If it seems like prices are going up and there are fewer deals available than there used to be, a new report offers a simple explanation for that – stores think we either don’t notice, or just don’t care.

“The Pricing Disconnect Between Senior Retail Executives and Consumers”, by retail technology company First Insight, finds that retail executives are a little out of touch when it comes to knowing what their customers want.

First Insight conducted separate surveys with consumers and senior-level retail executives to compare their perspectives on consumers’ shopping and saving habits. What they found was “a significant perception gap” when it comes to how prices impact consumers’ purchasing decisions.

Both groups agreed that quality was the most important factor in determining what to buy. But while 40% of consumers felt low pricing was most important, only 20% of retail executives thought consumers actually felt that way. Entire article from Coupons in the News here.