Retail Apocalypse Is Coming... Faster Than You Realize
Eight cash register terminals. One employee.
4 customer service terminals. All empty.
This was the scene at my local Barnes & Noble last week... in the middle of an otherwise busy work day. The attached Starbucks was packed -- standing room only -- but Barnes & Noble was eerily empty. I was only there to kill time while waiting for an eyeglass repair next door. I decided to buy a greeting card.
"Would you like to start a membership card with us today?" asked the clerk.
I literally chuckled. "Uh... seriously? You know this place isn't going to be around much longer, right?" I'm nice. I didn't say that out loud, but I was sure thinking it.
It's not headline news that large brick-and-mortar retail is suffering, but it's worse than you think I'm sure. Check out this list of stores closing in coming months (credit: Casey Research):
Payless is closing 1,000 stores
Radio Shack is closing 552 stores
The Limited is closing 250 stores
Sears is closing 150 stores
J.C. Penney is closing 120 stores
American Apparel is closing 110 stores
Macy's is closing 100 stores
Abercrombie & Fitch is closing 60 stores
The craziest part is... many of these retailers are ANCHOR TENANTS at major malls. When the anchor tenants go dark, the largest spaces become empty and foot traffic for the remaining tenants suffers.
Envisioning what's coming as the trend continues is exciting, yet... a little scary.
That is something i read about a few years ago while researching retail companies in stock market. There is a huge transformation ongoing. In the past without the internet it was simply not possible to conveniently order some stuff while watching TV, making workout or programming on the the computer in the evening. Nowadays people enjoy the freedom to do so and deny the walk in the local mall much more often than in the past.
Recently i talked with a company which make professional 4K video and laser scanning with drones. These little copters can take up to 8kg (example) with them. Imagine you order on Amazon and a hour later such thing lands on your balcony.. the whole process just with some typing/touching/speaking on your computer and you have just to walk a few steps to get your stuff.. without a tired cashier, without penetrating seller, without traffic jam in the city, without hustling in the crowd and and deafening noise in a mall.
That's today the alternative for many products you don't have to touch, smell, see before. I welcome that because it saves us lifetime. I'm personally hate shopping like many men i think 😁
Congratulations @shockmeee! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
To support your work, I also upvoted your post!
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPDo not miss the last announcement from @steemitboard!
I LOVE this idea.....
Congratulations @shockmeee! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP