Community Chat

[Cakers3]

I'm not thrilled with having to shop Amazon but so many vendor sites now direct you to Amazon if you want to order their products.

I refuse to shop for food online until the day comes when we have no more food markets, which I probably will not live to see.

I get everyone is busy but many of us worked, raised kids, cooked, cleaned, and shopped in person and never gave it a second thought. So the lack of time isn't that big of an excuse, to me anyway.

I also get that some folks need home deliveries for physical health reasons or because they are care-takers, etc. so online shopping is a blessing in those instances.

[Puppy Lips]

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@Lipstickdiva wrote:

Our Pat Catan's closed several months ago and is re-opening as Michael's this weekend.  

I can't really say I'm shocked about Walgreens.  It seems there is a store on every corner.

Sad what is happening. So many people are going to be out of jobs.  I just saw this morning that Cisco is laying off 500 employees.  

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@Lipstickdiva We are originally from Cleveland and know the "Catan" family.  I am sure they made out quite well in the sale.  I loved going to Catan's.

[Tinkrbl44]

It's not just sales dropping ... it's also costs going up for stores and restaurants.

Example .....  A very busy deli-type restaurant adjacent to Cedars Sanai hospital (Los Angeles)  was up for lease renewal.  The landlord decided to raise the monthly rent of $18,000 per month to $36,000 per month .... yes, literally doubling the rent.   

The restaurant owner said no way, I have 3 other restaurants, I'll just close this one when the lease expires.  Screw that!   So, the restaurant closed, patrons were mad because they had great food ....  and that closed building has sat empty for three years now.   Pity.

[Suzeecat]

I would certainly miss shopping at Tuesday Morning and Bed Bath & Beyond, two stores that suck me in with impulse purchases (things I didn't know I wanted or needed or even existed).  It looks like the shopping experience as we know it is changing dramatically over the next couple generations.  Should be interesting. 

[Cakers3]

This is true about rents-BB&B said that rent negotiations fall through and so some stores end up being closed.  They are still opening others, though.

There is so much building going on in my neck of the woods and I'm cringing at all these mini-malls.  Water, electricity, etc.  Great construction jobs but many stores end up empty in the end.

[Puppy Lips]

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@Spurt wrote:

I am sad about losing jobs and choices.  And less choices means with less competition which means higher prices loom in our future.....

Although I cant get into the nitty gritty...much of it... .. lets just say when April 15th rolls around Jeff Bezos and Amazon are still smiling.  And then there's their devious pricing games. I hope the recent "look/see" into some of the companies with unfair advantages will result in changes......

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@Spurt Exactly.  I always wonder what prices will be when Amazon is the only place to shop.  I don't think that will happen though.  Hopefully WalMart and Target will hang in there, because I shop those stores all the time.  My DH told me that Amazon, for years, was never showing a profit.  If true, not sure what accounting games they were playing or how they could keep borrowing money to expand.  I do hope things change and they have to start paying taxes, if they have not already.

[Puppy Lips]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

It's not just sales dropping ... it's also costs going up for stores and restaurants.

Example .....  A very busy deli-type restaurant adjacent to Cedars Sanai hospital (Los Angeles)  was up for lease renewal.  The landlord decided to raise the monthly rent of $18,000 per month to $36,000 per month .... yes, literally doubling the rent.   

The restaurant owner said no way, I have 3 other restaurants, I'll just close this one when the lease expires.  Screw that!   So, the restaurant closed, patrons were mad because they had great food ....  and that closed building has sat empty for three years now.   Pity.

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That is so true too about the rents.  We live near a very small but somewhat famous "quaint" little city in Central FL. All the downtown property is basically owned by two very wealthy families.  The rents are outrageous.  We have been here 12 years and seen much turnover is some of the locations, and other locations have sat empty for years.  There is one restaurant that kept changing hands, being closed in between.  The last guy that rented it moved from just down the street.  But he did not get enough business to cover the $15,000 monthly rent.  I could not believe it was that much.  Not only did he end up breaking his lease, the new and expensive kitchen equipment he put in had to stay with the property per the contract.  I think these property owners should be looking out for the health of the city, and not their own bank accounts.  Wouldn't lowering the rents, and actually having a stressful business in them be better than have it vacant?  Maybe they get better tax breaks if they are vacant.  I don't know.  Someone recently suggested a "vacancy tax."  That might be a good idea.

[Spurt]

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@hckynut wrote:

@Spurt 

I agree. Too many billion dollar corporations pay no taxes?  Then there are huge tech companies that are exempt from rules that govern what other news and opinion corporations can and cannot say or show?

The company I worked for for 33 years was declared to be "a monopoly" by one Judge Green in 1984. That company size paled/pales in size comparison to several tech Corp's that do not even get a mention of the word "monopoly". I have my own opinion on the "why" of that and to me that is anti-capitalist by its nature.

I think we both know where a large majority of people get their news, and when technology can play a part in picking that content? We are more than likely on the same page on this.

hckynut

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@hckynut 

👍

[Spurt]

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

I am sad about losing jobs and choices.  And less choices means with less competition which means higher prices loom in our future.....

Although I cant get into the nitty gritty...much of it... .. lets just say when April 15th rolls around Jeff Bezos and Amazon are still smiling.  And then there's their devious pricing games. I hope the recent "look/see" into some of the companies with unfair advantages will result in changes......

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@Spurt Exactly.  I always wonder what prices will be when Amazon is the only place to shop.  I don't think that will happen though.  Hopefully WalMart and Target will hang in there, because I shop those stores all the time.  My DH told me that Amazon, for years, was never showing a profit.  If true, not sure what accounting games they were playing or how they could keep borrowing money to expand.  I do hope things change and they have to start paying taxes, if they have not already.

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@Puppy Lips 

From what I read, Amazon, never followed the traditional steps of retail, they took the money they made and immediately re-invested it in the company.  They were lucky it worked and the economy at that time was on their side too....along with some unfair advantages....

The TJ Maxx companies (TJ's, Marshalls, Home Goods) are doing quite well too---all age groups, even millenials shop IN STORE there.....and sales increases are due to an increase in foot traffic....

[SahmIam]

Interesting thread and many very good points/opinions have been made. 

I read this while at the mall with my 13 year old son doing some back to school shopping. I haven't been to the mall in a long time so while I sat and he went into a store with a few buddies (met them with their moms also back to school shopping), I thought about what I was seeing and my observations based on this thread.

None of the stores listed are closing in my area. I agree that there is a Walgreens and CVS next to each other on every corner. The CVS nearest to me is the one we use, otherwise, I've never been to any of the others nor Walgreens.

Our area is ALL chain stores. Not a Mom and Pop store to be found. Been that way for at least 20 years due to the RENT in our area. It's disgusting. 

The mall was busy. VERY busy. What stands out is how many stores target females; specifically teens and college age. Other than 2 stores for men (suits), every store was something about girls/teens/women. When we would go into a store that is unisex, there would be a tiny section for boys/men and everything else was for girls/women. 5 stores just about makeup. 3 stores just about costume jewelry. The anchor stores were busy as well and the eatery was a nightmare, lol. LOTS of teens. In fact, I saw more teens than anything else but again, it's back to school.

What also stood out is the LACK OF HELP. I'm telling you, I just took control and did what a salesperson is SUPPOSED to do when it came to shopping with my son. Didn't matter the store (and don't EVEN bother to ask me how bad Pennys, Macy's and Lord and Taylor- do they even HAVE salespeople in there anymore?!). Nordstrom was ok but offered nothing for a boy his age. Nothing. 

Which is why we spent most of our money at Walmart and ordered off of the Old Navy website. I can't spend my money if you don't have anything for me to buy and none of these stores in the mall did. Between the lack of merchandise and the ZERO assistance, why do you think I'm ordering online? Now you know why I don't bother with the mall anymore.

The exception to all of this is when I shop at a high end department store. 180 degrees different. If they don't have it, they'll find it asap and send it at NO charge so I can see if I like it. If I do, THEN they'll charge my account. Free shipping back and forth. Let me tell you, customer service the way I remember it being in retail no matter the store when I was growing up as well as when I worked retail myself. Which came first: lack of items and horrible CS or people shopping online?I'm really not sure, to be honest.