First is blue-collar manufacturing and mining workers,
now retail workforce,
who’s next? Admin staff and secretaries? Helpers for restaurants and food & beverage outlets?
This trend is unstoppable… automation and digitalization of economy.
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There will be robot Doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Plus, robot CEOs!!! Tim Cook, Zuckerberg, and Elon will all be replaced by robots.
When every jobs are automated, we have to wonder why do we need to exist. What is the purpose of existence?
Humans will no longer need a body to survive. Our spirits will travel through space like electromagnetic waves. We can go anywhere we like and live forever. (I took this concept out of a sci-fi novel by 衛斯理).
Is that the destiny of all species? In other words, there are species that have reached that stage before human beings.
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God, all I wanted was an elevator to go from the garage to the top floor…
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WB is in da house!!!
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Bet on Starbucks…hard to deliver hot coffee…
Sorry, no access, but if story is as suggested, retail is about to flat line big time!!! Where will all those pretty Macy’s sales counter gals (and guys, must be PC) go???
I saw apparel sales are up 3% y/y, so the decline of retail is greatly exaggerated. Sales are growing faster than inflation. I think what’s happening is a significant shift in market share.
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Come on, really, a multiplex movie theater??? First of all, you have/had a small theater in the back that didn’t do so hot and frankly considering how crappy movies have become no one will go out to see movies anymore!!!
Those not realizing the retail industry is suffering by anything “online” should read more.
My wife buys online, but the retailers sent the merchandise through Amazon. She doesn’t like it, return it, for free or go to the nearest Macy’s or whatever store came from and do the return.
Not an expert, just an observation. If you have walked into a Macy’s store, you will see the bunches and bunches of expensive clothing on the racks. The handling of that merchandise, from shipping, receiving it, unpacking it, and hang it takes lots of $ out of the retailer.
65" already feels small. I’ll upgrade when 4K content becomes mainstream.
@sfdragonboy Update us on what you get.
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Yesterday, I tried returning a USB drive to Staples and was told they have a 14 day return policy for electronics. I left without buying a cable I wanted in protest. I will go buy it on Amazon.
Sorry, but at least match the online competitors’ policies even if you can’t match the prices!!!
There’s something happening here in DC that somewhat counters the argument that retail is dying. If anything it’s evolving to meet the millennial wants and desires. Certain high end apt/condo builders are paying special attention to 1st floor retail space and creating unique “experiences” for young consumers by adding a mix of art stores/exhibits, independently owned shops, and restaurants. With a lot of the independent shops starting online 1st and then deciding to set up brick-and-mortar operations. Strategically locating their brick-and-mortar locations based on where their online buyers reside. Good use of stored consumer data right there! The challenge, I imagine, is figuring out how to run a physical shop.
Obviously mixed-use buildings have been around for sometime, but the builders “place-making” strategy of handpicking businesses that create experiences for the consumer seems like a smart strategy. It’s definitely paying off in my neighborhood. My 2 cents anyway…
I haven’t been to Santana Row in ages, but isn’t that a similar strategy?
Any case, here’s a WP article about my neighborhood:
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Always good to get some insight from the East Coast. Not to change the subject, but your perspective on The Donald (since you are there physically) would be interesting material to discuss for some of us more politically inclined…
No doubt we have seen s splattering here and there with strategic brick and mortar “pop-up” stores almost but again can it hold off the Mothership, Amazon, in the long run???
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I have invested in two mixed use projects…Neither worked well…One issue is banks don’t like to lend on mixed use…They just don’t like the concept…Too hard to analyze?