Skip to main content

Retail Ice Age

The Retail Ice Age.  This is described on business channels as the decline of retail stores in favor of online shopping.  Why? It’s easier, cheaper, and quicker.  Guilty, I am.  Big chains such as Macy's, Sears, Penny's and others are suffering in sales, store closings, and stock devaluations.

But, much of this bad news story accrues to the retail stores themselves. About twenty years or more ago, retail decided to cut costs by reducing staff, particularly knowledgeable staff, creating cash register stations, and diminishing help to customers.  Basically, the customer entered the store knowing full well they were on their own.  The online buying explosion is little more than the transfer from going to a store offering no help to an online page offering no help. 

If you've  visited any of these stores in the last many years, you know this to be true. Hardly any help anywhere, and sometimes you need to walk a long way just to pay, often to a queue, like the grocery store.

However, a few store sectors still have some staff expertise, and they seem to survive.  Hardware is one example. Automobile and luxury goods stores are others, though even these are under pressure from the GOM, i.e. the Great Online Movement.


Retail, in their interest of greater profit, created an environment that invited in the door Amazon and other online market places to carve them up and spit them out.

The brain trusts at these stores have responded, not by changing and improving the in-store experience, but by adding their own versions of online shopping.  Capitulation.

-------------------------

Friendship is a bond whose strength is measured in trust.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please Comment.

Popular posts from this blog

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

  Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1.       Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty.   This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...
Post a Comment
Read more

Problem Solving? Then Find Those Gaps

  Problem Solving - Finding Gaps 12/28/2024 Introduction. Solving complex problems often arises from the presence of gaps in knowledge, resources, understanding, or perspectives. These gaps introduce uncertainty, ambiguity, or constraints, making solutions difficult to achieve. Below, we explore the primary types of gaps that complicate problem-solving and their implications. Many are of the technical, informational, theoretical, and social nature. You may discover some of these gaps are also sources of uncertainty in problem-solving, in that they supply us with another list of things that can go wrong based on something missing. Gaps also form a type of impossible problem, that will be discussed in a later chapter. Finally, this essay is about all problems and solutions, not just those of science. Contents Comprehension Gaps Consistency Gaps Solution-Type Gaps Invisible Gaps   Knowledge and Evidence Gaps   Methodological and Technological Gaps Ethical and Cult...
Post a Comment
Read more

CERTAINTY IS ALSO AN EMOTION

  Certainty is also a Feeling Certainty is often viewed as a mental state tied to knowledge and confidence, but it also functions as a feeling with distinct emotional and physiological components. While it arises from cognitive processes, certainty also has a subjective and emotional quality that makes it more than just a rational judgment. It provides a sense of assurance and security that shapes human experience in profound ways. Emotional Dimension . At its core, certainty evokes emotions that influence how we perceive and interact with the world. When someone feels certain, they often experience relief, comfort, or empowerment. These emotions are particularly strong when uncertainty or doubt is resolved, offering a sense of closure. For example, solving a complex problem or having a belief validated by evidence brings not just intellectual satisfaction but also emotional reassurance. Subjectivity. Certainty is inherently personal and subjective. It depends on individual...
Post a Comment
Read more