Where are all the retail sales? (Sears, buy, sell, company)

[Artful-Thang]

If retail sales are doing so poorly, why are there so few sales?

Is it just because I live in south Orange County, California, where people are used to spending lots of money all the time?

I heard on the news that there was a small increase in retail sales...but....

My dishwasher gave up the ghost and since I need to sell my condo this year I thought I'd go out and find one on sale. Prices on dishwashers are at least $75 over what they were last year when I was keeping an eye on them.

So retail sales/economy here in Orange County isn't so bad or is it improving all over? Or can stores afford to sit on merchandise?

[Philip T]

What I am observing is many stores are stocking less. There tends to be actually fewer items on the shelf sitting behind the one or two display items in front. Things tend to be spaced out rather crammed full, and that allows the retailer and supplier to have less carrying cost for the total inventory of the store.

It is true that there is no major drop in prices reflected with this. When you consider the currency these import products are being traded for (our US dollars) the value of that money is going down at over 10% per year. There is no margin for a price cut in those ever more worth-less US dollars.

[Artful-Thang]

Originally Posted by Philip T

What I am observing is many stores are stocking less. There tends to be actually fewer items on the shelf sitting behind the one or two display items in front. Things tend to be spaced out rather crammed full, and that allows the retailer and supplier to have less carrying cost for the total inventory of the store.

It is true that there is no major drop in prices reflected with this. When you consider the currency these import products are being traded for (our US dollars) the value of that money is going down at over 10% per year. There is no margin for a price cut in those ever more worth-less US dollars.

Ah yes, I forgot that the $ is worth less in comparison to foreign currencies. Plus, I guess everyone's shipping costs are higher.

Thanks for the reply. :-) Guess I'll just have to suck it up in order to sell my place.

[KevK]

I didn't know that retail sales were doing bad. That is news around these parts. The malls are as packed now as they were a year ago.

[TKramar]

ha ha...not at Home Depot...and there's an ad that runs every week. I'm not saying the PRICES change all that much, but we're doing pretty dang good, in my opinion.

[Artful-Thang]

Originally Posted by KevK

I didn't know that retail sales were doing bad. That is news around these parts. The malls are as packed now as they were a year ago.

So says the news...but they've improved, again so says the news. I did some clothes shopping in late Jan./early Feb. (not in a mall) and there were sales galore and not too many shoppers. Got some really good deals!

Lately it does look like the stores are back to normal to me.

I've cut back severely on shopping, other than that one point in time (wedding was the excuse for spending money ), but that's because I knew the company I worked for was having financial problems. Nothing to do with the economy, though.

Sure enough, got laid off recently, but I have an emergency fund that I've built up and I'm getting a bit of a package from my company. (Though I'm not sure how they're affording that.)

So I'm not panicking...just very motivated to save money and get the heck out of California. :-)

Not that anyone cares...just sayin' what my personal experience has been.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by KevK

I didn't know that retail sales were doing bad. That is news around these parts. The malls are as packed now as they were a year ago.

I think you are talking about total volume of shoppers? Is there a direct co-relation between that and volume of sales?

Doing some English-to-English translation here . . .

I think Arfful was talking about "Sales" i.e., Buy Now 50% Off! or White Sale! This Weekend Only!

Kev, I think you are talking about total retail sales -- ie, Gross Volume of items sold -- usually seasonally trended or compared on a year-to-year basis at the same retail outlets.

Actually do not know about the specifics of either -- I am just noticing more "blank space" on the shelves at places like Target or Walmart. Because I rarely go, a change is noticeable to me. But I do not even know if my observation is true.

[Hantie]

My dishwasher gave up the ghost and since I need to sell my condo this year I thought I'd go out and find one on sale. Prices on dishwashers are at least $75 over what they were last year when I was keeping an eye on them.

Since you are buying this to sell your place (and even if you weren't), you might want to consider going to a scratch-and-dent place, such as Sears outlet, and see what they have. I saved over $200 on my NEW refridgerator because it had a HUGE deep scratch on one side. It didn't go through the exterior skin, and didn't interfere with function in any way. It was NEW, but since it was "damaged" they had to deeply discount it and couldn't sell as new. It's in a cubby area where the scratch will NEVER be seen, so what do I care??? Just put some enamel paint sealer on it to protect from deterioration and slid into place. Nobody will ever know it's there --- or care!

Home Depot will do the same thing. Got a great discount on the freezer for my garage. BIG dent in the front (that DOES show) -- but since it is in the garage, I don't care, and it doesn't affect the closing of the door or operation of the freezer. So, if someone bangs into it with something in the garage, which is pretty much a given anyway, there's nothing to stress over, and I got a big discount on it.

It's a great way to save money, and several of my friends have done it since I told them about it. They loved the idea! Just be sure it doesn't interfere with the function of the appliance. Most dishwashers are in a cabinet anyway, so if there is a defect/damage on the sides --- Who Cares??? Save the money!

[EdatGenesis]

Wll here we go again on the political "spin" wheel...

Retail sales will be higher temporarily due to the "stimulus" checks being issued by the Government .. It's a false reporting though - an illusion created by giving people money .. Give people money, and they will spend it eh?

The irony is that the moeny we are recieving is essentially ours anyway & a large portion of this so called "stimulous" will be returning right back into the tax coffers...

This administration & congress is off thier rockers! The people making the BIG bucks are the guys trading in oil, defense contractors, and anyone else associated with Bush, Chaney, Haliburton & KBR ..

Another way to make fast money is to goto Iraq, buy a house, have our Military blow it up & get reimbursed for 10x it's actual value! The Iraqies are making a boat load of money of us

"We the People" of the United States need to stand up in one, unified, LOUD voice & tell these pyscho's in Washington that "We have had enough & they'd better get off their ass's and fix it" or as Trump says "you're FIRED!"

[lchoro]

We have cost-push inflation where the prices of inputs to the finished products have gone up and some or all of the costs are being passed onto the end-user.