Retail game changer ....

[sib]

I can foresee an evolution where brick-and-mortar stores will mainly be showrooms, where folks can see the items, try them on (clothes and shoes, for example), and then go home and order them from e-tailers that sell at the lowest prices.  Of course, the manufacturers will have to subsidize the brick-and-mortar stores, to use them as showrooms.

Something of this sort is already happening with Revzilla since they merged with Cycle Gear.  I have a Cycle Gear store a few miles away, where I can see and try out gear I might want to buy, then buy it from Revzilla or some other online source.

I consider myself a true capitalist, I always seek the best deal.

[Rough Edge racing]

I can foresee an evolution where brick-and-mortar stores will mainly be showrooms, where folks can see the items, try them on (clothes and shoes, for example), and then go home and order them from e-tailers that sell at the lowest prices.  Of course, the manufacturers will have to subsidize the brick-and-mortar stores, to use them as showrooms.

Something of this sort is already happening with Revzilla since they merged with Cycle Gear.  I have a Cycle Gear store a few miles away, where I can see and try out gear I might want to buy, then buy it from Revzilla or some other online source.

I consider myself a true capitalist, I always seek the best deal.

  Yes, the best deal must also be the best quality for the money...And this can mean spending more to get a better product...A online retailer like Amazon, Rock Auto or Summit racing offers  a variety of brand names, price and quality for a particular item...

[Arizona Wayne]

I'm one of them.  WalMart has nothing that I need, when I balance their presence against the cost of actually driving Service Oriented small businesses out of town.   I used to patronize the little brick-and-mortar shops that provided me a local retail service that neither WalMart nor Amazon could provide.   

When WalMart first comes to town, the stores are clean and nice and well-staffed.   After the local "mo' money, we need mo' money" guys are hooked, the stores go downhill fast.   It's already happening to ours.   And since they have a policy of NEVER confronting shoplifters who are walking out of the store with carts full of electronics and rib-eyes, our court system gets loaded with theft cases, ones that never happened before WalMart.   I've sat on recent Grand Juries and know how it works.

Now, Amazon MAY go that way.   They may, in a blind green-eyeshade quest for higher profits, cut their service levels, start hitting me with unidentifiable fees, get orders wrong, make my life more difficult.   If they do, I'll drop 'em like a hot 55 gallon drum .....

Lannis

I buy stuff @ WM every week.   I've noticed in areas where theft is high in other parts of the US the WM has security people checking your shopping cart if it looks like you don't have a receipt.  They don't do that in my town but I've seen it in other areas.  I believe if theft is really high and they can't stop it enough they just close the store.   Then the honest retail buyers there get screwed.

Mail order is fine if you don't need the items immediately.  We hardly use Amazon at all.

[Lannis]

I've noticed in areas where theft is high in other parts of the US the WM has security people checking your shopping cart if it looks like you don't have a receipt.  They don't do that in my town but I've seen it in other areas. 

In this part of Virginia, no Walmart employee is allowed to physically confront a shoplifter even if the shoplifter is saying "Hey, look, buddy, I'm stealing a TV!"  Not worth the liability if a confrontation starts ... they just turn the tapes over to the cops.    Probably a good way to do; wouldn't work at my house though!   

Lannis

[Arizona Wayne]

In this part of Virginia, no Walmart employee is allowed to physically confront a shoplifter even if the shoplifter is saying "Hey, look, buddy, I'm stealing a TV!"  Not worth the liability if a confrontation starts ... they just turn the tapes over to the cops.    Probably a good way to do; wouldn't work at my house though!   

Lannis

I guess Virginia is different than out West.    Technically here, until you go out the door w/o paying for your merchandise you have not broken the law.  But here they sure aren't going to just stand there and watch you do it w/o stopping you.  In fact some how if you haven't paid for your stuff an alarm goes off before you get out the store door and they search/talk to you about it.  That doesn't happen very often here but it's very embarrassing if it does. 

[Rusnak_322]

Can't do shoes that way though.   I like having perfect fitting shoes, and I do that in an old-fashioned shoe store with that thing that measures your feet both ways .... Maybe someone will invent technology where I hold my foot up to my webcam and they make a shoe just for me ....

Lannis

https://feetz.com/

[Lannis]

https://feetz.com/

I can see that I'm not cut out for this brave new world.

Although I'm pretty far along.   I use "glassesusa" to buy glasses.    They take a picture of you with your own webcam on your desktop, center it all up, find your pupillary distance, and then they show what YOU will look like in every model of their glasses; you pick, and they already know all the dimensions, you send them your prescription, and for 1/4 the price of a mall optician, you're on.

But this "feetz" thing needs an "app" on a smartphone that will take pictures of your feet, so I guess I'm on the sidelines till the world changes as far as feet go ....

Lannis

[Testarossa]

If feetz, why not seetz?  That'll me my new custom saddle brand. Send me a seat pan and three pix of your glutes.

[Lannis]

If feetz, why not seetz?  That'll me my new custom saddle brand. Send me a seat pan and three pix of your glutes.

I'm starting to worry about you ...

[PJPR01]

Not too far in the future, you'll go into a store, stand in a machine and a 3D Printer will build a set of custom shoes contoured exactly to your feet. 

Already in pre-production, I should expect it to come out in a year or two...have to imagine that Nike or Adidas will want a piece of this market as well, so I wouldn't be surprised if they start installing these shoes in sports stores soon enough.

It's coming!

[Lannis]

Not too far in the future, you'll go into a store, stand in a machine and a 3D Printer will build a set of custom shoes contoured exactly to your feet. 

Already in pre-production, I should expect it to come out in a year or two...have to imagine that Nike or Adidas will want a piece of this market as well, so I wouldn't be surprised if they start installing these shoes in sports stores soon enough.

It's coming!

Save this post.  I know I will.

Lannis

[ITSec]

Not too far in the future, you'll go into a store, stand in a machine and a 3D Printer will build a set of custom shoes contoured exactly to your feet. 

Already in pre-production, I should expect it to come out in a year or two...have to imagine that Nike or Adidas will want a piece of this market as well, so I wouldn't be surprised if they start installing these shoes in sports stores soon enough.

It's coming!

I don't doubt this will happen at some point, but the timelines are always shaky. Things that you think should happen quickly, don't. Things that you see as distant specks on the horizon suddenly rush into being.

Those who are into downhill skiing will recall that some ski boots were offered as far back as the early to mid 70s that involved going to the ski shop, fitting your feet into molds, and having the boots custom fitted with injected foam. Somehow it never took off. From what I'm told, those Dr Scholl's custom fitting devices they have in drugstores aren't getting the attention they were thought to draw. Those companies offering phone-based apps for custom-tailored clothing are getting attention, but aren't making money yet.

Somewhere, someone is going to come up with the right mix of features, convenience and price. When that happens, all heck will break loose, For now, a bunch of interesting false starts and tentative explorations...

[sib]

I just had one of those "why are local stores failing?" experiences.  I needed to renovate a Grohe shower fixture in a hurry.  Very German, exotic, and expensive, but eventually even these need new parts.  None of the local plumbing supply outfits stock the parts, and quoted 1-2 weeks delivery, so I got on the interwebs, found what I needed for half the "retail" price from a seller on Amazon, it was shipped express overnight for about $5.00, and I was back in business the next day.  I did try to buy locally, but couldn't.

[Testarossa]

On the other hand . . .

We shopped for a new natural-gas cooktop for Gail's kitchen, on line. None of the big box stores had them in stock. On line, Sears offered the best delivery time -- two weeks -- so they got the order. A week later they notified us that delivery was still two weeks away, so we cancelled the order. I called around and found the next model up -- $150 more than what we had paid Sears -- as a floor model in a locally-owned appliance store in Montrose, an hour away. Gail drove over and we had it same day.

NG line goes in tomorrow.

ITsec:  The real story of the custom-foam ski boot is pretty funny.  Here: https://books.google.com/books?id=b1gEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA36&ots=9vNDgiZDTr&dq=ski%20boots%20foam%20liman&pg=PA36#v=onepage&q=ski%20boots%20foam%20liman&f=false

[Nic in Western NYS]

Millennials:
Wut? People go to stores?  It's so annoying to have to talk to someone you don't even know.

Gen Xers:  Wish I had enough money to buy some stuff.

Rightward leaning Boomers (and trying to channel a little George Carlin tone):
Why should I go to a store that doesn't have just what I want when I want it?  I earned my right to have what I want because (pick one or more: I/my father/my uncle) (pick one or more: fought for this country/paid taxes/sing the national anthem at ballgames)!  Supporting businesses who have jobs in the community?  Sounds socialist.  Let the free market decide.  Jobs?  Who needs jobs?  Let people find their level and earn what their skills let them earn.  People who aren't as skilled?  Screw em.  If they knew they'd be hungry if they didn't work, they'd work.  Can't afford to live there on minimum wage?  Let them live together/why did they have kids anyway? I didn't tell them to have kids!  Let the poor slobs work somewhere else, out of state, out of the country, I don't care so long as they are out of my sight. I just want my thing at the lowest price, right now.  Delivered by frickin' drone, I don't care. Just gimme my thing and get off my lawn.

Leftward leaning Boomers (as if at a yoga/meditation group somewhere with crystals and good energy):
Why go to the corporate local instrument of oppression?  It's inconvenient for me and my money goes to Wall Street.  I'd just LOVE to shop at a progressive local store like they have over in that other place, so long as the prices are low and they aren't taking advantage of me.  Amazon is so corporate but I went to greenamerica.org and found all sorts of places where I can shop for just what I (precious I) want and deserve and can do so with a clean conscience. 

Shop Keepers:  GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE

(Dusty: Happy to take this down if it's just too whatever)

[Sheepdog]

Millennials:
Wut? People go to stores?  It's so annoying to have to talk to someone you don't even know.

Gen Xers:  Wish I had enough money to buy some stuff.

Rightward leaning Boomers (and trying to channel a little George Carlin tone):
Why should I go to a store that doesn't have just what I want when I want it?  I earned my right to have what I want because (pick one or more: I/my father/my uncle) (pick one or more: fought for this country/paid taxes/sing the national anthem at ballgames)!  Supporting businesses who have jobs in the community?  Sounds socialist.  Let the free market decide.  Jobs?  Who needs jobs?  Let people find their level and earn what their skills let them earn.  People who aren't as skilled?  Screw em.  If they knew they'd be hungry if they didn't work, they'd work.  Can't afford to live there on minimum wage?  Let them live together/why did they have kids anyway? I didn't tell them to have kids!  Let the poor slobs work somewhere else, out of state, out of the country, I don't care so long as they are out of my sight. I just want my thing at the lowest price, right now.  Delivered by frickin' drone, I don't care. Just gimme my thing and get off my lawn.

Leftward leaning Boomers (as if at a yoga/meditation group somewhere with crystals and good energy):
Why go to the corporate local instrument of oppression?  It's inconvenient for me and my money goes to Wall Street.  I'd just LOVE to shop at a progressive local store like they have over in that other place, so long as the prices are low and they aren't taking advantage of me.  Amazon is so corporate but I went to greenamerica.org and found all sorts of places where I can shop for just what I (precious I) want and deserve and can do so with a clean conscience. 

Shop Keepers:  GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE

(Dusty: Happy to take this down if it's just too whatever)

Dang, Nic...you paint with a wide brush!

[Nic in Western NYS]

Dang, Nic...you paint with a wide brush!

With love for all (no sarcasm intended).

[Sasquatch Jim]

 With all this electronically custom fitting I wonder if it will take off in the geriatric stuff like enema syringes and catheters.
 Just send them a picture from your computer and they send you the custom fitted product.

[Testarossa]

Now look at it from the point of view of an entrepreneur who wants to set up a small business. Pay rent at a local strip mall and spend a lot on advertising to a relatively small local market plus internet sales -- or just start with internet sales using your garage as the initial warehouse and rely on google words, ebay and amazon for advertising.

Amazon got started selling books. Within about 18 months, nearly every used book store in the nation went dark -- that is, the inventory went into a garage warehouse to be marketed via amazon. Dealers no longer had to pay rent, and they could now buy and sell on a world market.

When I left New York for Truckee I loaded about 2000 lb of books onto the moving van. That growing library followed me to Vashon, Boulder and now to Paonia -- the cartons now total about 2700 lb. A long-term project will be to open the cartons one at a time and catalog and shelve what comes out. Once cataloged and retrievable, the books can be sold through amazon. Seems easier than parting out old motorcycles. Less greasy, more dusty, easier packing.

[nc43bsa]

With all this electronically custom fitting I wonder if it will take off in the geriatric stuff like enema syringes and catheters.
 Just send them a picture from your computer and they send you the custom fitted product.

Eeewwwwwww!

[Lannis]

Amazon got started selling books. Within about 18 months, nearly every used book store in the nation went dark -- that is, the inventory went into a garage warehouse to be marketed via amazon.

Not all!   We have two nice, old fashioned used book stores here, both have been here for 30+ years, and both of them are going strong.    I take a box of books to them every few months, and they give me store credit for about half of what I paid.   They stay full of people and full of books; there's still a certain charm in being able to leaf through old books and find something that you didn't even know you wanted, hence wouldn't be able to order on-line ....

Lannis

[rocker59]

Not too far in the future, you'll go into a store, stand in a machine and a 3D Printer will build a set of custom shoes contoured exactly to your feet. 



It's coming!

Just what the world needs.  Laser-fitted Crocs.

 

[rocker59]

Millennials:
Wut? People go to stores?  It's so annoying to have to talk to someone you don't even know.

Gen Xers:  Wish I had enough money to buy some stuff.

Rightward leaning Boomers (and trying to channel a little George Carlin tone):
Why should I go to a store that doesn't have just what I want when I want it?  I earned my right to have what I want because (pick one or more: I/my father/my uncle) (pick one or more: fought for this country/paid taxes/sing the national anthem at ballgames)!  Supporting businesses who have jobs in the community?  Sounds socialist.  Let the free market decide.  Jobs?  Who needs jobs?  Let people find their level and earn what their skills let them earn.  People who aren't as skilled?  Screw em.  If they knew they'd be hungry if they didn't work, they'd work.  Can't afford to live there on minimum wage?  Let them live together/why did they have kids anyway? I didn't tell them to have kids!  Let the poor slobs work somewhere else, out of state, out of the country, I don't care so long as they are out of my sight. I just want my thing at the lowest price, right now.  Delivered by frickin' drone, I don't care. Just gimme my thing and get off my lawn.

Leftward leaning Boomers (as if at a yoga/meditation group somewhere with crystals and good energy):
Why go to the corporate local instrument of oppression?  It's inconvenient for me and my money goes to Wall Street.  I'd just LOVE to shop at a progressive local store like they have over in that other place, so long as the prices are low and they aren't taking advantage of me.  Amazon is so corporate but I went to greenamerica.org and found all sorts of places where I can shop for just what I (precious I) want and deserve and can do so with a clean conscience. 

Shop Keepers:  GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE

(Dusty: Happy to take this down if it's just too whatever)

nailed it !!!  LOL !!!

[Testarossa]

Right, Lannis, I do still see used book shops with thousands of mostly paperback titles. They buy stuff more or less indiscriminately and keystone it. Great places to visit for vacation reading. I should have specified that the academic/antiquarian/fine book dealers went online -- places where book collectors used to hang out and haggle.  You could find eight or ten of these stores within walking distance of most college campuses.  I scored a lot of really nice books, cheap, when the Boulder book dealers closed their brick-and-mortar stores -- stocked up on aviation, sailing, motorcycling classics and reference books.

[Arizona Wayne]

I haven't read books(had to) since I left college in `71.  Since then it's been mostly MC magazines.

[Testarossa]

And maybe we're all suckers.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/05/how-online-shopping-makes-suckers-of-us-all/521448/

[Lannis]

And maybe we're all suckers.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/05/how-online-shopping-makes-suckers-of-us-all/521448/

I read it, and I don't think they've got the right title on that article.   

As always, no "thinking" person, who is actually seeking the best deal (quality v. price), and who knows what they can afford to pay, and who roughly understands the market, is going to get "suckered" by the consumer-monitoring and realtime price-adjustment techniques mentioned in the article.

The example of the guy who got fooled by Overstock into paying $450 for what was supposedly a $1000 item, and then found he could get it at WalMart for $250 - now THAT'S the kind of guy who will get fooled, but that's never changed, Internet or not.    That's just a company taking advantage of someone who wants "a deal" but doesn't know what he's buying.

Far as I can tell, the real-time price adjustments based on consumer behavior that are described in the article are working in MY favor!   

Lannis

[John Ulrich]

Needed a part that Home Depot has on line.  Ordered it in as I've done before many times.  I go to pick it up and taped to my invoice is a candybar and a note from the manager thanking me for my business.    Nice touch!   

[redrider90]

I think almost all states do not allow burning garbage in barrels.
N.C. for sure does not allow it and will fine you for it but I still notice a lot of folks out in the county have them.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I think almost all states do not allow burning garbage in barrels.
N.C. for sure does not allow it and will fine you for it but I still notice a lot of folks out in the county have them.

What we burn is all paper products, nothing else. It's likely no more harmful to the environment than a wood-burning heating device. This not always the case with my neighbors who think plastics of all sorts should be burnt as well. 

"Garbage" goes on the compost pile or bins.