Brick and Mortar

What is the future of Brick and Mortar stores?

Clearly Internet shopping has hurt them and will continue to do so, but are they in fact doomed or will they simply evolve?

The answer is obviously dependent on a number of things, but it seems that they are starting to evolve.

They are already in many cases serving as a local pick up option for on-line buying.

The one advantage they have, or one of the advantages is the ability to get an item instantly.

You go, you see, you buy, you have it.

Even with some incredible technology on-line requires a certain waiting period.

Even if you are ordering on-line, the ability to pick up the item at a brick and mortar location can be persuasive.

They may have to improve this option, I have used it in the past at a number of locations and they weren't particularly well run.

Sears in particular seemed onerous when I used them, and once you get an e-mail saying it is ready for pick up, you shouldn't have to wait once you arrive.

Sears is going to be saved in some reduced version and whether they can be a going concern may provide the answer to the question about brick and mortar stores, or maybe they are just beyond salvation.

I will say that other stores were generally better than them although they all have some issues.

It would seem that to capitalize on the fact that you have the customer in the store, you might want to have them in the store instead of some remote pick-up location.

I digress.  One area the brick and mortar stores offer is the sense of a place to gather.  You don't really do a lot of on-line shopping in a group.  Malls are already further evolving into a place with more amenities and a more pleasant environment.  Food courts are not the only option anymore.

I think at least some brick and mortar establishments survive and even thrive.  On-line shopping is here to stay, but as a place for social interaction, instant gratification and on-line distribution, they are filling functions that can't be replicated easily.

Back to School Crowds

I went to a local outdoor outlet mall yesterday since the weather was nearly perfect and my teenager still needs some back to school items. I have never seen this mall so packed with back to school shoppers. In the only store we actually purchased something in, American Eagle, the lines were extremely long.

Now, there were of course many labor day sales going on, and this is only one mall on one day, but all the food places and all the stores were jammed. In fact, we decided it wasn't worth the wait to get lunch there and headed home, we live very close.

Now, if this is a slow back to school season and if the recession is still bad, this must have been an aberration. This is a relatively new mall and I've been there many times, including last Christmas but it never was as busy as it was yesterday.

For what it is worth, the desire of teenagers to look good for school seems to have triumphed over other considerations, at least around here.