visit to Asia last fall, but ‘at the time, this number was difficult for many investors and some in the media to get their heads around’.”

Originally White predicted that Apple would sell 30.9 million units of the popular iPad tablets this year. If Apple was able to sell 45 million units of the iPad, that would be much larger than the previous forecast amount of sales for 2011.

To compare those sales numbers for the Apple iPad, in March the Taiwanese publication DigiTimes cited industry sources and claimed that Apple would ship out 40 million iPad tablets in 2011. Needham & Company analyst Charlie Wolf has predicted that Apple could sell 30 million iPads. Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets forecasts that Apple will sell only 28 million iPads in 2011.

To put these sales predictions into perspective, the original iPad was only available for nine months in 2010 and Apple sold 15 million units of the iPad tablet. With the increased availability of the iPad and iPad 2 in more stores and online and the availability in more countries around the globe, it may very well reach those high sales goals for 2011.

As reported in Apple Insider, “AAPL investors will get their first look at calendar 2011 iPad sales next week, when Apple will report its earnings for the second quarter of its fiscal 2011. That period covers the first three months of 2011, including the few weeks where the iPad 2 was on sale.”

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) May Beat 2011 Forecasted Shipments With iPad 2 was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

As reported by Wall Street Journal online, “Ford Motor Co. is offering some Mercury vehicle owners $500 toward the purchase of a new Ford vehicle and as much as $1,500 to buy a Lincoln as the auto maker looks to retain customers after dissolving the brand last year.”

This new incentive deal might also be aimed at keeping Ford customers who might otherwise be turned off by Lincoln’s outdated style as stated by dailynewspulse.com. Loyal customers who wish to benefit by this incentive program should know that the offer is limited to the heart of the Mercury market; the Midwest.

Ford is also implementing other standards in the hopes of retaining Mercury customers. Lincoln dealers are required to offer perks such as a car wash included in every service stop and loaner vehicles made available when a customer’s car is brought in for work. All Ford dealer lots must carry a minimum of 30% of certified pre-owned vehicles. Lincoln dealerships must correct signage to reflect only the Lincoln brand, dropping all Lincoln-Mercury signage. Finally, all Lincoln dealers have been asked to retain a dedicated sales staff and service manager.

These moves might be the result of dropped Lincoln sales in the month of January. By shifting Mercury customers to the Lincoln brand, Ford may be able to boost these numbers while at the same time keeping customers who have already show loyalty to the brand. The good news for Ford is the good growth shown overall in January which resulted in Ford being named the second bestselling company in the US market. By expanding and improving on the Lincoln brand, and keeping Mercury customers in the fold, Ford can improve their numbers across the board.

Ford (NYSE: F) Offers Mercury Owners Discounts To Switch Brands was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

According to their sales report, Ford’s year to date sales total 1.12 million. This is up about 24 percent. Growth is being shown across Ford’s cars (21 percent increase), utilities (19 percent increase) and trucks (32 percent increase).

As stated on Ford’s press release, “Customers are rewarding Ford for providing the performance they want and the fuel economy they need,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “New class-leading powertrains are the ‘secret weapon’ in every new product we are bringing to market. The Ford Fiesta, which offers 40 miles per gallon EPA highway fuel economy, eclipsed 3,000 sales in its second month in America and has been well-received by California customers. Highly acclaimed in Europe, Asia, and North America, the Fiesta is the first car developed under the ONE Ford global product development system.”

Ford’s 2011 F-Series Super Duty is up 63 percent from last year. Ford announced that they will begin production of “the most powerful diesel engine ever installed in a heavy-duty pickup (best-in-class 800 lb.-ft. of torque and 400 horsepower).” This improved edition will also provide better fuel efficiency by 20 percent compared to the 2010 model. As stated in the press release, “In an industry-first customer loyalty program, Ford will provide the power upgrades free of charge to all current owners of a 2011 Super Duty diesel pickup,” said Czubay.

Ford’s popular Mustang model is up by 43 percent compared with last year. The 2011 model features new V-6 and V-8 engines which offer more horsepower with improved fuel economy.

Ford looks hopeful for the rest of the year as well. As stated in the press release, “With our broad range of products – from Fiesta to Super Duty – Ford is connecting with consumers,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Ford and its dealers continue to offer customers the strongest value proposition in the industry – class-leading fuel economy, quality and growing resale values.”

As compared to same time last year, Ford’s retail market sales were up by 5 percent, and Ford appears to have raised retail market shares for the 21^st time over the past 22 months with fleet sales up by 2 percent.

Ford’s July Sales Up – High Quality, Fuel Efficient Products Drive Growth (NYSE: F) was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

The Apple iPad has continued to sell well in the United States to the point that international sales had to be delayed as Apple struggled to meet demand.   Despite this delay, shipping to other countries is now under way. Right now the iPad is available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. with availability in nine additional countries coming in July and later on throughout the year.

Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple is quoted in the press release saying, “Customers around the world are experiencing the magic of iPad, and seem to be loving it as much as we do. We appreciate their patience, and are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.” Considering the overwhelming demand for the device, this statement only confirms the speculation that Apple is having a difficult time meeting demand. At the current rate, Apple is selling approximately one million iPads each month since they have been introduced which surpasses original estimates.

If you have not yet had the chance to check out the Apple iPad the following description provided by the press release gives you a peak at what you are missing,

“iPad allows users to connect with their apps, content and the Internet in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds—thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook—and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.* ” *Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

Apple goes on to say that 5,000 apps have been specifically built for use with the iPad, which are now available in the App Store, bringing the total number of apps compatible with the iPad to 200,000.

Apple iPad Sales Reach 2 Million (NASDAQ: AAPL) was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Consumers are beginning to far more than they used to. Buyers are shying away from name brands to purchase economical store brands.  Eating at home and reduced spending on non-food items are also ways that Americans have chopped spending.

Trends for 2010

At the beginning the 21st century the commercial spending spree spawned a wide sense of entitlement.  Now as employment numbers increase and other financial considerations are entering the picture, US consumers are restrained in their spending. This is evident in the stores and on the television.  Programs such as The Fine Living Network, a cable channel started in 2002, will soon be phased out and replaced by a Cooking Channel.  Also gone are “I Want That!” a show celebrating over indulgence on all fronts and “Dream Drives” which provided insider viewing of affluent US zip codes.  These shows are considered passé as networks are ramping up cooking at home and frugal living programs.

Searching for Alternatives

Preferring to ‘think about it’ before spending drives consumers to search out cheaper alternatives.  While great in the long run, manufacturers and retail operators are left to bare the brunt of the tight fisted consumers by doing some ‘hand-holding’ and advertising to show potential buyers the value and problem solving abilities of their product.

Consumers are Getting More “Screen Time”

Nielsen data shows that consumers are getting more ‘screen time’ –PC, TV, mobile – and advertisers will have to adjust their advertising to compensate.  Cross media campaigns and commercializing social networking platforms will become more prevalent.

To get and keep buyers interested the types of advertisements will change.  Gone will be the buy-buy-buy as online ads will become more interactive.

Just about every major industry is beginning to push a higher percentage of their ads online.

In-store Brands are Becoming More Popular

Growth in in-house store brands will out shine the name brand merchandise as timid spending habits grow with the economy.  This may encourage name brand articles to cut their prices to compete with the in-store brands.

Small and middle sized regional and local stores will be targets for the multi-national chains.  It is suggested that the smaller stores will be unable to drive profits during the rebounding growth period.  This profit loss will make them targets for the larger national conglomerates who will purchase them to help strengthen their hold on the customers.

Consumer Trends 2010– Changing the Way We Spend was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

How To Know What’s Up (and Down)

The stores will release their Black Friday circulars highlighting the advertised deals in advance of the day following Thanksgiving. Consumers are encouraged to really look at the ‘deals’ being offered in this advertisement. Notice on the fine print of some items, there is a notice that outlines limitations on the sale. For instance, the circular will say “Limit 2 per store”, “No Rain Checks”, or “While Supplies Last”.

Additionally, this year’s advertisements have also small-print warnings that let consumers know that some products are only being sold in small quantities in the store. Topping the list on the ‘limited quantities in store’ products are big-screen plasma televisions and washer-dryer combos.

Deals Not That Cool

Consumers who are not aware of these common practices need to wise up about the battles ahead, Many complain that advertised deals should be backed up with sufficient quantities of merchandise or at least the option for a rain check. It seems many shoppers feel that retailers are not working much at all to bring in customers or make them happy once they are in the store. Consumers and experts alike have a hard time believing that many of the major retailers only supply 4 or 5 televisions to each store during the most-hyped shopping day of the year but spare no expense when advertising full-page specials of the same product.

Sadly, it is the excitement of getting one of that limited supply that keep consumers coming out each year. It is the same situation that caused the death of a shopper during last year’s Black Friday rush when a crowd essentially stampeded them to death, trying to get their hands on a ‘limited supply’ item.

Be Skeptical of Promises

If you are planning to brave the holiday shopping madness in-store or online on Black Friday, remember to be skeptical about deals before you get excited. Double check the small print and look for the ‘limited quantities’ disclaimer. Do not rely on rain checks to be honored if they are even offered. Even online orders can be canceled weeks after the purchase was made if the company cites the product is out of stock.

Black Friday Deals More Limited than We Think was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Cars and trucks. Could this be the best time to buy a new or used car or truck in the last decade or longer?  Probably, because sales are so slow and dealers are almost starving.  Some dealers are combining incentives to get you into the showroom to buy.  You might be able to find low interest rates along with cash back and even special deals on leasing.  Be sure to stay within your budget and purchase a vehicle that is fuel efficient which will help if gasoline prices skyrocket again.

Vacations. Popular vacation spots are hurting because of the lack of tourists that keep their local economies running strong.  You can find great deals on lodging and even transportation to and from those locations.  Cruise lines are booking shorter trips and dropping their prices.  If you ever wanted to go to places like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, now would be the time to check out the prices.

Houses.  With the mortgage crisis has come lower prices on homes across the board, but some locations are worse than others.  On top of that, interest rates are still very low and there is the stimulus incentive provided by the federal government that allows for $3,000 for first time home buyers.

Large appliances. With sales off up to 30% from last year, retailers are feeling the pinch to move inventory.  Some manufacturers are offering rebates.  Make sure that these are the instant variety which comes off at the time of purchase.  Haggle your way to the best deal possible.  And, look for Energy Star rated appliances that are eligible for tax incentives and rebates.

Electronics. Everything from televisions to digital cameras and cell phones are good buys right now.  Make sure that you compare prices to ensure that you are getting the best prices.  Compare on the Internet for the most competitive deals.  Watch for specials on last year’s models – but make sure that they are new and not re-furbished with a lesser warranty.

Furniture. You can find some great bargains on furniture right now.  Many of these retailers have been hit hard and are looking to move practically everything they have at bargain basement prices.  Watch the quality of what you are interested in, however.
Using these tips, you can find some great buys right now and re-stock and replace items that you have been meaning to but were unable because of money.  Just be sure to pay cash in order to avoid interest and other charges.

Bad Economy Means Good Buys was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Launching on December 9, 2008, the brand new website ZingSale.com has been designed as a free service that “enables shoppers to be notified of deep discounts on millions of products – everything from consumer electronics and video games to toys and fashion apparel- from thousands of online merchants”.

If you are looking for a bargain or just a specific item that might come with a discount, you can be specific about the price you are willing to pay or create an alert that alerts to any percentage reductions on an item. As holiday shoppers strive to find the best deals for their tighter-than-ever budgets, ZingSale.com may make it easier to track the items they want without having to weed through the sales fliers or miss out on deals they otherwise may not find on their own. Using the email alerts can also save money by reducing the amount of driving consumers must do, traveling from store to store. The merchandise you really want can be found at a discount and purchase right on the web.

The website appears to be clear-cut and easy to navigate. The merchandise categories do vary. According to the website, you can set up an unlimited number of email alerts for various products. The site also says that most email alerts will display results that are 30 minutes old or less and will continue to monitor the prices of items to get you the best deal or discount. Canceling the alerts is as easy as logging into your account.

ZingSale.com monitors prices for many of the major retailers including Target, Foot Locker, TigerDirect, Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, Avon, PETCO, The Apple Store, and Banana Republic as well as many others. ZingSale.com differs from comparison shopping sites in that the comparison sites only provide the lowest prices for the merchandise you are research right at the time of your search. ZingSale.com continues beyond that time and maintains a constant price monitoring system until you delete your email alert.

If you need to follow up on prices for this holiday season, it may be worth it to check it out over the next week and see if it can find you discounts and the best pricing on the internet. If you have signed up to “Zing It!” and have had an experience good or bad – let me know about it by leaving a comment here.

Happy Shopping!

Let ZingSale.com Help With Holiday Prices was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

In addition to shopping the sales, both online and off; (and shopping places with free shipping if you’re having it delivered) there is another way to save some money on your holiday shopping (actually, on your anytime shopping but you’ll probably see the most benefits when you are buying a lot in a short period of time- like around the holidays!)

Fatwallet.com has a variety of ways to help frugal shoppers like us!  Some deals are provided in the form of coupon codes, so when you check-out, you simply enter the code and receive the advertised discount.  Some of the deals are special discounts on select items; or free shipping.

One of the greatest features of Fat Wallet is that you are getting deals and discounts from the stores you’re already shopping, like Target, Kmart, Walmart, Circuit City, Dell, and more!  So you grab your discount codes or special discount links from Fatwallet.com; and then go about your normal online shopping experience with your favorite retailers.

Unique to Fat Wallet is their cash back sales.  These allow you to participate in one of the advertised deals, and even earn cash back on the purchases you make at select merchants.  Fat Wallet has worked out deals with 125 retailers.  They earn commission for all the referrals they send to the retailers through their site, and Fat Wallet shares their commissions to the people making purchases in the form of cash back!  Average cash back amounts are 2 to 5%; but I saw a few as high as 19 and 20% cash back.

If you’ve got a shopping list of things to buy for friends and family, you may as well start with Fat Wallet and give yourself the opportunity to save some money, get free shipping, or earn cash back at the same time.  With a little research and planning, the money you save could be enough to get yourself the gift you wished someone had gotten for you but didn’t!

Keep Your Wallet a Little Fatter This Holiday Season! was created by and is property of American Consumer News.