The C.E.O. of an Iowa-based on-line business says she’s noticed some trends among customers as the economy has gotten worse. Barbara Staib started and runs the “ Safe Home Products ” company.

Staib says she’s noticed that customers are choosing “practical” gifts, safety gifts, pet products, home products that you can use in your back yard. Staib says things like bird feeders and pet products have been selling well.

Staib says she’s been surprised at the interest, but says people are planning to spend more time at home and figure they may as well be safe and enjoy the outdoors from their kitchens and living rooms. Stain says emergency power systems and battery systems have also been hotter items — and that’s probably due to the disasters that hit in the past year.

She says a lot of people were impacted by the floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, and they don’t want to be left without power.

Staib says the Monday after Thanksgiving, or “Cyber Monday” was busy, but says Mondays are usually a busy day for on-line sales.

Radio Iowa