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In the 1980's people wrote about malls as cultural centers, as temples to shopping. Now, they're dying.
Many observers are speculating about the growing trend of so-called dead malls: once-flourishing, large retail spaces that now have a high vacancy rate, low numbers of pedestrian traffic, or the lack of an "anchor" store (typically a department chain). Is it because of economic recession, or stagnant middle-class wages and growing income inequality? Or has the death of these malls been hastened by the rapid growth of online shopping?
It's difficult to say, but the dead mall phenomenon is becoming a cultural item of interest -- for retail historians, urban explorers and documentarians alike. We may read about dead malls in The New York Times or The Atlantic, but film footage can say much more than words.
Is Amazon to blame?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday April 25 2017, @04:49PM (13 children)
Malls weren't quite "new" in the early sixties. There were two of them near my hometown. One to the west, and one to the north-east. Downtown had begun to die a slow death, because the malls were attracting so much business. Late sixties, the "Towne Mall" was built over the grave of the old Johnson Bronze factory. It was more chic than the edge-of-town malls, and easier for kids (like me) to get to.
Somehow, I never fell in love with malls. One by one, all of those fascinating family businesses closed up, and long-established chain stores as well. Kresge's, Murphy's, Western Auto, and more, simply couldn't compete with the lure of the malls.
Today - I'll not mourn the passing of the malls. Something will take their places. Entrepreneurs will build hi-rises over their graves, or government will build some trashy "low-income housing" over them.
But, yeah, if you want to blame someone for the death of the malls, Amazon, Newegg, and Ebay are to blame. I'd much rather browse for what I want on my computer, than to head off to the mall. When you get to the mall, you're surrounded by idiots who don't know how to drive without a phone stuck to their ears. Malls have become scary places!
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @04:55PM (2 children)
Somehow, I never fell in love with malls.
Fascinating! Why do you think that is?
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:14PM (1 child)
Maybe it's related to what was described in the text making up the rest of the paragraph whose first sentence you quoted?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @06:45PM
Busted! I just wanted to read more of Runaway's scintillating prose! Such deep insight! Such vast opinions! He is the only reason I read SN! Please! Don't take this away from me!
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday April 25 2017, @04:56PM (4 children)
How are malls "scary places"? The roads in-between, sure, but that's true any time you leave your home, and there's other places you surely go besides the mall.
Browsing on your computer works well for some things, less so for others. You can't see a physical item up-close on your computer; you have to rely on someone's photography and even that has limits. You certainly can't try clothes on that way. Brick-and-mortar merchants serve a valuable role here, letting you see and feel things in-person before you go online to buy the exact same thing at a lower price, and hopefully without any sales tax.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:05PM (3 children)
Anyone wondering why malls are dying: Here's your answer. People are using the service they offer (providing the physical item for you to see and test) without paying for it (by paying the higher price, which includes the cost of providing you exactly that experience).
And all those complaining about the greedy assholes at the top of big corporations should ask themselves if they aren't greedy assholes themselves, just at their level of ability. The behaviour described here definitely qualifies.
(Score: 1) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:39PM
To be a good consumer, you have to check the price in about 3 different places. That is how competition is supposed to work.
What Amazon has done is under-cut bricks & mortar when you need an item immediately.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @06:17PM
Cost of business. People have no obligation to pay you for services you offer at no obligation to them.
Trying to guilt your customers into paying inflated prices anyway doesn't make your customers like you; instead, it is likely to make your customers regret purchasing from you. This is not a long-term successful strategy.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Tuesday April 25 2017, @09:39PM
(providing the physical item for you to see and test)
I'd theorize that doesn't exist or is no longer relevant outside ultra-expensive bespoke custom work.
My wife recently replaced a throw blanket thing for our bed. Well whatever the interior decorator name for it, the big boxes and mall are going to have it sealed in a box with no touchie feelie. And one factory in China makes all of them for Sears, JCP, Boston Store, Target, Amazon. QA/QC fails get sent to walmart so even those are kinda close.
Do you worry yourself which Amazon warehouse ships your blankie? If not, then why does it matter which store, Amazon, Sears, Target, whatever? We have too many sales locations and too many brands for the limited selection offered for sale. Just order the cheapest which will be Amazon.
If you don't like the blankie then you better get used to liking it because thats all China is shipping this quarter so don't think that going to a different brick and mortar store will save you by presenting other options.
Like Soviet Era bread lines, here is your commodity take it or leave it. At least we don't have to stand in line.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @04:57PM (4 children)
You drive around in malls?
(Score: 2, Funny) by StarryEyed on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:02PM (1 child)
The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 25 2017, @07:19PM
Don't forget to stop by the Disco Pants and Haircuts.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:19PM
Only at night while wearing sunglasses.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Tuesday April 25 2017, @05:50PM
Top Gear does. [youtu.be]