Where will we buy stuff in the future?

[hana]

Once I tried on 15 different pairs of jeans in a store and none of them fit. They ranged from size 4 to 14 and different styles since I have an odd body type. Usually when I find a clothing that fits I try to buy the same brand/size/style again. If I buy online I look at the return policy before buying and prefer places where I can buy online and return or exchange in store.

[frugal-one]

Just tried buying DH shorts on line. Said they were in stock and I then got an email saying they were sold out. This happened twice. So, I called the nearest store and they did have a pair in stock. I put it on hold and, hopefully, I can pick it up tomorrow. I will call first. It was all he asked for for his birthday. sheesh

I always have to try clothes on. The sizes are all over the place. I do confess though to being very particular on how things fit. If it is not right, I won't wear it. Sometimes I look at people and think ... Don't you look in the mirror?

[sweetana3]

Hubby bought a pair of slacks at Costco where there is no changing room. Got his regular size. No way would they fit. Sizing was off a full 2 inches or more. Easy return but too much time wasted.

[Tradd]

Agreed. There’s no predicting which size will fit me. It’s a 3-4 size range depending on brand.

If you buy clothes from the same brand, then they will fit! I’m a petite plus. Talbots is pretty much the only one who sells clothes that fit me off the rack. If they go out of business, I am so screwed. I can get some casual tops from REI and workout bottoms come from Target. I get capris so I don’t have to worry about the length.

[Tammy]

I ordered the exact same brand and style Of scrubs that fit perfectly. and the tops were a little smaller and the bottoms were a little larger than the ones at home.

[razz]

My Playtex bras is using the same model number as when I ordered the last ones but the country of production has now changed. They do fit differently but still are usable. Cost of production impacts where any product is made. Even Apple is moving some of its production outside China now. It will be interesting to see if the quality is the same.
While I recognize that moving production offshore helped other countries financially as well as the shareholders, I would really like to see production return to NA with the hope that the quality will also return.

[pinkytoe]

I don't know if it's accurate but I read somewhere that only 2% of clothing is still made in the US. Where I used to live, there were mills employing lots of people and we would go to their factory stores to buy fabric and bed linens. But that was a long time ago

[sweetana3]

There have been recent stories usually due to the covid virus, about sweatshops making clothing in LA and in England. The England one was caught paying less than minimum wage and all kinds of other issues.https://www.latimes.com/california/s...mployee-deaths https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...3-50-hour.html

[Tybee]

WE used to go to the mill end store, too Pinkytoe. I remember being little and running around through the giant bolts of fabric like they were a forest.

[NewGig]

I think it depends on what you're looking for.

Supplies? On-line probably.

Durable goods? Maybe the big guys or thrift shops/antique stores. I expect that a few things will happen. The charity thrift shops associated with churches, hospice, etc. will endure. The privately owned ones won't. The bigger antique stores who rent space (coop) to other dealers will probably survive. The single owner mom-and-pop probably won't.

On-ilne auctions are a thing here. We've been taking advantage of them. We've bought stuff for resale, hobby use, yard equipment, etc. I'm looking for new china and flatware, so we bid on those but haven't bought anything yet. We bought new dining room chairs a few months ago.

I have a booth in a co-op antique store and I've had more sales in the past month than any other month in the past year. I'm selling more online too, to previous customers.