At the end of August, Apparel published the following "warning" if you will. With costs going up, consumers were going to have to pay more - painting a potentially gloomy picture for holiday spending. But did this actually happen and what about the cost of factoring during this period? (8/31/11 Source: Apparel) - A new survey of consumer goods manufacturers and importers shows that the dual trends of weak inventory sales and rising prices paint a dark picture for the upcoming holiday season. As of July 31, 2011, during which time most holiday orders are placed: 83 percent expect prices of consumer goods to rise this holiday season, with one-third saying prices could rise as much as 10-15 percent To deal with the rising cost of … [Read more...]