Neiman has made an effort over the last year to emphasize more moderately priced merchandise, but higher-priced goods still dominate its mix.

For the fourth quarter, European unit sales were off, but sales and profit margin increases reflected an emphasis on higher-priced goods.

It said the combined operation would be the largest maker of premium, or higher-priced, baked goods in the country.

When that happens, however, it stirs concern that the higher-priced foreign goods will stimulate inflation.

And a third surprise was that in some stores higher-priced goods outsold medium-priced items.

And some stores encouraged shoppers to buy higher-priced goods, promoting brand-name labels that carry higher profit margins.

Many experts contend that higher wages would force China to move toward higher-priced goods, even if the yuan did not gain value.

And everyone pays the price of shoplifting through higher-priced goods.

About 20 percent is higher-priced goods available only in the stores.

In Russia's anguished consumer markets, something of a standoff continues over much of the new higher-priced goods.