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America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

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Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#181

Post by gozur88 »

paulpauper wrote: post #155
gozur88 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are still some things you might want to buy in person. Fresh produce, for example, or clothing. Especially clothing. A lot of people like to try on clothes before they buy - they want to see how it looks on them , they want to check out the quality and weight of the fabric. Plus, if you're picky about color there's no substitute for looking at something in person. I realize you can effectively do that online by…

but once people know their size and brand they don't need to keep trying it on

Sure, if they buy the same brand. But styles change. Not everyone is like me, still wearing the same brand (though sadly, not the same size) of jeans I wore in high school.

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#182

Post by astura »

onion2k wrote: post #97
pascalxus wrote: post #60

Malls hold no interest for me whatsoever. There's nothing there worthwhile, other than employment. Malls have nothing: no libraries, no Good Cafes, no places to hang out, no parks, no museums, no zoos, limited live music, no outdoors. And the few things it does have: like some book stores and places to eat, are all engineered to get you in and out and back to the Mall's singular focus: Spend, spend, spend: shop till…

Spend, spend, spend: shop till you drop mentality. If you think malls are only about consumerism then you've misunderstood a big part of their appeal for a lot of people. Young people and groups of friends don't go to the mall on their own. Malls merge consumerism with social activity - they're for people who enjoy shopping with their friends. If that's not you then fair enough, but don't disparage malls simply becau…

How young?

Many malls have banned people under 18 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. This practice started around 10 years ago.

Just in case anyone doubts me: http://www.parenting.com/news-break/why-your-teen-getting-ba...

>Up to 80 malls across the United States enforce a curfew or escort policy for teenagers

I was still looking young in 2008 despite being well into my 20s and that's when I got IDed at a mall entrance. I was so annoyed/insulted by it I never went back to that mall every again. I can understand getting IDed at a bar, but not at a friggin mall.

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#183

Post by Noos »

gozur88 wrote: post #50
viridian wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention the network effects. If half the stores in a mall close with no new ones opening, that whole mall is going to go under, and it's going to damage all the stores in the process.

Plus everyone who worked at those closed stores is now out of a job.

plus everyone who serviced those stores has just lost a market. All that HR software you sale, all the consultants, all the property owners, all the insurance people, the janitorial and other support staff...

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#184

Post by drak0n1c »

onion2k wrote: post #97
pascalxus wrote: post #60

Malls hold no interest for me whatsoever. There's nothing there worthwhile, other than employment. Malls have nothing: no libraries, no Good Cafes, no places to hang out, no parks, no museums, no zoos, limited live music, no outdoors. And the few things it does have: like some book stores and places to eat, are all engineered to get you in and out and back to the Mall's singular focus: Spend, spend, spend: shop till…

Spend, spend, spend: shop till you drop mentality. If you think malls are only about consumerism then you've misunderstood a big part of their appeal for a lot of people. Young people and groups of friends don't go to the mall on their own. Malls merge consumerism with social activity - they're for people who enjoy shopping with their friends. If that's not you then fair enough, but don't disparage malls simply becau…

For many people malls are a comfortable place with free air conditioning during the summer months. Free internet also helps. I've seen McDonalds also serve a similar local function.

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#185

Post by olegkikin »

sytelus wrote: post #24

Retail is the prime example of middleman business. The middleman businesses don't produce anything by themselves and attempt to extract profits via information asymmetry and/or some value adds such as geographically closer availability. Eventually both of these should be done by machines. Throughout the history technology has been killing off middleman businesses such as travel agents, insurance agents, stock brokers…

Retail businesses provide services, just like barbers, who also don't produce anything.

- Transportation

- Breaking wholesale packs into something an average person can actually buy

- Holding and efficiently managing huge inventories

- Allowing you to touch, see, and sometimes try items before you buy them

- Dealing with broken items, instantly replacing them

- Providing all these services locally

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#186

Post by bluedino »

samsolomon wrote: post #102

I live near Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, and they could not be any busier. It's packed at 2pm on a Tuesday when I'm going to an eye doctor appointment. On the weekends there are often traffic issues in from people entering and leaving. I feel like it's not that malls or retailers are dying, but instead all the revenue is going to a few places with wealthy, urban locations. Perhaps this has to do with the i…

Right - Atlanta has many dead/dying malls. Shannon Mall, Southlake, Greenbriar and Gwinnett Place

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#187

Post by _ea1k »

seanc wrote: post #81
pascalxus wrote: post #60

Malls hold no interest for me whatsoever. There's nothing there worthwhile, other than employment. Malls have nothing: no libraries, no Good Cafes, no places to hang out, no parks, no museums, no zoos, limited live music, no outdoors. And the few things it does have: like some book stores and places to eat, are all engineered to get you in and out and back to the Mall's singular focus: Spend, spend, spend: shop till…

The irony is that they were originally supposed to provide all of those things: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-gruen-effect/

Yeah, but it really feels like they have gotten away from the original vision. I remember when malls had arcades (ok, and outdated concept in itself) and regular community events. But it seems like these don't produce enough revenue, so malls have optimized themselves into a revenue model that removes their natural appeal as a third place.

I think that malls could make a huge comeback with a focus on events that naturally draw people in and an emphasis on the kinds of high-touch products that people generally do prefer to buy in person.

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#188

Post by narrator »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #100
narrator wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know all you alpha-nerds just never want to leave the house and could live in a 20foot square cube and sit on the toilet with your laptop while only consuming auto-delivered soylent and a caffeine IV drip for all you care, but let me help you all out with a little in understanding this retail thing: Retail is mostly about entertainment now, primarily for women. Women like to shop for clothes and try stuff on. They…

Fewer people can afford those experiences. There's usually one or two nice parts of town with (search for Apple store, Nordstroms, or Whole Foods), where you can find new development. But buying stuff made in China was cheap, even people who made $30k/year could do that. But going out for coffee, brunch, movies, massages, trainers, that stuff is way more expensive, and so is limited to the nicer parts of town.

On the low-end there's Dollar Tree (DLTR) and Ross(ROST). Mid-market Costco(COST) has also been doing well. Prices at Ross are much much lower than Amazon if your time is cheap or you like shopping. Similarly, grocery delivery is expensive if your time is cheap.

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#189

Post by dghughes »

cwbrandsma wrote: post #122
pascalxus wrote: post #60

Malls hold no interest for me whatsoever. There's nothing there worthwhile, other than employment. Malls have nothing: no libraries, no Good Cafes, no places to hang out, no parks, no museums, no zoos, limited live music, no outdoors. And the few things it does have: like some book stores and places to eat, are all engineered to get you in and out and back to the Mall's singular focus: Spend, spend, spend: shop till…

I'm not disagreeing completely, but your location might be influencing your answer. I live in the northern portion of the USA, we get freezing winters and blistering summers. Come mid-winter...I am not going downtown to walk around outside, we don't hang out outside (unless we are talking winter sports, and then FULLY clothed). In summer, there needs to be shade. Fall and spring, we get wet. But really, it seems like…

I'm in eastern Canada and I agree with your weather statement. With 100km/h winds, -25C and 1m of snow it's not worth going out. I wish we had a subway system here and underground shops.

Montreal and Toronto have huge indoor shopping areas connected by subway, I suppose technically they are malls.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(Toronto)

Re: America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

#190

Post by heimidal »

itswhateverman2 wrote: post #164
heimidal wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Never? I certainly prefer a mall over a nice outdoor space (which I have available to me) when it’s freezing outside with a sheen of ice covering everything.

Sure, it's convenient when the weather is bad. That still doesn't make malls a staple of social activity, which was the point I was arguing against.

In some parts of the US, the weather is bad for half of the year. In those places, malls are bustling with activity every weekend.

I think this is a regional thing; in warmer climates, outdoor shopping centers with community-centric areas have been all the rage for years.

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