Retail in general

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

If you are upset/disappointed/mad at retail in general, take out your frustration here.

[TheFugitive]

I would say that I am angry/disappointed in the arrogant, selfish, delusional senior management for whom I worked in retail, and about how the decisions they made affected my family.

I moved 8 times in 10 years in that business.  This is not a stable environment in which to raise children.  I worked 60-80 hours per week for what was, in retrospect, relatively little money.  You never get that time back with your children.  Most of what I was doing was gruntwork and not management.  They did not want to spend the hourly payroll, so they shoved menial tasks onto salaried members of management. I spent more time with mops, brooms and hammers than doing anything managerial.  That plus the 5+ miles you run around the store everyday has made me a candidate for knee replacement.  They did things like open the store on Thanksgiving and schedule an inventory right after New Years (which in effect meant no days off between early November and mid-January).  Then they abused the bankruptcy laws to shaft me out of my bonus.

At the same time they did not appreciate your efforts.  On the contrary, they would routinely show up in your store yelling, screaming, swearing and threatening.  They did not want to hear any objections, even if they were very sound and rooted in fact.  I once got myself in hot water for telling a Regional VP that our customers could not navigate a three-foot aisle.  Yet when he went ahead and cut the aisle spacing that became the #1 subject of customer complaints.  They were arrogant enough to think that no one could tell them anything.  Smartest guys in the room.  Yet they kept taking the companies into bankruptcy.  Once the CEO of a chain I worked for showed-up in the store at 7:30PM.....drunk, and with a blonde on each arm.  He reamed out an 18 year-old employee for not knowing who he was.  These guys had multiple affairs with employees, even as we at store level were dragged to quarterly meetings on sexual harassment.   One RM traveled around with an attractive woman who held the title "Regional Hardlines Merchandise Coordinator".  None of us could figure out what she actually did.   At least what she did for the company.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

I'm disappointed in the fact that many people are avoiding brick-and-mortar retailers altogether. Shopping online is not a good substitute for shopping in a brick-and-mortar retailer. I believe that it is much better to see the product in person (and sometimes try it on), instead of ordering it online, only to risk my purchase being too small or to be broken by the time it arrives to my house through the mail. Going to the store and seeing the product in person, plus trying it out, is a lot better than waiting a couple days/weeks/months for a package to arrive by mail.

Support your brick-and-mortar retailers today!

[Pikapower]

I'm disappointed in the fact that many people are avoiding brick-and-mortar retailers altogether. Shopping online is not a good substitute for shopping in a brick-and-mortar retailer. I believe that it is much better to see the product in person (and sometimes try it on), instead of ordering it online, only to risk my purchase being too small or to be broken by the time it arrives to my house through the mail. Going to the store and seeing the product in person, plus trying it out, is a lot better than waiting a couple days/weeks/months for a package to arrive by mail.

Support your brick-and-mortar retailers today!

If you're shopping for clothes, you can't try it before you buy online and not to mention the shipping and handling costs in addition to the price of your online order. That's just one of the many reason why shopping in an actual store is better than shopping online.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

If you're shopping for clothes, you can't try it before you buy online and not to mention the shipping and handling costs in addition to the price of your online order. That's just one of the many reason why shopping in an actual store is better than shopping online.

I agree. Brick-and-mortar shopping has its benefits. One thing I like about going to an actual store is seeing what item I get before I purchase it.

[Pikapower]

The internet pretty much "killed" the mall, hence why some non-department store mall based retailers like Aeropostale, Gymboree, Clare's, and Abercrombie & Fitch are closing down of their brick and mortar stores leaving the mall for "dead".

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The internet pretty much "killed" the mall, hence why some non-department store mall based retailers like Aeropostale, Gymboree, Clare's, and Abercrombie & Fitch are closing down of their brick and mortar stores leaving the mall for "dead".

I hope the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA, American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA and the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada don't die. Hopefully those shopping malls, along with other shopping malls here in North America, can find ways to reinvent themselves during the so-called "retail apocalypse" as people turn to big-box stores to make purchases.


As for me, I only like to shop online 49% of the time, preferring to go to big-box retailers and shopping malls 51% of the time.

Not all shopping mall-based specialty retailers are dead or dying. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Hot Topic, Old Navy, Zumiez, Tilly's, The Buckle, Foot Locker, GNC, Vitamin World, ALDO, Famous Footwear and a few other retail names come to mind. Payless and GameStop are the specialty stores that are currently failing recently.

Department stores like JCPenney, Macy's, and Sears are closing stores, but Sears is destined to fail in the future (they sold their Craftsman tools to Stanley-Black & Decker).

Discount stores and superstores like Walmart, Target, Shopko/Shopko Hometown and Meijer are still popular, while the Kmart stores are closing left and right (Shopko only closed four stores out of their 300+ stores recently compared to the hundreds that Kmart has closed recently out of their remaining 1,000+ stores).

Toy stores like Toys "R" Us are hanging on.

Retailers like Burlington, Ross Dress For Less and Tuesday Morning just opened in my area.

Thrift stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent DePaul are popular in my area.

I just hope the economy turns around, and this retail apocalypse becomes just another blip in our history continuum.

There will always be people making money and losing money, no matter what history teaches us.

I still hope for that retail renaissance to come.

[Pikapower]

Not only the internet "killed" the mall, it's places like T.J.Maxx/Marshall's and Burlington Coat Factory who sell pretty much the same merchandise that you can spend and arm and leg at the mall, but at a slightly lower price than what you pay at the mall.

Also when it comes to essentials like food, cleaning products, and basic clothing (IE socks and underwear), folks are shopping at places like Big Lots, Dollar General, Walmart, and Target for stuff like that.

The mall industry needs to reinvent itself in order to keep up with today's lifestyles.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The mall industry needs to reinvent itself in order to keep up with today's lifestyles.

True.

[TheFugitive]

There is a very healthy mall close to where I live (South Hills Village).
Part of the secret is that it is located amongst several residential communities
with higher than average income.  Part of it stems from the fact that although
remodeled multiple times, the mall is over a half-century old, and thus is smaller
than most that are really struggling today to fill hundreds of square feet of space.
This keeps if from acquiring that "abandoned neighborhood" look that you find at
places like Century III.

And the mall has been "lifestyle targeted" to women under 40.  I realize as I walk
about it these days that there is very little of interest there for me, a male over 50.

[Pikapower]

Nobody wants to shop at mall anymore and that is why non-anchored mall-based retailers like Gymboree, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Aeropostale, and Justice are suffering.

Not to mention that you can find stuff from those non-anchored mall-based retailers if your lucky at thrift stores for cheap instead of paying a fortune at the mall, but odds are it would be most likely to be used like many of clothes thrift stores sell.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

There is a very healthy mall close to where I live (South Hills Village).
Part of the secret is that it is located amongst several residential communities
with higher than average income.  Part of it stems from the fact that although
remodeled multiple times, the mall is over a half-century old, and thus is smaller
than most that are really struggling today to fill hundreds of square feet of space.
This keeps if from acquiring that "abandoned neighborhood" look that you find at
places like Century III.

And the mall has been "lifestyle targeted" to women under 40.  I realize as I walk
about it these days that there is very little of interest there for me, a male over 50.

There's also a very healthy mall near where I live, called Bay Park Square, owned by the Simon Property Group. The mall has 100+ stores, most of the stores are targeted towards the under 40 crowd. The mall also has a large Shopko store as one of four of its anchors stores. The mall is also located near Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, another place that draws tourists and sports fans to our area.

[TheFugitive]

South Hills Village is a Simon property too.

The mall is also located on the Pittsburgh light-rail system
(known locally as "The T") which makes it easy to get back and forth from Downtown.

A large apartment complex is currently under construction in between
the "T" station and the mall.

[busman_49]

Not only the internet "killed" the mall, it's places like T.J.Maxx/Marshall's and Burlington Coat Factory who sell pretty much the same merchandise that you can spend and arm and leg at the mall, but at a slightly lower price than what you pay at the mall.

Also when it comes to essentials like food, cleaning products, and basic clothing (IE socks and underwear), folks are shopping at places like Big Lots, Dollar General, Walmart, and Target for stuff like that.

The mall industry needs to reinvent itself in order to keep up with today's lifestyles.

Hear hear!  Generally, there is nothing I want at the mall that I can't find somewhere else for much cheaper.  Even eating at the food court is just this side of highway robbery.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Even eating at the food court is just this side of highway robbery.

There are some fast food restaurants at the mall food court where you don't have to pay high prices, like McDonald's, Burger King, A&W, Taco Bell, Arby's, Subway and Dairy Queen.

[Pikapower]

^Even mall food courts are falling victim to the now dying mall industry and many mall are/were built in areas were there are plenty of fast food restaurants located outside the mall.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nobody wants to shop at the mall, everybody wants to shop online or at Walmart and that is what's killing the mall industry and the only time that people go to the mall is for buying vitamins at GNC or to buy raunchy sex toys at Spencer's.

[TheFugitive]

^Even mall food courts are falling victim to the now dying mall industry and many mall are/were built in areas were there are plenty of fast food restaurants located outside the mall.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nobody wants to shop at the mall, everybody wants to shop online or at Walmart and that is what's killing the mall industry and the only time that people go to the mall is for buying vitamins at GNC or to buy raunchy sex toys at Spencer's.

At Century III the Chick-fil-A and the Arby's that were in the mall food court relocated to
freestanding locations outside the mall.

I think you are on to something.  Every time I am in a mall I am noticing more and more
that there is absolutely nothing there geared to appeal to my demographic (males over 50).
Everything seems geared to women 15-40.   The best thing I get out of a mall these days
is a little 80's nostalgia.

[Pikapower]

^Even mall food courts are falling victim to the now dying mall industry and many mall are/were built in areas were there are plenty of fast food restaurants located outside the mall.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nobody wants to shop at the mall, everybody wants to shop online or at Walmart and that is what's killing the mall industry and the only time that people go to the mall is for buying vitamins at GNC or to buy raunchy sex toys at Spencer's.

At Century III the Chick-fil-A and the Arby's that were in the mall food court relocated to
freestanding locations outside the mall.

I think you are on to something.  Every time I am in a mall I am noticing more and more
that there is absolutely nothing there geared to appeal to my demographic (males over 50).
Everything seems geared to women 15-40.   The best thing I get out of a mall these days
is a little 80's nostalgia.

Back before the internet became a mainstream thing young people (more specifically, teenagers) used hang out and shop at the mall to buy stuff and to get a bite to eat, play arcade games, or catch a show at the movies. Now a days some malls don't allow anyone under 18 in the mall without a parent and that rule plays contributing factor in the dying mall industry.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

^Even mall food courts are falling victim to the now dying mall industry and many mall are/were built in areas were there are plenty of fast food restaurants located outside the mall.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nobody wants to shop at the mall, everybody wants to shop online or at Walmart and that is what's killing the mall industry and the only time that people go to the mall is for buying vitamins at GNC or to buy raunchy sex toys at Spencer's.

At Century III the Chick-fil-A and the Arby's that were in the mall food court relocated to
freestanding locations outside the mall.

I think you are on to something.  Every time I am in a mall I am noticing more and more
that there is absolutely nothing there geared to appeal to my demographic (males over 50).
Everything seems geared to women 15-40.   The best thing I get out of a mall these days
is a little 80's nostalgia.

Back before the internet became a mainstream thing young people (more specifically, teenagers) used hang out and shop at the mall to buy stuff and to get a bite to eat, play arcade games, or catch a show at the movies. Now a days some malls don't allow anyone under 18 in the mall without a parent and that rule plays contributing factor in the dying mall industry.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/2015/07/05/mall-kids/29616733/

Different shopping malls have different age restrictions. The Mall of America was the first mall to make a parental escort a requirement, in 1996. Some shopping malls don't allow anyone under 17 or 18.

[Pikapower]

If things don't turn around soon, we're going to have a retail crash resulting in many store chain going out or at least closing the bulk of the stores.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

It just makes us wish that "brick-and-mortar retail neutrality" existed.

[Pikapower]

It just makes us wish that "brick-and-mortar retail neutrality" existed.

Ditto!

The brick and mortar industry as we know it is crumbing, malls are losing stores left and right. It all because of the internet and people are only shopping in stores for essentials like food, toiletries, and basic clothes and also some areas suffer from being over saturated with malls and plazas.

[Pikapower]

I think people these day just want to shop at big box stores like Walmart or online instead of going to the mall or a plaza. Yet again most plazas are headed by a big box store or at least a large grocery store.

[TRU7536]

I think people these day just want to shop at big box stores like Walmart or online instead of going to the mall or a plaza. Yet again most plazas are headed by a big box store or at least a large grocery store.

Wal-Mart is struggling as well to compete against companies like amazon.

[TheFugitive]

Yes, we are working towards a world where people will never again
have to leave the couch.

[Pikapower]

Yes, we are working towards a world where people will never again
have to leave the couch.

*facepalm* since when did we get to lazy to just go to an actual store and buy stuff?

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Yes, we are working towards a world where people will never again
have to leave the couch.

That is not the world I want to live in!

Humans need to react with other humans, and not just interact through the computer.
I'd rather make purchases through a REAL store, thank you!
Humans also need exercise! Go the gym, go for a walk, do something, rather than play computer games!
Not to mention streaming is expensive in Alaska, home to the last 10 Blockbuster Video stores!

>:( I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RETAIL GRAVEYARD!!!! >:(

[Pikapower]

Yes, we are working towards a world where people will never again
have to leave the couch.

That is not the world I want to live in!

Humans need to react with other humans, and not just interact through the computer.
I'd rather make purchases through a REAL store, thank you!
Humans also need exercise! Go the gym, go for a walk, do something, rather than play computer games!
Not to mention streaming is expensive in Alaska, home to the last 10 Blockbuster Video stores!

>:( I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RETAIL GRAVEYARD!!!! >:(

Right, we humans still need to go out, rather than sit on our butts all day, but that's is not going to make brick and mortar retail great again, or will it?

We're facing a possible "retail apocalypse" here people, so go out and shop at a real store while you still can! 

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Yes, we are working towards a world where people will never again
have to leave the couch.

That is not the world I want to live in!

Humans need to react with other humans, and not just interact through the computer.
I'd rather make purchases through a REAL store, thank you!
Humans also need exercise! Go the gym, go for a walk, do something, rather than play computer games!
Not to mention streaming is expensive in Alaska, home to the last 10 Blockbuster Video stores!

>:( I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RETAIL GRAVEYARD!!!! >:(

Right, we humans still need to go out, rather than sit on our butts all day, but that's is not going to make brick and mortar retail great again, or will it?

We're facing a possible "retail apocalypse" here people, so go out and shop at a real store while you still can! 

Online shopping may be convenient, but noting beats brick-and-mortar retail. I'd rather make my purchases right away at a brick-and-mortar retail than make a purchase online that takes days or months to arrive by mail, FedEx or UPS.

[TheFugitive]

I didn't say it was a good thing, but we ARE working towards a world
where nobody leaves the couch.