And a number of oil-producing countries are trimming their gasoline subsidies and raising taxes, so the net savings for global consumers is not as big as the oil price plunge might suggest.
Early iterations of the compact fluorescent light bulb were expensive, and consumers complained of myriad problems - from buzzing, flickering and long start-up time to unpleasant hues.
Levi Strauss has introduced a pay-as-you-wear model for its most fashionable jeans in India to preserve their upmarket status while broadening its customer base.
Their philosophy is that extending the life of a pair of jeans is not only great for the environment, but allows the consumer to get more value out of their product.
These habits have helped companies earn billions of dollars when customers eat snacks or wipe counters almost without thinking, often in response to a carefully designed set of daily cues.
Dell is bound and determined to show that it can be a bigger player in the consumer market.The company also is trying to shake its reputation for stodgy design.