Although the price of crude oil dropped 9% yesterday, gasoline is still $4.09/gal.
The current rate of inflation is 2.7% and rising (it jumped to 4.1% in 2007, the last time gas prices went to $3/gal and above).
Coffee prices are at a 34-year high — $3 a pound (crude oil, coffee, wheat, corn, maize, oats, rice, soybeans are all traded as commodities)
Gold is at $1492/oz. and Silver is at $34.91/oz.
In 2009 the price of steel (used in my industry) was $692/ton ($0.34/lb.) Today steel is $853/ton ($0.42/lb.)
In the week ending April 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 474,000, an increase of 43,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 431,000.
The unemployment rate in Wisconsin is currently 8.1% (that equals aprox. 452,381 people out of work and still collecting UC benefits in my state alone). Many more have quit looking for work or have exhausted UC benefits.
I have been unemployed since December of 2009. The “talking heads” (mainstream media) have been reporting the economy has turned around and everything is on a road to recovery. I think they are mistaken.
The numbers I have noted above are all “job killers”. I know I have held a position on both sides of the corporate desk. I have been one of the masses getting laid -off as well as the one who lays those people off.
Indicators like these are used when looking at hiring needs. If you look a graph of those numbers over the last 4 or 5 years, you will see a continuous upward trend.
I am sure you have seen or heard these numbers individually and they don't seem ominous. But when you put them all on the same page it paints an entirely different picture.
I am not by any means advocating not seeking employment outside of your home. There are still companies hiring and if you have the want and means to relocate, many areas have unemployment rates below 5 or 6% (North Dakota being the lowest at 3.6%)
As I look at these numbers, I see an opportunity for e-commerce to show some real growth. Depending on where you get your information (I use the internet and CNBC) the outlook for the future looks very different.
Channels like Fox News, HLN and CNN tend to spin (spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain view) news stories to the “mood of the day”.
CNBC differs (slightly) in the fact they are reporting actual data from the stock markets daily. It's harder to spin numbers that are relayed in real time. Not to say it can't be done.
In my opinion (bad economy or not) Americans will continue to consume. That is what we do now and have done since the dawn of marketing. What I see changing, is the way we sell (market) and the way we consume.
There are currently 239,893,600 internet users in the USA. Nearly 77.3% of the population are able to access the internet.
Better than three fourths (¾) of the population now have the option of getting in their car, fighting traffic and crowds to make a purchase or they can simply stay at home and point and click.
Now more than ever is the perfect time to start in e-commerce. I believe we are 2 or 3 years into a 7 to 10 year upward trend in prices. The ability to offer customers the exact same products, at the same prices as traditional stores, without the inconveniece of leaving their homes works to your advantage.
If you are ready to start a home based business using no start up capitol, start reading at the beginning of this blog series (Day One). It will help guide you to your destination.
Like always, join and follow the blog, click the banners and text links to start making money. You can use the EWAHR Forum to post questions or request a review of a site or, you can e-mail me directly at ewahr2011@ yahoo.com
Peace.
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