U.S. consumers are shifting toward value and smarter shopping as price transparency increases. Katherine Black and Charlie O’Shea note that while demand for big‑ticket electronics has softened, shoppers still prioritize essentials like smartphones and computers, using AI to compare prices in real time. O’Shea remains bullish on Target (TGT) and highlights Costco (COST), Walmart (WMT), and TJX Companies (TJX) as retail leaders, with upcoming earnings set to test whether experiential retail can counter AI‑driven price hunting.