Dead Malls and the Generational Cycle

[David Horn]

(01-01-2017, 07:49 PM)Warren Dew Wrote:

(01-01-2017, 08:08 AM)Mikebert Wrote: If Trump were smart he would use this as an example of the job-destroying policies of his predecessors and push for eliminating the exemption from sales taxes online retailers get.  The kingpin of these is Amazon.  CEO of Amazon is Jeff Bezos with whom Trump is at war.  What better way to stick it to Bezos--as candidate Trump vowed to do?  This could be a wonderful policy politically, why should online retailers get special tax treatment that destroys local retail jobs?

Actually Amazon is in favor of extending sales taxes to online retailers, because they are big enough and have operations in a sufficient number of states that they have to charge tax in a lot of cases anyway.  Nor would it change anything with respect to brick and mortar retailers.

I agree that brick-and-mortar, as we've know it, is dead.  Some other thing has to evolve, but it's not there yet.  It's very hard to buy some items without touching them (or trying them on for size, fit and bling-worthiness).  So goods-suppliers need to put their products out there, and retailers are the current venue.  What happens when they disappear? 

High end suppliers can offer free shipping and returns to create churn, and some of that will stick with buyers who actually do need, or at least want  this stuff.  StitchFix is one good example of a totally new model.  In the same market space, companies like Lululemon (all things yoga), Patagonia (all things outdoorsy) and prAna (a bit of both Lululemon and Pategonia) can make it on specialty appeal and exclusivity.  Who pulls that into the general market?