Americans are used to buying cars and appliances on installment plans, but clothes?  

The Financial Times reports that Levi Strauss & Co. will be offering its jeans on an installment plan to Indian consumers.

India has had a vibrant consumer economy for years, driven by a rising middle class.  We view this as a positive for the world economy; more Indian consumers means more global demand, after all.  But in our view, Levi’s installment plan marks a move in a very different direction. Read the rest of this entry »