The promise hovers, just over the horizon, of a Britain in which parents and children stroll from their homes with wicker baskets to pick up homely, local goods from storekeepers who know them by name.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

For goods they might pick up as a convenience while in the store, like toothpaste or deodorant, pricing can be less sensitive.

ECONOMIST: How supermarkets have become department stores

Although the prices of some goods (such as energy and industrial raw materials) could pick up in 2003, the effect will probably be balanced by continuing falls in the prices of most services.

ECONOMIST: In profits we trust

Gas and smokes pull customers into the store, where they can pick up any of 2, 800 different--and higher-margin--goods, from gum to beer.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Federated gave Stambouli free rein to access the inventory of its East Coast warehouse, letting him deliver goods directly from there to East Coast customers if he agrees to pick up the shipping tab.

FORBES: Reseller Sees Many Happy Returns

There is speculation that the Chinese consumer will pick up the demand slack for the US and European consumers who are deleveraging and buying fewer Chinese-made goods.

FORBES: Chinese Quest For Shortcut To Greatness

Maersk's Triple Es will be going into service at a time when growth in the volume of goods to be shipped is comparatively low - some experts don't expect it to pick up until 2015.

BBC: How much bigger can container ships get?