2007 B&M Holiday Shopping Season A Disaster, Store Closings Planned

[mandy]

Zale, Liz Claiborne and Pacific Sunwear are among the companies planning closures. Quiksilver may sell another division...

Taking stock of a rough holiday season, retailers are shuttering stores and trimming expansion plans as they stare down edgy consumers.

Industry analysts said Thursday that there was little mystery behind the plans announced by several chains this month. "We're in poor economic times, and when you're in poor economic times, retailers close stores" and reduce the number they plan to open, said Eric Beder of Brean Murray, Carret & Co. "That will accelerate into the second half of 2008."...

full article: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-retail18jan18,1,3929827.story?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true

[accentnepal]

And online sales were up 20%.

Only a matter of time before the B&M stores start to lay blame on internet business for the dropoffs. They likely will take two tacts - some will join us, creating their own online stores. Others will campaign about how unsafe the internet is, while pushing for sales tax and other constraints. Fortunately the sales tax exception was just extended for seven years, but I doubt we will get that again.

Expect to start seeing scare ads about people who were ripped off by internet marketers - presented by warm and fuzzy non-profits who do not disclose their funding.

[bargainbloodhound]

Only a matter of time before the B&M stores start to lay blame on internet business for the dropoffs. They likely will take two tacts - some will join us, creating their own online stores. Others will campaign about how unsafe the internet is, while pushing for sales tax and other constraints.

There's a 3rd method B&M stores (and catalogs and manufacturers) use to constrain trade: sending frivolous DMCA notices to online sellers...the actions of many members of eBay's VERO program are a prime example.