Suggestion Box

[KathyPet]

I am a big clothes shopper.  90% of my clothing purchases are from Talbot's.  I like their styles, color selection and quality merchandise.  Most of all I like that about 90% of their clothing is available in a full range of sizes including a woman petite range which I prefer in skirts and pants.  The store in my town is small and does not carry the Woman's Petite sizes at all although they carry regular Woman sizes. A larger store In a mall about a hour away carries more merchandise and Woman Petite.  So,  I visit my local store every couple of weeks to check out new items.  I look through all the departments including petite and misses items and if I find something I love in Petite I come home and buy it in my size on line.  Because of the amount of Talbot's clothing I buy shipping is free.  If I do need to return something I can return it at the local store.  I seldom have a sizing issue but if I am unsure I simply order multiple sizes and return what does not fit.  Every 6 weeks or so I will make the drive to the mall and visit the Talbot's store there along with checking the Lord & Taylor and Macy's stores in the larger mall.

[hoosieroriginal]

The closing of brick and mortar stores will continue as long as people continue to shop online - people will lose their jobs and our towns will be bare.  In my town two major retailers are closing in July.  People who have worked at these businesses for around 30 years are now without jobs.  Come on ladies - get out there and support your local economy - you forget how fun it is to go out and actually try on clothes or find something for your house.  It's really much more fun, you save money because you try things on and if they don't fit, there's no return fees.  Let's save our towns and peoples' jobs. 

[Iwantcoffee]

I do most of my shopping in brick and mortar local stores. While brick and motor is not trouble-free, neither is online shopping. I have had more issues to resolve with online shopping than brick and motor. I like to see what I buy and look at similar items before buying without having return cost.

[BornToShop]

@hoosieroriginal, your response is spot-on.  What I can't wrap my head around is the online shoppers who don't want to support the bricks & mortar stores seem to find the time to return their online purchases to the stores?!? 

[morganjen]

I would love to live somewhere that actually had access to actual stores (other than Walmart). I do online shopping, but my husband's home all day and absolutely hates it when packages are delivered.

[hoosieroriginal]

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@AngelPuppy1 wrote:

I prefer to shop in regular stores.  I enjoy the experience.  Always have.  I can't spend the time the way I used to because of health and other issues, but I still love shopping in malls and stores.  I order some things on line but it's just not the same to me.  It's not as satisfying.  I love the hunt!  I love going to the stores, searching out a good bargain.  I love people watching.  I really have fun seeing the pretty colors and fabrics.  And, of course --- it's instant gratification.  When I want something -- I want it right now!  I don't want to wait a week or 2!  

I feel very badly that so many stores and malls are going or gone and it seems to be the way of life any more for most people to shop on-line.  I believe on-line is very useful, don't get me wrong.  But I think in many ways it is doing us all a disservice.  

I am showing my age but "back in the day", going to the "mall" was a fun thing for a person to do or a family to do.  You would spend the day or several hours and everyone would get to look in the stores they liked and you would go and get lunch or whatever.  It was good clean fun!  And it was supporting your local economy.  I miss those days.  Just sayin'!!!!  

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@AngelPuppy1 - Yes, yes yes - it's the thrill of the hunt - you put it perfectly - I love to find that little gem in the corner that everyone has passed up - yes, I remember sitting at the mall just people watching - used to be great fun - the mall here is empty - you could throw a bowling ball through it from one end to the other. 

[QVCkitty1]

I love shopping in real stores, however , where I live the main stores are the two marts ,K and Wal,,so my options are limited. When I do get to regular stores it makes me very happy, because it's a treat. That being said, online shopping has been a lifesaver.

[dex]

I am a compulsive shopper so I will buy more in the store because I am attracted to so many of the things that I see.Online shopping for me is about typing in what I am needing and searching for a price.I don't see other items to get distracted by...pictures don't make products capture my attention.I guess I am still in love with reality shopping.

[Pook]

I never did like trying on clothes or the "thrill of the hunt".  Just too much wasted time for me!  When there was no other option but b & M stores, finding time was a real problem and I either had to let some obligation go or take vacation time off work.  Just way too hectic for me!!

[ChynnaBlue]

This was happening even before online shopping got so big, but online shopping has definitely hastened it along.

I tend to go to brick and mortar stores for cosmetics but order most skincare online. I used to buy shoes in person, but now I have to order online because I need wide shoes and almost no B&M stores carry wides. (I always did need wider shoes, but I ignored it until I got a corn when I was 40 and now I don't risk buying medium shoes.) I buy clothes mostly online but also in stores.

Whenever I get mad about the dearth of selections available in stores, I remind myself that I am part of the reason stores cut back.

That said, turning her building into a services-only place is a good plan. Since I've moved to Austin, two major malls have closed down. One was on it's way out in 2000, so it was before online shopping was big. Now it's got a few stores and restaurants, a conference center, and the large interior has been turned into the Gallery of Salons, where they have multiple stylists, estheticians, and nail salons. They seem to be doing very well now. The other mall just closed few years ago and was turned into an extension campus of the Austin Community College system. That's also been a huge success and has been covered in many articles and news stories as an example of what can be done about abandoned malls.