Middle class retailers dying a slow death: Don Pittis

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and that there are some features you can't use or read.

We are an active community of worldwide senior members participating in chat, politics, travel, health, blogging, graphics, computer issues & help, book club, literature & poetry, finance discussions, recipe exchange and much more. Also, as a member you will be able to access member only sections, many features, send personal messages, make new friends, etc.

Registration is simple, fast and completely free. Why not register today and become a part of the group. Registration button at the very top left of the page.

Thank you for stopping by.

Join our community!

In case of difficulty, email worldwideseniors.org@gmail.com.
If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Pages:
1
2

Middle class retailers dying a slow death: Don Pittis
Topic Started: Feb 19 2014, 01:16 PM (570 Views)
Darcie	Feb 19 2014, 01:16 PM Post #1
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Quote: e visited two dying Sears stores this month. They were both very depressing. Racks of jackets on hangers that told the wrong size. Empty cardboard boxes in big empty spaces. Despite another commitment last week by Sears Canada president Doug Campbell that the chain would continue to target the middle class, the trouble at Sears is a sign that middle class retailing itself is in decline. Aldwin Era is convinced that retailing is dividing in two, one for the rich and one for the poor. He has a simple theory about why: People no longer want to be seen as middle-class shoppers. Quote: "It's either you want to live above and beyond your means, or you really absolutely cannot and so you really have to shop at stores like Wal-Mart," says Era. http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/middle-class-retailers-dying-a-slow-death-don-pittis-1.2535685?cmp=rss Not difficult to figure out, the middle class is disappearing, and the money they used to have is now in the hands of the super-rich. The poor have only a limited number of bucks even to spend at Walmart type stores. How to kill capitalism, they have a good start at it.



margaret	Feb 19 2014, 01:26 PM Post #2
Red Star Member Posts: 2,276 Group: Member Member #1,032 Joined: October 3, 2013	And Hudak is saying vote for me, I will create a million jobs, I will stop the new minimum wage raise and bring in the right to work so that companies can cut wages down. So who is going to buy anything, it will take most peoples money just keeping food on the table. Yes you better vote for Hukak,



haili	Feb 20 2014, 01:24 AM Post #3
Gold Star Member Posts: 7,084 Group: Member Member #387 Joined: September 15, 2006	I imagine most retailers will have low sales this winter. Most people I know have gone out for groceries and not much else due to the weather.



angora	Feb 20 2014, 02:56 AM Post #4
WWS Book Club Coordinator Posts: 14,494 Group: Member Member #717 Joined: March 31, 2010	That certainly is part of it haili but the number of people who are unemployed and underemployed is a big part too.



Darcie	Feb 20 2014, 03:44 AM Post #5
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	The cold is sure not stopping the younger crowd from going to the bars and concerts and shopping for party clothes. Only some of us oldies are cold sensitive.



haili	Feb 20 2014, 06:18 AM Post #6
Gold Star Member Posts: 7,084 Group: Member Member #387 Joined: September 15, 2006	Even the younger working people just want to come home and flake out this winter because of blowing snow, icy roads, freezing cold, snow to shovel, etc. The unemployment or underemployment rate doesn't help either. I heard that the the "high end" outlet mall around here is doing well.



Delphi51	Feb 20 2014, 02:20 PM Post #7
Member title Posts: 13,967 Group: Administration Member #441 Joined: October 10, 2006	Sears clothes always seemed rather high priced to me, and still do. Why pay twice the Walmart price for what appears to be the same thing? But their good and high quality tools are very interesting. They have a good line of snowblowers and they sell parts and accessories for them with a knowledgeable salesperson. Sears seems to be the place to buy good quality beds and mattresses. Too bad our local sears catalog pick up place closed; we can no longer get delivery when buying a mattress in the store 100 km away. That could send us to another store that does offer delivery - to the door.



Alli	Feb 21 2014, 04:52 AM Post #8
Mistress, House of Cats Posts: 4,732 Group: Member Member #711 Joined: March 30, 2010	I never shopped much at Sears and the old Eatons store because I did find them a little over priced. Even now many of their clothing items are more than what I can afford. I really detest the huge box stores that seem to be sucking up space everywhere these days. I had to pick up a prescription from my pharmacy There are all kinds of stores to wander around only problem is they are so spread all over the place It was snowing the weather was very cold and I just can't tolerate the cold temps like I did once. They certainly don't consider older people or those who may have disabilities to get around the malls. Surely not calling a taxi to go from Zehrs to the dollar store in one Mall maybe they should consider shuttle buses when building these ridiculous shopping places. I have found a couple of places on line I'd like to try....



Darcie	Feb 21 2014, 05:01 AM Post #9
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	A few malls in Montreal as well as grocery stores provide electric wheel chairs with baskets. Alli maybe you should phone the mall administration office and suggest this to them. I did in one mall many years ago and they did start with two and the demand was so high they added more. I also suggested small carts for our local library, that also is terrific for many people and still going strong. I have noticed that if you don't ask you never get.



Alli	Feb 21 2014, 05:46 AM Post #10
Mistress, House of Cats Posts: 4,732 Group: Member Member #711 Joined: March 30, 2010	They have those here as well Darcie, it's getting around the whole parameter of the mall itself. The stores outdoors are spread so far apart Even if you are pushing a stroller with a toddler you have a long distance to go before you reach the next store on your list. Here there is a target store several blocks a Home Depot and a Michaels, Bed & Bath Store these are all a fair distance apart bad weather who feels like walking 20 miles just to shop!



goldengal	Feb 21 2014, 05:59 AM Post #11
Mistress, House of Dogs Posts: 11,674 Group: Member Member #715 Joined: March 31, 2010	Alli Feb 21 2014, 05:46 AM They have those here as well Darcie, it's getting around the whole parameter of the mall itself. The stores outdoors are spread so far apart Even if you are pushing a stroller with a toddler you have a long distance to go before you reach the next store on your list. Here there is a target store several blocks a Home Depot and a Michaels, Bed & Bath Store these are all a fair distance apart bad weather who feels like walking 20 miles just to shop! That is exactly the same as Heartland Town Centre is here in Mississauga as is Vaughan Mills north of Toronto. It is the setup of all the big box complexes. They are not malls as with malls all the stores are housed under the same roof - e.g. Yorkdale, Square One, Eaton Centre, etc. I agree it is a long way from store to store for the most part although there are sections where the stores are mostlyl women's clothing for instance, and they are close to one another, but all accessed from the outdoors and not under a common roof. Take care, Pat



Darcie	Feb 21 2014, 06:03 AM Post #12
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	goldengal Feb 21 2014, 05:59 AM Alli Feb 21 2014, 05:46 AM They have those here as well Darcie, it's getting around the whole parameter of the mall itself. The stores outdoors are spread so far apart Even if you are pushing a stroller with a toddler you have a long distance to go before you reach the next store on your list. Here there is a target store several blocks a Home Depot and a Michaels, Bed & Bath Store these are all a fair distance apart bad weather who feels like walking 20 miles just to shop! That is exactly the same as Heartland Town Centre is here in Mississauga as is Vaughan Mills north of Toronto. It is the setup of all the big box complexes. They are not malls as with malls all the stores are housed under the same roof - e.g. Yorkdale, Square One, Eaton Centre, etc. I agree it is a long way from store to store for the most part although there are sections where the stores are mostlyl women's clothing for instance, and they are close to one another, but all accessed from the outdoors and not under a common roof. Take care, Pat There are similar malls here, I avoid them, but there are also many that are accessible inside as well as outside. Those are the ones I frequent.



haili	Feb 21 2014, 06:09 AM Post #13
Gold Star Member Posts: 7,084 Group: Member Member #387 Joined: September 15, 2006	Alli: I understand what you're saying. It's the same here with stores surrounding a huge parking lot and so far apart I have to drive from one store to another. At least with the indoor malls we can stop and sit on a bench for a rest before walking farther. People who no longer drive would have a hard time walking from Walmart to Canadian Tire here and the book store would be out of the question for those with no car. I wish we had a Sears store here but I'm afraid it may be going out of business. The clothes were a bit pricier than Walmart but better quality and more choice.



Dana	Feb 21 2014, 06:14 AM Post #14
WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire Posts: 13,054 Group: Member Member #830 Joined: March 23, 2011	Alli Feb 21 2014, 05:46 AM They have those here as well Darcie, it's getting around the whole parameter of the mall itself. The stores outdoors are spread so far apart Even if you are pushing a stroller with a toddler you have a long distance to go before you reach the next store on your list. Here there is a target store several blocks a Home Depot and a Michaels, Bed & Bath Store these are all a fair distance apart bad weather who feels like walking 20 miles just to shop! Here it makes shopping by bus more difficult when the different big boxes are alongside a highway with each set of boxes set apart by huge parking lots.



heatseeker	Feb 21 2014, 07:56 AM Post #15
Veteran Member Posts: 10,320 Group: Member Member #713 Joined: March 30, 2010	Department stores have been dying for decades in Canada and the US and likely in other countries -- remember Woodwards, Eatons, Johnston Walker (Edmonton) Simpsons, Simpsons Sears in Canada? Some people are still buying stuff, but many tend to go to specialty places, or shop online. Once you hit your 50s or so, spending on things slows a lot, as I'm sure people on here have noticed.



1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)

Our users say it best: "Zetaboards is the best forum service I have ever used." Learn More · Sign-up for Free
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Rants, Bouquets, Consumer Issues · Next Topic »

Pages:
1
2