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I was reading an article about several retailers laying off quite a few people.
I don't think it's the economy. I think it's the way stores are doing business.
For example, last Saturday I needed to buy a new man's wallet. I went to Dillards and Macys and found just what I wanted...if I wanted brown. Macys had a dozen of the exact wallet I wanted in brown, but not a single one in black. Yes, I am fussy about some purchases. So, what did I do? Continue to drive around to different stores? No, I went home, got on Amazon, and bought exactly the wallet in style and color that I wanted. And I was doing so, I thought about how often this has been occurring in the past couple of years. I've gone from buying mostly only CDs and DVDs online, to buying many different things online...due to stores not carrying a variety of sizes, colors, styles...where online I can find almost anything I want.
Yes, although in my case I am ordering online a lot more than I used to simply to save time, not necessarily because the local stores don't stock what I want. Online shopping is simply faster and more convenient for me in most cases. I still go to the local stores for most "big ticket' items where I want to evaluate the item carefully before I make my purchase. But my most recent online purchase was a bag of bone meal for my garden. Bone meal is bone meal, what is there to evaluate? Amazon will ship it to my door, I'll have it by Friday, and visiting the garden center to pick some bone meal up can now be struck off of my list of weekend chores.
When it comes to selection and convenience, online shopping wins every time. When it comes to service, that's where my local stores shine, and that is what I use them for.
I think you're exactly right. For example, I'm going to be buying 2" window blinds for my living room. I like off white (alabaster) because I think white just looks too stark ... and alabaster will perfectly match the woodwork. My local HD has only brown or white in the 2" faux wood blinds, but I can get alabaster on line and have it delivered to the store for free.
Also the HD website explained how to correctly measure for the way I want to hang the blinds ... and I can just go and double check the measurements if I need to do so.
My local HD has only brown or white in the 2" faux wood blinds, but I can get alabaster on line and have it delivered to the store for free.
The "ship to local store for free pickup" option is one that I find can make a nice compromise, as it allows me to take advantage of the convenience and variety of online retail while still supporting my local businesses. Of course I still have to have the time to run to the store to get the item when it arrives, and it's not usually an option that a true Mom and Pop operation can offer, but it's a nice alternative to constantly giving Amazon all my online business.
Location: NYC based - Used to Live in Philly - Transplant from Miami
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This is the reason why lots of retailers start to roll out "concept store" in the Northeast.
One prime example for the brand is Bonobos.
So basically you go there to the store to try the clothes on, but you cannot buy it there.
You have to make an order in the store including the color you want, patterns, etc., pay for it and then the company will send your order to your home.
I am old fashioned in which I like to "hunt" for stuff from store to store. But again it is my (part-time) job -> personal shopper.
But even when I want to buy something for myself, I would rather try to have the merchandise in my hands.
I only order online if I can't find something in a local store. Amazon, unless you have prime (which isn't worth it for me since I don't buy often enough) ends up being more expensive than a store especially after shipping costs. Clothes I don't order online anymore because I'm very picky with the fit. One gripe about amazon is that unless you have prime they take forever to ship your order, and then they ship it with the slowest shipping method. I'd rather buy from a vendor on Ebay that offers priority mail.
No customer service in actual stores and more variety online.
I agree. Also, it's less time consuming for many to order online versus going to the store.
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