View Full Version : Is brick and mortar retail doomed?
I was just reading a blog post predicting the demise of Barnes and Noble (http://americaneditor.wordpress.com/). As an inveterate bookstore browser, I've often had this thought myself lately. Since Borders went belly up, B&N bookstores are pretty much the only ones left in my area, and it looks like their shutting down is only a matter of time. The brick and mortar stores just can't compete with Amazon on price.
The phenomenon of brick and mortar stores being replaced by online stores doesn't seem to just be confined to books. It's interesting to speculate what the retail landscape will look like in 10 or 20 years. What kinds of brick and mortar stores, if any, will still be around? Will online retailers start their own showrooms?
I can tell you that 2 years ago I sent out 200 catalogs to my galleries that I'd been selling to for 2-13 years and I got back 2/3's of those because the businesses had closed.
12 years ago, brick and mortar stores wouldn't order from artists that had websites. 6-8 years ago most artists added websites because they needed to replace income that was being lost because sales at b&m stores were slipping. 2-4 years ago many artists went to on-line sales only.
This whole topic is very interesting to me as there are so many things changing right before our eyes. I think retail shopping changes will happen much quicker than 10 or 20 years. I think much of it depends on what the next generation wants (millennials?) and apparently they just aren't into shopping all that much or buying the things that their parents wanted like large houses in the suburbs to fill up with stuff, expensive cars, etc. Many of them would rather live in the city and ride a bike. Books - I just can't predict. I know libraries here are still packed and a new main one is being built. The small, independent book stores seem to be popular, too. I sense that a lot of the corporate type stores may need to morph to survive...at least where I live. It is just so much easier to buy online.
ApatheticNoMore
9-17-14, 12:16pm
It is a bit of a surprise if you haven't been to a bookstore in awhile to see what new books cost (I'm used to used books for a few cents to a few dollars - maybe $15 or so at most). I think there's a lot of things that people wouldn't want to buy online. No I'd rather not buy most of my food online (though in a very rare occasion I get a specialty item). Buying toilet paper online just seems silly. No I don't want to buy clothes online without trying them on. So what does that even leave? Household products like pots, pans, towels etc.? I've bought some online (the brick and mortar stores could EASILY win me back for that type of stuff though, they'd just have to make their focus QUALITY rather than PRICE - until then I go online to get better quality), much of the rest at thrifts. Anyway one only needs so many household products but I guess that is the remaining category of semi-regular purchases.
As far as Barnes & Noble goes, I felt like I was stabbed through the heart when I recently went to the mall near me that housed a HUGE Barnes and Noble, and I saw that they had moved to a much smaller space at the opposite side of the mall. And they had eliminated their music department and had doubled the size of their toy/"learning" department.
But, I'm to blame--I buy books for my kindle constantly. In fact, sometimes I go to B&N to check out the book and if I really like it I download it into my kindle in the B&N parking lot! So, I can't say anything about the demise of bookstores without pointing a finger at myself.
As far as other retail stores, I think there will always be a place for them. Hardware stores will always be brick and mortar--can you see yourself saying, "honey, we got the wrong size PVC, we have to return it to Amazon and order another one--MAYBE we'll get the bathroom finished by summer!"
Most people need the experience of trying on clothes, unless they are a special style or fit. So I can see clothing stores continuing on.
I predict that there will be more boutique, specialty branded shops out there, as well as the big stores for the things that you inevitably have to run out for. Target is safe, for instance.
Macy's and Lord & Taylor? I don't know.
Book stores. Definitely boutique book/gift stores may continue on.
So, in short, high function/high experience stores probably have a future, but the others better have a website.
awakenedsoul
9-17-14, 1:37pm
We have a lovely Barnes and Noble here, too. I heard that they will be closing in a year or so. I haven't bought much there, lately, either. I used to love to go and sit in their comfy chairs and browse through books. I also bought a lot of music there, when I had my dance and yoga studio. Since the recession, I haven't been going out for coffee, buying books, or hanging out like I did when I was younger. Now I check out books from the library. I also tend to buy my music on line from Amazon, used. I've gotten books there for a penny!
I feel the same way about cafes and coffee houses...cut backs. I've reduced my expenses, and those are some of the cuts that I made. I spent a lot more on luxuries when I was younger. Now I am more retirement minded. It's sad, becaause Barnes and Noble is a wonderful place with a nice cafe. When I was on tour with Broadway shows, we always searched for a Barnes and Noble.
When I was on tour with Broadway shows, we always searched for a Barnes and Noble.
Two of my children have been in three plays at Lincoln Center, and I remember when I used to drop them off at rehearsal I'd take a walk up Broadway on the West Side and there was a huge B&N there. I'd go there and sit and read, and sometimes I'd even put a bookmark in a book and return to it the next day.
I don't think that store is there anymore, either. :(
But, I'm to blame...I can't say anything about the demise of bookstores without pointing a finger at myself.
I know exactly what you mean. I felt personally responsible when Borders went under because I spent so much time browsing there and rarely bought anything. I was living in Chicago back when one of the first big Borders stores opened (on North Michigan Ave.) and I used to spend more time there than I did in my apartment. I did buy coffee, though.
Doomed? Not totally. The "gotta have it now" stores -- supermarkets, liquor stores, hardware stores, pharmacies -- those, I think, will pretty much stay as they are for a while. Stores in which the purchase is kind of iterative -- clothing, shoes, fabric/upholstery, audio/video, eyeglasses -- probably will do okay, though the on-line experience is improving all the time. Some items are just expensive to ship out of all proportion to their cost: dog food, snowblowers, reams of paper.
But I can see the model changing some. I think specialized boutiques like Apple's stores, or Nike Towns or Bose stores will proliferate as not just a place to buy that company's products, but as a place for information/instruction and service/repair. Maybe in the not-too-distant future, there will be Whirlpool Stores and Honda Power Equipment Stores and such.
When Best Buy was swirling around the drain, I really thought their future was to embrace "showrooming". Be the place where you could touch that new laptop or dishwasher or TV, get information on the product line, compare it to others hands-on, and then order your choice right there for delivery to your door. No more housing inventory at every single BBUY.
And I expect to see retail shrink. Right now Target is experimenting in the Twin Cities with TargetExpress stores. They're much smaller than regular (non-Super) Target stores and carry the basic goods that they can turn quickly. But they'll fit in places that normal Targets would not. I can see that retail stores will not even try to carry all things for all customers. As it is, I have to order ink cartridges for my printer on-line because not even office-supply stores carry product for a printer that's a few years old. I think you'll see accessory and replacement parts move almost completely on-line.
Not sure I like all the changes. But people do seem to be buying goods differently. Businesses might as well go where the money is.
I also think people underestimate the love of browsing and shopping in person - for many people this is a major hobby. There's the serendipity of seeing and purchasing that fun jewelry piece, or trying a perfume sample and buying it on the spot, or running your hands over the fabric of a bedspread that turns you into a buyer even when you weren't planning on it. Maybe it's me, but I just don't get that same "environmental" experience online.
I know that most people on this forum are not prone to these impulse buys, but I still think it's a big deal for lots of people and something that will keep the brick and mortar stores going.
No, it isn't. It is an age of change, and businesses must adapt--evolve or become extinct. The effect of places like walmart is, they only handle the fastest-moving, most generic items. Each store has a finite amount of shelf space, and is run by the numbers. Anything that doesn't sell above a certain volume gets cut. This is where the smaller retailer finds it's niche--in specializing in lower-volume merchandise. That, and combining it with a service/repair/install department. But, in order to keep their volume from being TOO low, sometimes they must use the 'putters in the back room, go online, and market that 7 carloads of widgets they got a blowout deal on, or clearance odd inventory to raise cash, make space. I still "shop local", but there are lots of low-demand things Mr Local merchant doesn't keep in stock, but if he digs in his catalogue, he can get it for me. Just gotta order it, wait, add his $$$ markup & call me so I can run across town again to pick it up. Obviously, online buying partially eliminates this inefficiency. I buy generic stuff locally, special stuff online--unless I know for sure Mr Local has it IN STOCK. If he wants to, he can always buy a truckload of gadgets for a huge discount, and sell them online. So, nobody is left out, IF they are willing to see the big picture, and adapt. Thanks.
The first book I bought online was from an outfit in Nev. called Alibris. I had already read an excerpt from it, somewhere. This was around 1997. I didn't even have a 'puter; I used the one at the local Library. BTW, that Library did not even have a copy, because it was long out of print. Even if they did, I'd rather buy my own copy, because the darn thing was so long(500-600 pages)figured I'd prolly have it checked out forever and prolly damage it while I had it. Then, I'd be in trouble. Alibris was very reasonable in price, far less than a bricks n' mortar would've charged--but of course--the local shops didn't have it, either. Any, as it turned out, the book was in great condition, and was so interesting and well-written(for simpletons)that I sailed through it in a couple of weeks. So, my first experience with online shopping was very good.
rosarugosa
9-18-14, 5:11am
I sometimes look at online reviews and then go to a Bricks and Mortar store to buy.
ToomuchStuff
9-18-14, 10:06am
Doomed, no, evolving, yes. Most of the mom and pop hardware stores around here have closed. I only know of two left and one does a lot of internet business (specalizes in tools and closeouts). Two chains and the building centers are what is left, otherwise and places such as Mcmaster Carr have taken over for misc. hardware that they don't carry. Sears, in my life, went from some little stores with a large outlet and catalogs, to large stores, fewer smaller outlets and catalogs, to almost no outlets (changed what they were), no catalogs (website), and smaller/fewer stores.
Shoe stores, well I know of fewer people that buy shoes online, then go to try them on in the stores, especially with any growing kids. Same with grocery stores, as somethings people don't want to buy unseen, or wait for. Other stores like Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc, have changed in part due to what they sell. Electronics are an item that prices drop fairly quickly, there are fewer that can or do get repaired (and peoples skills haven't kept up with the rate of change in the fields) and the warehouse models are more cost effective. It doesn't help that they have been shown to be bad (or have bad ones) at customer service as well (things like Geek Squad, or asking for your phone number when you make a cash purchase, etc).
Borders, LOL, we only really had one that I can remember and it was way out of the way. Years ago, the one I remember for new books was Waldenbooks. There also used to be some used book chains such as Rainey day (don't know if their still in business but I don't see them around). In part, the formats have evolved, similar to the music stores (not many of them around), with the larger chains running the small guys mostly out of business, then themselves being run out by the electronic age. (get it newer, more current and cheaper delivered to your door) Most of my books have been bought used, off of Amazon for some time. Our local B&N, has less and older stock, higher priced, gets the crowd waiting for their movie to start next door (not to mention the stories I have heard about the chairs) and pretty much the only thing I went there for, is some magazines (couldn't find elsewhere). I need to go back and check out some used book stores again. It has been years, but the last times I visited any, selections were pretty limited to fiction and a lot of romance novels. I would have thought the bigger chains would have adopted some of the used book market to help keep and bring in the business. (probably not cost effective)
But a lot of things are evolving. Friend from one of those hardware stores, took a tour of a tool manufacturer, and this huge plant was being opertated by a staff of eight, as the machines pumped out stuff. The tech age has certainly affected everything we do while evolving itself (my dad used to repair computers/worked for big blue and look at the costs there).
Specialty shops with good service thrive. Regular B&M with good service, survive.
I have several streams of income. I have a couple of college degrees.
But I love my job where I earn a bit of money: being a notary. Louisiana and my state allow the highest fees nationwide so I'm OK.
Only me and another gal paid for the training to learn how to deal with documents bound for different states. Our target market is just over the border in Canada. 3.2 million people.
My point: service businesses (except for services you can get on the net) will always be needed. And when you need a notary, you need one fast if you have a real estate closing.
I love this job. I've been doing it for decades. Every appointment is a new story and very few are bad stories, like divorce.
Re books. My rule, one book in, one book must go (to the local library fundraisers).
I go to the library a couple times a week. If my county library system does not have a book I want, they can get it from any library in the state.
I sometimes look at online reviews and then go to a Bricks and Mortar store to buy.
GOOD ON YOU!
I would think so. I can speak for myself and little old me is not changing the world, but....I wager to say that for the past many years I have bought about 95% of my goods excluding groceries(some of those even) offline.I actually grumble if I have to drive to a store to get say jeans because I know I can just hit buy online and they will be the exact ones delivered to me in a few days. Driving to the store and hoping they have what I want just does not cut it anymore. So if I do this, I imagine a great deal of people do too.
For the things you'll need right away, b&m stores are the way to go. But sometimes, if time isn't an issue and you want to pay less, online is better.
I regularly buy supplements for my horse. The local tack shop has what I need at a decent price. But, an online company, Smartpak, has it at a lower price AND, if your barn is on their Barnsaver program, you can have anything shipped for free to that location that same week. No minimum purchase; they have certain days they'll ship to your area. Most other supplies I buy from the store.
I recently had a list of things I wanted to buy, one of which was a shampoo bar, which my local health food store didn't have (ironically, I work there now). So I ordered everything from Vitacost, which had much lower prices and free shipping (when I added a few items to the list).
Although I'd love to buy everything from real stores, financially it makes sense to buy things online when the prices are better. Of course, more fuel is used in delivering it to my home, and there is wasteful packaging. It's a tough call.
Teacher Terry
9-22-14, 1:35pm
I prefer to shop online except for clothes because I need to try them on. I buy a high quality dog food online that is shipped for free right to the door. I also find that it cuts down impulse buys because I am not in a store waking by things that look good but I don't need.
I've never bought anything online so do use brick and mortar stores for everything. But I rarely shop for anything but food so I doubt my measly spending habits would keep them afloat :-)! However, judging by the vast crowds that are always at the stores here, I think they'll be a round for a long while.
SteveinMN
9-22-14, 11:00pm
Although I'd love to buy everything from real stores, financially it makes sense to buy things online when the prices are better. Of course, more fuel is used in delivering it to my home, and there is wasteful packaging. It's a tough call.
Then there's the aspect of keeping the B&M store in business for the times when you can't/don't want to wait for delivery from who-knows-where. I'm not sure that cn happen if staples/stock items aren't purchased at the B&M.
Today an 80-year-old hardware store in the next neighborhood announced they were calling it quits. They're not the first one to do so recently. Almost all of those owners say they can't compete with Menard's, Home Depot, and Lowe's. It's a bit of an obstructed argument since none of them carry building materials like lumber. But then the cry of the public starts about how it's so nice to have a local hardware store in which the clerks know what they're talking about. But if even most of those people bought their light bulbs and tools at the Hardware Hank instead of Big Green/Big Orange/Big Blue, "Hank" would still be in business. Kind of hard to keep the doors open when you pretty much just fix roller shades and sell radiator covers folks can't get at the big box.
I'm 67-years old and buy a lot on line, even some groceries. We live in a small town and nobody carries sugar-free pudding that you cook. Or fat-free miracle whip. Or ginger-flavored Altoids. I also order cloths mostly from LL Bean; if they don't fit, I don't mind sending them back, although it doesn't happen often. Their quality is going down hill IMO.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.