A Look Ahead: Three Mega Trends to Watch

1. Rising cost structures and low inflation will continue to put pressure on merchants. Energy, healthcare, postage, paper, fuel -- all are adding to your costs, McDonald said during his talk “Charting an Upstream Course” at the New England Mail Order Association’s fall conference, held in Groton, Conn., last week. Compounding these cost increases, consumer discretionary income is starting to decline.