Best Business Commentary

It’s not easy selling green

Facing ever-increasing “pressure to go green,” says Fortune’s Julie Schlosser in CNNMoney.com, many consumers are, unexpectedly, becoming “more skeptical about the growing assortment of green products.” The “green guilt and messaging” is clear enough. But while polls show that a majority of shoppers say they want to go green, they “aren’t actually doing it.” That’s partly because when they see a product marketed as green, they don’t think it will be good. What’s a sustainable business to do? Focus on building loyalty by offering a product “that isn’t just greener, but tastes better, lasts longer, or is more aesthetically pleasing.”

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Sometimes the best way to manage your money is by “not investing it at all,” says Thomas Kostigen in MarketWatch. And that appears to be what people are doing. It’s not surprising that “so many people are skittish about the market”—they see financial pros losing money and think, “Nah-uh, better to keep tightfisted.” Of course all that money not spent and not invested is “putting the brakes on the economy.” Tax refunds and stimulus checks are coming. But given the fears of recession and “lamentable returns” in the market, it’s a good bet that people will keep their rebates “tucked away.” They know that “spending wisely” often means “not spending as much.”