Originally Posted by
smashndash
There's been a lot of talk about brick and mortar going away. It's just going to change. Buildings are going to transition from shops to showrooms and social places. Think about the
#1 problem many shops face: "we can't have everything in stock". This issue is seriously alleviated when you only need one item of each size and one item of each style. For example, if I want a blue Shimano shoe in size 45, the shop doesn't need to have that in stock. They just need one size 45 Shimano pair and maaaybe a sample swatch of the color I want. Even that isn't completely necessary with good screens and photography.
if brick and mortar stores try to compete with online stores simply by being stores, of course they'll struggle. They need to actually leverage their advantages such as service, repair and human interaction. This is a good thing because salesmen can't get away with selling you crap or being aholes anymore. They also can't get away as easily with being incompetent mechanics because word gets around and that's a substantial portion of their profits. I say this is a good thing. Incoming hate from LBS owners who refuse to embrace change in a rapidly changing economy.
services being top notch can only take you so far. If you never sell a product, the chances of someone bring you anything to service would be very low.
Going in to a clothing store has always been a major letdown in my experiences. They carry ALL the sizes but the size that fits me. How many times have you gone looking for new jeans to find all combinations of these numbers for waist & length: 28, 30, 36, 38, 40, & 42 Very rarely do you see available something with 34 & when you do it's in a wrong combo. How many are a 36x28 that the shelves are overly loaded with falling 36x28? Yet the size I am in search of is always OOS & "special order" or not available for ordering at all...
Big & tall always cracks me up. Tall sizes always start at "large tall [LT], but never once have I found in a store to offer in the "big & tall" something in the sizes of ST or MT. Most medium tall clothing is stashed randomly in the regular fitting clothing sections. Never once have I ever ran in to a small tall. My nephew would probably like clothing for x-mas if he was gifted ST shirts & 32x34 [or 32x36] jeans instead of that popular gaming system & that trendy toy action rifle.... well maybe not, but at least I'd know it fit him if I could find a ST! Looks like regular fit creeping up small shirts & senior citizen spandex waisted slacks he'll forever receive...