The nail in the coffin of brick and mortar shopping? (Page 1/2)
2.5 DEC 08, 11:01 AM
Things were not going so well for brick and mortar vs online delivery to home as it was, then Covid came along. The nail in the coffin? I mean folks are even skipping going into grocery stores now. Wonder if the "vaccine" will change that.
olejoedad DEC 08, 11:13 AM
Wait till the governments at all levels start in about reduced tax revenues.

That will be fun....
Jake_Dragon DEC 08, 11:30 AM
I order online but the food comes in from local stores.
Hank is Here DEC 08, 12:05 PM
I am ol' school. I am primarily a brick and mortar shopper who pays in cash (don' like credit/debit cards). Outside of the local grocery stores chain, most of my retail shopping is Costco/Target. I like Target because typically they have good/better quality goods at a fair reasonable price. I see a lot of crap in stores which is of okay or questionable quality at moderate prices; to me this all seems most retailers just go to the Chinese markets and focus on the "minimum viable product" which will return the maximum profit, instead of buying a good/product. This is where Costco shines in my opinion due to their return policy, if I buy crap there and it fails it goes back no questions asked; due to their return policy I feel the quaultiy of goods they sell is incrementally better than most other retailers.

I have consciously tried to switch some of my buying habits. 1) when it comes to an item where I may need service in the future I will buy form a local retailer. 2) if I need to try on an item for fit (example motorcycle helmet) I generally won't shop around unless the retialer does not have the size/color I wnat/need.

I do buy a minority of items online. I try to avoid Amazon due to their price, and labor practices, vendor practices, and supplier practices; in summary they are not an ethical company with which I want to do bussiness with, if avoidable. The one category where I buy more online than brick and mortar is automotive/vehicle parts. Since I am a DIY'er I know most of wha tI need in advance and can order it, things like oil filters, air filters, and cabin air filters I buy in ~ half dozen quantities when i see close outs in rockauto for descent qualtiy parts ( I typically take the time [5-10 min] to research the micron rating of oil filters before buying a bunch). Now if I need set of brake pads unexpectedly I will buy them locally but even then it is generally buy online and pickup in store, becuase I don't want to run around town to five sotres who may or may not have a set of pads that I need.
Jonesy DEC 10, 08:32 AM
Well if guys like Jeff Bezos has it his way, within the next few decades we will all work, shop, and live through Amazon.

The virus may speed that process up.
sourmash DEC 10, 09:49 AM
In 5th grade, I think, in the mid '70s my (social studies?) teacher said she read an article that one day we'd order all our goods & groceries instead of going out shopping and that we wouldn't live in a manufacturing economy, adding that we'd lean to the service industry. She added that she didn't comprehend just how that would be sustainable if we cut each other's grass. A simplistic commentary but the audience was children.

Where are we now? Who was the author of that article she read nearly 50 years ago? Was Bezos listening? Last night I dreamed that Books A Million wouldn't honor my $29 in-store credit. Can that be interpreted that to mean I'm not getting the knowledge needed to prevent me being a slave?
theogre DEC 10, 08:30 PM

quote
Originally posted by 2.5:
Things were not going so well for brick and mortar vs online delivery to home as it was, then Covid came along. The nail in the coffin? I mean folks are even skipping going into grocery stores now. Wonder if the "vaccine" will change that.

No they're not. Many move to shop a Walmart etc. or big food like Acme, SR, F-lion sells most everything in one store. Most areas didn't restrict what Big Box stores sells. Most areas didn't enforce BB stores to limit people in them either. Many claim "one-way" flow of people in the store but 100% when you go there. Most I've go to have remove any signs etc that fake one-way flow months ago.
Go to CVS etc often w/ Drive Thru but most small operations are still closed or limited from lock down rules or looted by "peaceful protestors."

Govrnrs/Mayors and others are killing B&M shops, restaurants and more and loving it. Covid is a "Gift from God" to them, far better then school shooting or even global warming and vaccine won't stop them from lock downs and worse anytime soon. Then add Pfizer C-Vac is having some problems making many more people scared to take it and that's w/o Anti-vac propaganda.

Lost sales tax (or VAT in other countries) means will Increase other taxes to make up this.
Same for Lost business fees/taxes... Just increase others or add new ones. Expect Big Property and other tax increase next few years to make back lost revenue.
Increase Road Tolls and/or Fuel Tax have happened already. PA or NJ increase Fuel Taxes a few months ago because selling less fuel as lock downs etc. continues. Bet your ____ that fees and taxes will never go down as this panic dies off and forgotten in a few years.

Like Many Cities are going after Income Taxes now... People had a jobs in a city now work at home and home is outside of city but cities wants new laws etc to force city tax on them. Example: City Wants to Tax Workers Beyond City Limits - Ep. 7.152 - YouTube

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

TheDigitalAlchemist DEC 11, 02:43 AM
We prefer to shop “mom and pop”

But when their prices are double or triple the online places...(27 bucks for a nine-pack of paper towels? ) instead of 17 online...

ouch. It’s hard to support that. A buck or two more for some items , we can see, but a 40 dollar difference for the average grocery visit is kinda nuts.
maryjane DEC 11, 07:22 AM
Huh?
2.5 DEC 11, 12:36 PM

quote
Originally posted by theogre:

No they're not. Many move to shop a Walmart etc. or big food like Acme, SR, F-lion sells most everything in one store.




I was also referring to how many folks I know here are picking up walmart orders now, you order online, drive up and they put the order in your trunk. The store is kind of more of a warehouse in that regard. That and folks using Amazon Pantry or the like to have groceries delivered. I havent heard of Acme, SR, F-lion, but actually I personally go to the small groceries now, less traffic and less BS that say, Wal Mart's grocery section. I'm sure this is all different across the nation.

But any "brick and mortar "store not just grocery, I mentioned them as I figured theyd be the last brick and mortar bastian. Even restaraunts vs drive up / food trucks.