The constant pressure from investors for companies to grow their profits means they have to grow their sales to you. Plus, it's cheaper to try to sell more to you than find new customers.

It's standard practice in today's business world that the focus should be on increasing value to shareholders. But it hasn't always been that way.

Many companies focus on short-term results. The CEO of consumer-products giant Unilever, Paul Polman, says long-term strategic planning builds better businesses.

This is a Marketplace.org Reader

Most people remember the idea of the free market's "invisible hand," but it turns out, Adam Smith had a lot to say about consumers, too.

Trying to give your children an advantage in growing up makes consuming a competition. When everyone has a tutor, a trainer or a special baseball bat, you can't help but keep up.

A Saturday shopping trip started out fairly innocently… and ended with some big questions about our consumer economy and whether it is sustainable long-term.

We all want our kids to get into the best colleges they can. Some families take extra measures and spend extra money in pursuit of an edge.