410 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

So what does the retail future hold, then?

 

Speciality items (used, very rare, vintage, of questionable condition), luxury (cost not as much an issue, treat your mistress to a fur coat), holiday trinkets, small items like housewares (dollar store stuff) and then I guess some seasonal things (kids water wings on the way to the beach, fly swatter) you would not wait for.

 

Bigger items, perhaps, like building supplies.  Although a Canadian online store did do well in this sector, but is now in bankruptcy.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 26 December 2017 - 01:23 PM.

[tjv]

^I would agree, but also think Canadian online shopping is miles behind that of the US and it needs to catch up.  Its also weird how some items are a fraction of the price in Canada compared to the US while others are the exact opposite.

[VicHockeyFan]

^I would agree, but also think Canadian online shopping is miles behind that of the US and it needs to catch up.  Its also weird how some items are a fraction of the price in Canada compared to the US while others are the exact opposite.

 

Well for sure we need to fix border problems and shipping costs.  It makes no sense that stuff costs more to ship to, say Vancouver, than it does to Seattle.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 26 December 2017 - 01:54 PM.

[Mike K.]

It costs more to ship to Vancouver from Victoria than it does to Miami.

[VicHockeyFan]

A buddy of mine buys and sells vintage CDs part-time, makes a pretty good buck off it.

 

Via Canada Post it costs more to send two together in the two original jewel cases than it does to send them 2 separately to the same address, US or Canada, or international.  Go figure.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 26 December 2017 - 03:07 PM.

[tjv]

buy in the US and its free shipping within the USA and many times the shipping price is stupid to Canada plus duties, brokerage and taxes

[VicHockeyFan]

Some news today:

 

Despite thousands of store closings this year, Americans supplied a final flurry of spending to give retailers their best holiday season sales since 2011, figures released Tuesday show.

 

U.S. year-end holiday retail sales rose 4.9% compared to the same period last year, a welcome gift to U.S. retailers amid new signs of consumer confidence.

 

Online retail shopping similarly increased 18.1%, while overall consumer buying during the holiday period set a record for dollars spent, according to the sales report issued by Mastercard SpendingPulse.

 

 

https://www.usatoday...2011/981464001/

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 26 December 2017 - 06:56 PM.

[Mike K.]

That’s what happens when the population feels positively about the economic situation of their country.

[VicHockeyFan]

That’s what happens when the population feels positively about the economic situation of their country.

 

Exactly.  And their forthcoming $1600 tax cut!

[Jason-L]

Or what happens when the only way out of your depression is to spend money you don't have on worldly goods in an attempt to provide some solace as you prep for the coming apocalypse?

[VicHockeyFan]

Or what happens when the only way out of your depression is to spend money you don't have on worldly goods in an attempt to provide some solace as you prep for the coming apocalypse?

 

Canadians have nothing to be smug about.  Our personal debt is the highest in the entire world.  We must also be fearing the apocalypse.  Rather than Sunny Ways.

 

 

 

 

Canadians borrow more than the rest of the world...

Emerging economies, in blue, have average household debt levels of 40% as a share of per-capita GDP. Advanced economies, in red, average under 80%. Canada, meanwhile, leads the world at over 100%.

 

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 27 December 2017 - 08:14 AM.

[Bingo]

I suppose The Bay will be the next casualty, and it makes one wonder the timing of the the addition at Mayfair Mall.

[tjv]

Or what happens when the only way out of your depression is to spend money you don't have on worldly goods in an attempt to provide some solace as you prep for the coming apocalypse?

You haven't spent much time in the US recently, its booming down there.  One city quoted an unemployment rate of 1.2% (sorry, I can't remember which City)

[sdwright.vic]

Actually that is our unemployment rate here as well... so we are booming as well.

Actually the island misses a lot of BS just simply because it's an island with no bridge. You can't cut services here anymore then they are. Services where cut years ago.

[tjv]

^Victoria is 3.3%, not even close

[VicHockeyFan]

Ya there are different ways of measuring unemployment. Anything under 5 here might as well be zero.

[dasmo]

Malls are suffering big time in the US.... Amazon and other online shopping dodads are much more devistating there with free and instant shipping. We can only get a taste of that with some things. It’s the large anchor tenants that are vacating causing the problems for the malls so perhaps Mayfair is not adding that but rather making room for more boutiques, Amazon / IKEA pickup spots and pedestrian hangout and activity zones. People do still like to leave the house after the novelty of not having to wears off. See the survival of the theatre.

[VicHockeyFan]

Malls are suffering big time in the US.... Amazon and other online shopping dodads are much more devistating there with free and instant shipping. We can only get a taste of that with some things. It’s the large anchor tenants that are vacating causing the problems for the malls so perhaps Mayfair is not adding that but rather making room for more boutiques, Amazon / IKEA pickup spots and pedestrian hangout and activity zones. People do still like to leave the house after the novelty of not having to wears off. See the survival of the theatre.

 

Yes, interesting observations there.

 

It's no secret women, especially, like to fashion shop together.  I'm not sure that's such a man thing.  But let me tell you, the last time I walked into a Canadian Tire it was with a guy, a forum member here actually.  And we were just browsing.

[tjv]

very true, but the large anchor tenants basically get rent at cost by the malls as they are a major driver to a shopping centres foot traffic, and the anchor tenants know that

 

I think malls are doing better in Canada as online shopping in many areas is still not as cheap as online shopping, but it is catching up rapidly.

 

However, I believe Hillside Mall still has yet to fill many spaces from their expansion of 5 or so years ago.

Ya there are different ways of measuring unemployment. Anything under 5 here might as well be zero.

Don't disagree with either points, but I still think 1.2% vs 3.3% is still a big difference no matter how you measure it

[Bingo]

Yes, interesting observations there.

 

It's no secret women, especially, like to fashion shop together.  I'm not sure that's such a man thing.  But let me tell you, the last time I walked into a Canadian Tire it was with a guy, a forum member here actually.  And we were just browsing.

 

Did Canadian Tire have the plastic bags you were looking for?