What Businesses will Disappear?

Jules

Jules

SF VIP
In your opinion, what businesses might disappear in the near future? Some we might have thought would last forever.

These are just some that I’ve thought about when I went past them.

Tech and electronic stores? I can’t imagine buying a TV without looking at the various models. Same with a computer.

Cell phone stores seem to do a booming business. I think they’ll last.

Fabric stores - my DD quilts and an avid supporter. I know Joanne’s closed in the US.

Dollar type stores keeping popping up everywhere and they’re busy.

Some of these places have a large footprint. That would be a heavy expense.

Grocery stores. They do seem to be encouraging us to order online and pickup.
 

gruntlabor said:
Copilot says department stores are on the way out due to online ordering
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I can actually see where Walmart could go strictly online due to the ones by me are out of stock at times
because of products being picked up by the staff filling orders. Many times early am shopping there are more
of them on the floor than regular costumers. My grocery runs are part of my "I finally have a reason to leave the house" times.
I would hate to be stuck home 24/7 all the time. But once they get to where online ordering is overriding in store purchases,
I can see that happening so they can eliminate a lot of jobs and expense.
 
Don't believe it at all. Walmart and Target will always be around. Every time I go to Walmart, the parking lot is loaded with cars. Online ordering will never replace department stores. The idea is totally ludicrous. There will always be people who will want to go to a big department store to browse around and shop for certain things and pick up some other things. Online ordering is something you do once in awhile, when you are looking for something you can't get locally.
 
I feel better on days when I get out, look around in stores, or go to a mall. Most movies around here have closed. It now costs money to even enter a lake camping area. Pets are no longer sold in pet stores. So what do we do with our time in the bright new world ahead - just sit at home ordering everything? It all sounds horrible to me.

{I just now saw Paladin's post while I was typing this one. Thanks, Paladin for a ray of hope.]
 
Paladin1950 said:
Don't believe it at all. Walmart and Target will always be around. Every time I go to Walmart, the parking lot is loaded with cars. Online ordering will never replace department stores. The idea is totally ludicrous. There will always be people who will want to go to a big department store to browse around and shop for certain things and pick up some other things. Online ordering is something you do once in awhile, when you are looking for something you can't get locally.
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I think they will be around, just not the in store service but I don't think it will be in the near future. My adult grandkids, ummm they use delivery a lot! They want to use their spare time at wineries, movies and playing video games.
 
My only adult grandchild with a child rarely if ever goes into a Walmart but she orders regularly, she says and I quote "It's such a hassle with the baby now, dress him, pack his stuff, make sure I go before his naptime gets near and can get home before it comes again. It's just easier to have it come to me." But on her days off she takes him out on outings to zoo, ballgames, parks, hiking. I hear other adults my age seeing the same thing. Times they are a changing, again
 
Everybody be happy and rejoice! It's a modern world now, technology, progress, AI, remote ordering, remote work, smart appliances, smart homes, smart devices, advanced robotics, no more paper money, self driving cars, infoscreens in vehicles, tap and pay, social media, and so on.

It's never been better! Less stress and worry, shorter work weeks, advanced police technologies, everybody has more expendible wealth, better health care, better technology making everything easier, unlimited knowledge just a click or tap away.

How dare we complain? Everything is so much better! I feel so lucky to experience all this wonderful stuff!
 
IrishEyes said:
I can actually see where Walmart could go strictly online due to the ones by me are out of stock at times
because of products being picked up by the staff filling orders. Many times early am shopping there are more
of them on the floor than regular costumers. My grocery runs are part of my "I finally have a reason to leave the house" times.
I would hate to be stuck home 24/7 all the time. But once they get to where online ordering is overriding in store purchases,
I can see that happening so they can eliminate a lot of jobs and expense.
Click to expand...
I agree; I'd hate to be stuck home 24/7. I work at home in a studio apartment so I get out somewhere, either to a store or on a walk, at least once a day—I'd go batty if I just sat here at my desk all day, working.

However, the local Walmarts have started locking a lot of items up, even relatively inexpensive stuff, like nail polish. I know that's a trend in larger cities because of shoplifting, but I was hoping it wouldn't happen here.

If Walmart had better service and I thought I could easily find someone to come unlock a cabinet, it wouldn't be an issue. But that's not the case—at least, not at our two local stores. Target is a little better with respect to finding someone to help, but not much. Thus, I have ended up ordering even more often than usual from Amazon because I have neither the time nor the patience to stand around waiting to get access to an item that costs less than $10.
 
Drug stores have been closing in this area due to pressure from in store pharmacies, online pharmacies, and shoplifting.

I think we will see many full service bank branches close.

Sloppy delivery service and porch pirates have kept me from making more online purchases.

When I’m expecting a delivery I stay glued to the window waiting and watching until the item arrives, I find it stressful and a huge but necessary inconvenience in my situation.

My experience might be different if I lived in a single family home or a more upscale apartment complex. 🤔
 
Those are issues in my area, too, @Aunt Bea. All but one of the Wells Fargo (where I bank) branches have now closed in my city, although I do all my banking online now, so it hasn't affected me TOO much.

Sloppy deliveries and package thefts are also an issue here. I've noticed that Sephora, for example, will send an email notifying me when a package has been delivered, as one way of staying on top of this. And UPS—I think it was UPS—will send a photo of packages that are left on my older daughter's front porch. (She's in a single-family home.) That doesn't solve the issue, of course, but it helps.
 
AI and robots will be taking a lot of people's jobs. Not just jobs of people who sit in front of computers. I bet within 10 years long haul truck drivers won't be a thing anymore. And all those call centers you call for product support will be long gone too replaced by ChatGPT. Amazon drivers will be replaced by Amazon drone pilots who will be replaced by AI Amazon drone pilots. Someday doctors will be replaced by a kiosk where you type in your symptoms and a bottle of pills will be dispensed by Microsoft Co-Doctor. Eight out of ten times it will be the wrong pills. Good luck getting help with that.
 
IrishEyes said:
One more thing as a reason she gives me is... "Online ordering, I can stick to my list and not see crap I don't need so I spend less and I don't need to see or feel a box of cereal I order all the time" how can you argue with that?
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I get wht she's saying, but I have a list and it's not engraved in stone. If I have a pecan pie on my list but if I'm in the store and see an apple pie on sale for half price, I get the apple pie. Also, if I see something I normally use at Walmart that has a "price rollback," even it's not on my list, I get it while I'm there.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I get wht she's saying, but I have a list and it's not engraved in stone. If I have a pecan pie on my list but if I'm in the store and see an apple pie on sale for half price, I get the apple pie. Also, if I see something I normally use at Walmart that has a "price rollback," even it's not on my list, I get it while I'm there.
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I do the same, believe me I get it. Even if I could afford the best of everything and not worry, it just feels good to me to find a bargain
 
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