20 Facts About The Great U.S. Retail Apocalypse That Will Blow Your Mind

The Economic Collapse ^ | March 9, 2014 | Michael Snyder

[DuncanWaring]

I should have been more specific - I meant "Em"-ployment rate has been Carteresque for five years.

From the BLS:

.

Yes, the total number of employed persons has increased, but so has the population.

[discostu]

Probably 16 or 17 of those listed are the result of bad management and probably would be happening in a good economy. Maybe not as fast but still happening.

[Wyatt's Torch]

Well actually it's pretty average. The average unemployment rate from 1976 through now is 6.5%. Currently it's slightly above that at 6.7%.

Now, that's U3 which I'm not a fan of. U6 is a much better measure. Still quite high but it's at it's lowest since 2008.

As I've said numerous times; this is a very slow, sub-optimal recovery. It certainly could be a whole heck of a lot better if the government would get the hell out of the way. That goes for both sides of the aisle who are equally worthless.

[jimsin]

IT’S THE DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM LIBS...

[nascarnation]

Dave Stockman’s book (highly recommended though spirit-crushing) says the number of “breadwinner” jobs peaked in 1998 and has trended downward since.

[DuncanWaring]

I wasn’t talking about the “un”-employment rate - that’s about as good an example as you’ll get of “lying with statistics”.

I was talking about the “em”-ployment RATE - flat at Carteresque levels for five years.

[Ezekiel]

What will happen to the economy when the consumers paying with freebie government entitlements courtesy of the productive class, stop getting their sustenance? Never mind the EBT riots, will Wal-Mart even be able to pay its electric bill?

Seems like there’s a huge bubble of trouble out there waiting to pop.

[Wyatt's Torch]

Participation rate? Already covered that...

[ncpatriot]

I have discovered that many of the youth today don’t give a hoot about “antiques” or hand me downs from family. They consider them “old and dirty”

[hinckley buzzard]

Notwithstanding the tepid economy, you are right, there is reason to expect a realignment of commercial entities. Nothing stays the same forever. Stores like Sears and Penneys have had a very long run, as have the multitude of basically identical mall stores full of adolescent girls' clothing.

A mega corporation like WalMart will create its own weather, so to speak, and have its own ups and downs. It is perfectly reasonable to expect a healthy winnowing at a time when the market is putting a premium on efficiency, and "lean and mean" is the key to the executive washroom.

[hinckley buzzard]

Most of us have all the crap we could possibly need

There is that, isn't there. I live modestly enough but can't think of a blessed thing I need to go out and buy, other than household consumables.

[DuncanWaring]

More people riding the cart, fewer people pulling the cart.

No big deal for you, apparently.

[kearnyirish2]

Then you don’t know any teachers from NJ; most of them are (which contributes to our sky-high property taxes). Young people can’t get on the teaching gravy train because teachers hang on long after they’ve stopped functioning.

Some teachers have brought suit because they weren’t hired for a third year (to prevent tenure from kicking in).

[Wyatt's Torch]

Demographics is destiny... The downward trend will continue until Millenials fully enter the workforce as they are the largest cohort in history.

And I’ve given no opinion. You just assumed that because I pointed out facts that it was “okay with me.” That’s really poor logic. If you want my opinion ask me. Don’t assume. You’ll likely be wrong.

[AustinBill]

Good analysis. The rise of the Internet has devastated the market for traditional retail. Between higher prices, indifferent customer service, and the hassle (and expense) of driving around town to get to a store and back, the case for letting your "fingers to the walking" has never been greater. The only retail I frequent with any regularity is grocery stores and gas stations, and I expect that's increasingly the case for most shoppers. There are few other purchases that can't wait 48 hours for Amazon Prime delivery.

Case in point. My 14 year old microwave oven died last week. Did online research and went to several stores in the area. Selection was very limited, sales people were clueless as to the pros and cons of the various models they had on display, and a Best Buy that had the model I was interested in on display didn't have it in stock but assured me that they could get it in two weeks. Ordered it from Amazon and it showed up the next day even though I expected 2 day delivery.

I don't see how traditional retail competes with this. The only niche left is for high-end retail that excels in customer service and that's a small market, and the deep discount stores who cater to the cash-and-carry low-end segment. Clothing is the last remaining holdout since most people still want to try things on. Whether that will last depends on how quickly Amazon and others push for 3D body scans and custom-manufactured clothing that fits you exactly. That's one of the promises of robotic manufacturing and is feasible today but inertia has held this back for some time.

[ELS]

Dave Stockman’s book

Which one?

[MrB]

Well, after the Anti Cruelty to Buggies Act was passed, I guess they had to go out of business.

[nascarnation]

The Great Deformation

[cuban leaf]

Well, after the Anti Cruelty to Buggies Act was passed, I guess they had to go out of business.

---

Yep. And another example of laws passed by really dumb representatives. Just because they are called buggy whips, the idiot congressmen thought people were using them to whip buggies. And the president actually signed it.

They are so out of touch with real life that it is almost comical.

:-D

[MrB]

I think Sheila Jackson Lee entered the bill and Cynthia McKinney co-sponsored it.