This sentence : "Just as American as the need to buy, social observers say, is buyer's remorse." , does not make sense. Maybe this sentence should be " ANY AMERICAN FEELS THE NEED TO BUY, BUT AS EVERYONE KNOWS, SOMETIMES YOU EXPERIENCE A BUYER'S REMORSE". In other words you are sorry you bought something. This sentence: "dates nearly to" it is also a bit of a problematic sentence. For example... you found a bone on the street. If you give it to an archeologist he will say THIS BONE DATES BACK TO 500 AGO OR NEARLY 500 YEARS. That would be the correct use of the sentence. This sentence : "come in slick" means absolutely nothing. I don't understand the meaning of the passage you posted. Sorry