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The following appeared in the opinion column of a financial magazine:
"On average, middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products
and services, while for younger consumers the average is only25 percent. Since the number of middle-aged
people will increase dramatically within the next decade, department stores can expect retail sales to increase
significantly during that period. Furthermore, to take advantage of the trend, these stores should begin to replace
some of those products intended to attract the youngerconsumer with products intended to attract the middleaged
consumer."
Discuss how well reasoned ... etc.

In the preceding statement the author claims that Department stores can expect retail sales to increase significantly over next decade and backs his claim by providing inappropriate data.The authors claim may well have merit but author presents poorly reasoned argument based on unsubstantiated premises. We cannot accept his argument as valid.

Primary issue lies in the authors premises according to which middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products and services, while younger consumers contribute 25 percent. However the author fails to provide the validity of this information which could have been proved by providing the duration over which this percents have been derived, because without which the information given is useless. More over the author estimates the sales of the next decade based upon this data, which could have been still inappropriate, because we live in very dynamic world where tastes and preferences change frequently

Additionally, the author suggests that to take advantage of the trend, stores should begin replacing the products intended to attract the younger consumer with products intended to attract middle aged consumers; However by stating so the author fails to see the data he himself has provided, because according to his data middle aged people will increase dramatically with in the next decade implies that currently there are many young consumers and if followed according to the author's suggestion then it is highly possible that stores will lose their business.

Though the author's argument may well have merit, the author shold have reinforced his argument with reliable statistical data and provide a logical reason behind the suggestion given.

In sum, the author presents a poorly reasoned and illogical argument. If the author really wants to influence the readers mind he would have to largely restructure his argument and reinforce it with concrete evidence. Else his argument will likely convince very few people.

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