Dude Abides
Banned
No. People make housing decisions based on their work commutes, housing cost, and school quality. Not the local retail environment.
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CNN: More than 8,600 brick-and-mortar stores could close their doors in 2017
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
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No. People make housing decisions based on their work commutes, housing cost, and school quality. Not the local retail environment.
I listen to a home show program on my drive into work on weekends. The host made a comment last Sunday that the average age of a certified electrician is 55 years old right now and every year the average goes up almost exactly a year.
No one is learning these trades. I find that really interesting.
MegaManTrigger
Banned
I wonder if part of that has to do with culture. In the sense that parents are telling their kids to go after the more glamorous jobs (doctors, lawyers, etc.), while ignoring trades.
This is true, I am a programmer at a major logistics company and Amazon is definitely getting in this game like it did with retail game
Thats always been there.
This can't all be Amazon. There are too many things that people are less likely to buy online, such as clothes.
I genuinely believe that over time people have become less willing to spend money on things due to the wide variety of free services competing for their time and attention.
I genuinely believe that over time people have become less willing to spend money on things due to the wide variety of free services competing for their time and attention.
The difference is corporations go out of business.
Kite
Member
That is exactly it, a bunch of my high school buddies went into the trades instead of college and most make as much if not more than me. And they definitely make more than my unlucky friends who are still stuck in retail and service/food industries even though they have their bachelors.. some even with stem degrees. Trades are seem as dirty and lower class but they make bank so..
I've been trying to get some to see the wisdom to quitting their dead-end Starbucks and waiter jobs but.. they're trying to switch careers into the crowded IT field instead so.. *shrug*
Governments aren't immune to that either.
The Lone Courier
Member
Whats funny was that for a period Sears was the Amazon with their catalog. They blew it by choosing to expand there b&m with massive floorspace instead of going into ecommerce.
Kite
Member
Amazon has free returns on a bunch of clothing and shoes. I just returned a pair of shoes and pants today; just print out a return label and put everything in the box they came in and drop it off at a UPS store. Tape it up yourself or they might try and charge you $1 to do it lolol
Haha consider the time frame.. But yes they were Amazon way before the very idea. Then it became possible to build these "brick and mortar" stores that you could show and sell directly on the spot.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
This was inevitable for multiple reasons, and it's only going to get far far worse. Soon most of the jobs in online businesses​ will be entirely automated. Amazon is probably well on their way to autonomous fulfillment centers.
Brick and mortar will never compete in a race to the bottom, Walmart knows this.
Brick and mortar will never compete in a race to the bottom, Walmart knows this.
Sectorseven
Member
Even on GAF it's like STEM or die.
Demoskinos
Member
This is Obama's fault obviously. /s
TAJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
I used to be in the trades and a lot of people left because the pay sucked.
Then more left early in the last recession when work was slow and never came back.
Ether_Snake
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Sohter.Nura
Member
Retail will always be there. People wanna go out and shop, they don't want to eternally stay stuck in their house.
On the other hand some of the models for these stores are freaking unsustainable. I've been in the country for 11 years, and even before, I used to walk around some retail areas and think to myself "How is this place still open? There's no reason shop here whatsoever"
On the other hand some of the models for these stores are freaking unsustainable. I've been in the country for 11 years, and even before, I used to walk around some retail areas and think to myself "How is this place still open? There's no reason shop here whatsoever"
Sectorseven
Member
clem84
Gold Member
Do seeing news like that make you feel guilty about shopping online? Or do you think the business will simply shift to something different?
I think in the end shopping online doesn't hurt your country's economy but it hurts your local economy that's for sure.
Personally, I always make it a point to shop local if I can. I buy stuff on Amazon every now and then like everyone but only when the price is ridiculously better online or if it's simply something I can't find locally.
I think in the end shopping online doesn't hurt your country's economy but it hurts your local economy that's for sure.
Personally, I always make it a point to shop local if I can. I buy stuff on Amazon every now and then like everyone but only when the price is ridiculously better online or if it's simply something I can't find locally.
NOLA_Gaffer
Banned
A local Asian market and a local sushi restaurant has closed their doors recently as well. The whole country is hurting and I feel like is going to get bad quickly.
As someone that works in a speciality retail setting (awards and promotions industry), even I know things may take a turn for the worse someday.
In regards to online shopping...amazon is fine for specialty stuff but these days it's quicker to just go into a store and pick up a product I need not to mention most retailers match amazon anyway.
As someone that works in a speciality retail setting (awards and promotions industry), even I know things may take a turn for the worse someday.
In regards to online shopping...amazon is fine for specialty stuff but these days it's quicker to just go into a store and pick up a product I need not to mention most retailers match amazon anyway.
A lot of brick and mortar stores are run by idiot suits. Obscene rent in malls and other places. Huge overhead. Having to stock so much that never sells until its marked down 50 percent or lower to cost levels. Putting stores in area's that have the wrong demographic.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Problem is Trade and Apprenticeship for these jobs are out there, it's that people think it's not something to achieve or even be considered beneath them
You know what makes money, Plumbers!
Holy shit do they make a killing, speaking out of my ass here even if half of them rip you off, the work they do on a daily basis and get paid for it, they make bank
I've hired the same Plumbing company for 15+ years
They've have young guys come and go, they start learning, but it's not lucrative right of the bat or sounds "glamorous"
I even ask the boss, who's become a real friend, he's like most guys join, learn on the job 6-12 months, think they know all, leave, become their own boss, fail hard, don't want to come back
While he has his 2 of his fucking sons learning the ins and outs of the business and 15 years later all 3 are making good money
Hell the boss has a right hand man supervisor who's been with him for over 30+ years, retired last year, made so much money, living the retirement life down in Florida with grandkids
This like the shit you see in movies or dreams of retirement
________________
Also can you believe FUCKING FARMERS are giving land, 401K, Benefits for harvesting crops to people
I think 60 minutes did a report in Strawberries and the farms that grow them in California
It was crazy stats of how like most farming jobs are out there, yes hard back breaking work, labor intensive, but those rewards are amazing to get at
Coke doesn't dominate the soda industry though. They are the market leader but their share isn't even 50%. They have a major competitor in Pepsi. Amazon's domination is a different beast the Cokes "domination". I don't even know who Amazon's major competitor is!
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Jet? lol
Walmart trying its damndest to compete
Has the B&M synergy with Walmart.com which does work in their favor
Order online, pick it up in 2 hours by your closest Walmart or Walmart(s) near you
It's just as others said they were late to the game like others and catching up is Hard Knocks
You know amazon and it's logistics must be crazy fucking amazing that as a worldwide leader of .com sales it just has become a second nature thing if life (hope people understand what I'm trying to convey)
Like life before Cell phones, it existed you heathens, a more imaginative time (haha), but they've become such a part of you, it's like how do you live without one!
Same goes for amazon, like it's almost burned into our psyche
Mom had this old pressure cooker, found company name, went to its website, amazing!
Looked for said pressure cooker, sorry discontinued, no items for sale
Look at similar items that may match, a little pricey ($14.99 each item!) but don't fit the mold or aesthetic of pressure cooker
Go to amazon punch in information, BAM! rubber and whistle there to be bought together for like $8
Like why shop anywhere else lol
Zelenogorsk
Banned
Yep. Just a showroom for online shopping. They have the worst membership too. $25 to join and you only save 10%. Meanwhile at Amazon you can get brand new hardcovers for half the cover price.
There was a good article recently about how the difference between working at a market leader vs working at a mediocre second-tier firm was ridiculous. Leaders were innovative, people loved working there, while the ones that weren't were soul-sucking and barely treading water.
Warm Machine
Member
Cities or towns are going to need a serious redesign or some kind of retrofit job so that's these stores don't turn neighbourhoods into mini Detroits.
I still use bricks and mortar occasionally, but in the end it comes down to price obviously. As an example, I fitted out a new ensuite bathroom recently, so needed shower, enclosure, tray, toilet, basin etc etc... In the actual stores it was going to cost somewhere in the region of £1,500 or more. So I bought it all off ebay and it came out at £600 including delivery.
Until physical stores can compete even a bit more closely on price, one is going to keep winning.
Until physical stores can compete even a bit more closely on price, one is going to keep winning.
Just turn them into shipping centers and order fulfillment for amazon. Entire towns can now ship products to the shrinking % of people them that can buy them. Until they are totally replaced by automation.
We need a free wage and skill training for people. This whole project is coming to an end soon with 30 people owning all the wealth.
Convenience, low prices, large selection, great customer service.
SpinningBirdKick
Banned
Seems about right.
I read somewhere a while ago that the USA has more retail space per head than any other country. There's bound to be some fat that needs trimming there with Walmart, Amazon and automation slowly but surely putting pressure on under performing retailers.
Coming soon to a ghost mall near you... absolutely nothing.
I read somewhere a while ago that the USA has more retail space per head than any other country. There's bound to be some fat that needs trimming there with Walmart, Amazon and automation slowly but surely putting pressure on under performing retailers.
Coming soon to a ghost mall near you... absolutely nothing.
In numerous threads about job automation fears I've brought up the high demand for skilled tradesmen like Electricians and Plumbers that have jobs that are either impossible or nearly impossible to automate because of how complex they are. It gets ignored every time in favor of mourning these low skill retail jobs.
There's ample opportunity out there for people with a skill like that. Demand is very high (and getting higher every year) and you can learn a lot of it on the job while you get paid. They are definitely looked down on for no real reason except they aren't sexy.
It's hard work sometimes, but it's honest work and it pays well and comes with a skill set you can literally take anywhere in the world and find work.
I still use bricks and mortar occasionally, but in the end it comes down to price obviously. As an example, I fitted out a new ensuite bathroom recently, so needed shower, enclosure, tray, toilet, basin etc etc... In the actual stores it was going to cost somewhere in the region of £1,500 or more. So I bought it all off ebay and it came out at £600 including delivery.
Until physical stores can compete even a bit more closely on price, one is going to keep winning.
Until physical stores can compete even a bit more closely on price, one is going to keep winning.
TheRedSnifit
Member
Underrated post.
Milly Osworth
Member
So what is the point of us humans if surviving/working isn't our goal anymore?
One problem I have with brick and mortar stores is a lot of times I'll go into one looking for something but they don't have anything I'm looking for. The biggest offender of this for me has been Wal Mart, I've gone into them looking for something I was sure they would have, only to end up walking out empty handed disappointed. Not sure if the Wal Marts around here are just that terrible or what, but this has resulted in me not shopping at Wal Mart anymore.
Still I cherish brick and mortar stores because if I get the itch to have something the same day, provided I can find it in a store I can have it that day. Can't do that with online shopping, unless you are lucky enough to live in an area with Prime Now, and what you are looking for is even on Prime Now.
Still I cherish brick and mortar stores because if I get the itch to have something the same day, provided I can find it in a store I can have it that day. Can't do that with online shopping, unless you are lucky enough to live in an area with Prime Now, and what you are looking for is even on Prime Now.
It really is. If he hadn't been trying to get so many kids into STEM jobs...what we really need is more bricklayers.
but seriously we do need to get back to manufacturing. even if its subsidized and we only sell to ourselves.
Monochromaticx
Member
Fucking immigrants....or something
Autumn Wind
Member
Online shopping is only way I can find mostly American made goods.
SoRuffShoNuff
Member
That's not true. I'd much rather live in an area where I have quick access to nice restaurants, bars, and shopping than in the middle of nowhere where it would take me a 45 minute drive to reach the places I like going.
Some walmarts have installed lockers, so that people can just walk in and pick up their smaller ship to store items with a code and not needing to even talk to another person. They even have them at the front of the store. That would be a game changer for me. Free shipping with little inconvenience My local hasn't done it yet.
Phoenix RISING
Banned
My boss and I basically gave each other dap the other day when we came to realize that distribution models (similar to Fed Ex, UPS) will eventually be automated, and we'll still have jobs because while the physical labor of moving a package from inbound receiving to outbound shipping may disappear, you will always need people to maintain the systems components to keep things running.
Job security, FTW.
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