Goodbye Retail

[superdog]

It's cold in the north east. So we decided to walk around a mall.

We must have stopped in at least a half a dozen stores.

In a sneaker store, I asked to see a specific shoe in my size. The woman on the floor, who was drawing on a post it note, told me she couldn't get it because she was the only one on the floor and she was managing the situation. For all of me and my wife.

We left.

This was the best example, but they were all similar experiences.

Management is not training their staff.

Customer service is they key to everything.

But we got home and I looked up what I needed online. In moments I was done. Everything I ordered will arrive within a day or so.

I design and build distribution centers for a living. So I'm very sensitive to what is happening in this industry.

And the more I look around, the more I understand why retail is dying.

I truly think retailers could turn it around with proper support and training. A proper shopping experience could effect change. But maybe the cost and the ROI is simply not worth it.

The future is in technology.

[dimag333]

which mall? Freehold? Monmouth? ect ect

steve

[texex91]

amazon.com killed retail. Ba bye.

I have not stepped foot in a mall in 5+ years.

[sco]

I sell to major retailers, and yes there are some that are just crumbling apart. Sad situation, I'd love to see it turn around as well.

[superstarmar]

Come to Florida , people are more than happy to
make a sale....
I think it all comes down to the quality of people being
hired .... some people just don't want to
contribute anything and just take a free paycheck !
Here îs where retail management has failed ...
Hiring quality staff and proper training ...

[Al1969]

Originally Posted by dimag333

which mall? Freehold? Monmouth? ect ect

steve

Willowbrook?

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by texex91

amazon.com killed retail. Ba bye.

I have not stepped foot in a mall in 5+ years.

Tj maxx ross dollar stores walmart.

There is a sears at my local mall, I'm trying to get the mall to let me develop a movie theater there when it goes bust.

[michaelodonnell123]

Excellent topic that you brought up! I get what you are saying. However, to be fair to the woman in the store, if she was instructed not to leave her spot because there was nobody else to mind the store, then she was following protocol and that is how she was trained. So in essence, management did train her correctly.

As for your shopping experience, well yes, it was a failure in so many ways. They never made the sale and you never got the purchase. Both parties lost out. Can this be fixed at the retail level? Yes it can, but you can't use the same minds that created the problem to try to solve them. The best book on this subject that I have ever read is written by Tom Peters> Thriving on Chaos. As far as I am concerned this is required reading for everybody. https://www.amazon.com/Thriving-Chao...iving+on+chaos

The best $2 bucks you will ever spend.

[Abdullah71601]

I think your expectations are too high. Mall store staff typically spend most of their time stocking and looking for shoplifters, while shoppers are self-service. Louis Vuitton, Apple, and Rolex aggressively service their customers, but most others wait for you to arrive at the register.

Stand alone stores are better. Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, and Best Buy all have good service staff.

[THC]

As long as there are women roaming the earth, there will be retail outlets..

[swils8610]

Amazon Prime is amazing. I buy my work clothes from O'Connells in Buffalo. The service is top notch. Aside from that it's all online.


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[breitlings]

Originally Posted by superdog

It's cold in the north east. So we decided to walk around a mall.

We must have stopped in at least a half a dozen stores.

In a sneaker store, I asked to see a specific shoe in my size. The woman on the floor, who was drawing on a post it note, told me she couldn't get it because she was the only one on the floor and she was managing the situation. For all of me and my wife.

We left.

This was the best example, but they were all similar experiences.

Management is not training their staff.

Customer service is they key to everything.

But we got home and I looked up what I needed online. In moments I was done. Everything I ordered will arrive within a day or so.

I design and build distribution centers for a living. So I'm very sensitive to what is happening in this industry.

And the more I look around, the more I understand why retail is dying.

I truly think retailers could turn it around with proper support and training. A proper shopping experience could effect change. But maybe the cost and the ROI is simply not worth it.

The future is in technology.

I hate to say it but part of the population will never be happy or want to work. This leading to poor work. At some point they are a liability to the brands that employ them, the malls and real estate owners and the society. Unfortunately I think we will have to have a base salary and just pay to get people, who don't like working, out of the way. I have seen it so many times. Poor waiters caused me not to go to Lucile's which is an amazing restaurant for example. Conversely great staff who remember your name give out their numbers. They bring people back.

[The Joker]

It's not just the shops. Here in London the traffic is horrendous, and if you venture out in your car the police wanna do you for speeding or any sort of road violation.

Then when you get there, there is no where to park and if you do find somewhere you will probably get a parking ticket.

It's a jungle out there, so just stay at home and order online.

[texex91]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, and Best Buy all have good service staff.

Not even close.

Can't think of any worse stores to choose for 'good service staff'. YMMV.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by texex91

Not even close.

Can't think of any worse stores to choose for 'good service staff'. YMMV.

I guess Austin must be a terrible place for big box stores. I get good service here. Not LV service, but attentive staff that answers questions.

[breitlings]

Originally Posted by The Joker

It's not just the shops. Here in London the traffic is horrendous, and if you venture out in your car the police wanna do you for speeding or any sort of road violation.

Then when you get there, there is no where to park and if you do find somewhere you will probably get a parking ticket.

It's a jungle out there, so just stay at home and order online.

Interesting point. Do you think they are discouraging car ownership?

[brandrea]

I live in a small town, and the retailers here for the most part do an excellent job. I suppose it's not fair comparing a mall or big box retailer to the small mom and pop shops of a touristy village ...

I personally still like to shop at malls etc. I like the interaction between customer and sales staff, and I often learn something simply by listening to what other customers are talking about while in a store.

[yachty 1]

There's been a shift in the last 10 years as far as employee's. The new generation (not all) care less about working or putting in a effort. If they get fired no biggie they don't care nor do their parents. I have seen and have had workers that been fired from their last 5 jobs,no embarrassment at all.

[texex91]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I guess Austin must be a terrible place for big box stores. I get good service here. Not LV service, but attentive staff that answers questions.

Well that's probably true. Austin service is terrible all around.

A lot of pissed off people that moved here thinking it's cool and end up working retail and pissed at life.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by superdog

It's cold in the north east. So we decided to walk around a mall.

We must have stopped in at least a half a dozen stores.

In a sneaker store, I asked to see a specific shoe in my size. The woman on the floor, who was drawing on a post it note, told me she couldn't get it because she was the only one on the floor and she was managing the situation. For all of me and my wife.

We left.

This was the best example, but they were all similar experiences.

Management is not training their staff.

Customer service is they key to everything.

But we got home and I looked up what I needed online. In moments I was done. Everything I ordered will arrive within a day or so.

I design and build distribution centers for a living. So I'm very sensitive to what is happening in this industry.

And the more I look around, the more I understand why retail is dying.

I truly think retailers could turn it around with proper support and training. A proper shopping experience could effect change. But maybe the cost and the ROI is simply not worth it.

The future is in technology.

Seth, my girlfriend and I had a similar experience at a mall two weekends ago. Couldn't get help in a shoe store. We left and she ordered what I needed on her phone from Amazon. On the doorstep 2 days later.

[Atmke]

Walked into the luxury watch store in cherry creek mall in Denver. Wearing my omega I wanted them to take a look at. No one acknowledges me. They talk to other people first. I walk around looking at all the nice watches for a bit. Finally one woman seeming annoyed talked to me. I asked to see a reverso since I hadnt seen one in person before and it's a personal grail. She barely let me touch it then tried to sell it to me in a condescending way. Maybe I was dressed too casual? ( jeans and t shirt. Was on vacation and it's a mall...) but who knows. Could I have if I wanted to made the purchase right then and there ? Sure. Would I ever from that store or give commission to someone with that horrible of customer service? Never.

Buy the seller people.


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[GB-man]

I hope not because I like going to the mall and shopping, particularly on cold or rainy days. I don't expect much in terms of service either though unless it's a boutique or high end store.

[Atmke]

Originally Posted by yachty 1

There's been a shift in the last 10 years as far as employee's. The new generation (not all) care less about working or putting in a effort. If they get fired no biggie they don't care nor do their parents. I have seen and have had workers that been fired from their last 5 jobs,no embarrassment at all.

Because in most places it's illegal to give a bad reference. All people can say is "yes they worked here from date to date." If a reference says no way and says why and the person does not get the job then they can be sued or held liable for the persons unemployment. So for people who have terrible work ethic there's no reason to perform and they bounce from job to job with no repercussion.


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[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I think your expectations are too high. Mall store staff typically spend most of their time stocking and looking for shoplifters, while shoppers are self-service. Louis Vuitton, Apple, and Rolex aggressively service their customers, but most others wait for you to arrive at the register.

Good point. Nordstrom is another example where customer service is a priority (in my experience, anyway). Given the fact that many stores are staffed by teenagers making minimum wage, I think we need to manage our expectations.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Stand alone stores are better. Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, and Best Buy all have good service staff

Originally Posted by texex91

Not even close.

Walmart might be an exception (depending upon the location). Years ago (maybe 3-4) I stopped by a Walmart to buy an SS kitchen waste disposal can and it took three employees + at least 20 minutes to finally locate one. Maybe they were new-hires.

The worst 'chain' general-purpose hardware store in the SF Bay Area is Orchard Supply. The employees there know absolutely nothing about the products they sell.

Going to the mall may someday become a thing of the past as some of the larger retailers are bailing out. Why bother with congested parking, hauling around countless shopping bags and standing in line for the 'next available sales associate' to complete your transaction? Malls are OK for casual window shopping. Purchasing/returning merchandise at the counter is another story.

[beer]

Originally Posted by breitlings

Interesting point. Do you think they are discouraging car ownership?

well add to that the fact that fuel here is like £6 ($7.50) a gallon and you have to pay £25 just to drive into london

[beer]

the fact that there are more nationwide and international stores these days is another reason as employees obviously care less about the establishment they work for

working at a family owned store or a small chain of shops where even those at the bottom feel as though their work means something is more satisfying than working for some faceless executive who is probably in another country

[Chewbacca]

i would have told seth the same thing.

[Fleetlord]

Retailers can't win with the general public....Joe Average and Mary Somebody are FICKLE and CONFUSED creatures.

When salespeople were on commission the public complained that the personal were too pushy and were only in it for themselves and didn't have the customers best interests in mind...

Now that the vast majority of store staff is NOT commission based (in response to consumers wishes), the store people couldn't care less about the service encounter because they get paid the same hourly wage whether you buy it or not. I used to train home center employees many moons ago on tools and the such....they absolutely didn't give two shits...because their was no direct accountability for their sales performance and their was no incentive...

So now, people complain that when they go into a store, nobody waits on them ....DUH....it doesn't personally matter them anymore.

Pricing is also an issue. People want everything as CHEAP as they can get it. CHEAP. That is can be a function of necessity in poorer areas or it is just because the internet guys have lots less overhead and they pass that saving on to rob sales from the bloated B&M stores...so people get used to it and it's a race to the bottom in terms of pricing...


I walk around some older malls and the days of the 140K square foot Sears is over...

Same with Macy's in SOME markets. Touristy areas Macy's does very well. Other areas, their stores are just too big now and the sales aren't there because of the online shift, so there is even less staffing and less product, which leads to huge merchandising holes to fill...

If you want to see this stuff first hand, youtube "Deadmalls" it's a hobby for some people to chronicle the death of the regional shopping center...

[Star Ferry]

I'm not sure if retail is dying, but I'd agree that the enclosed mall is dying in the US. I read read that no new malls have been built there in about 10 years...

Meanwhile, HK/China has really nice malls. Malls are growing on this side of the world.