I remember the good ol' days of back-to-school shopping. My mom and I would make, like, two or three stops around our local shopping center to stock up on all the necessary gear, from school supplies to clothing. The school supplies were easy enough since there was an OfficeMax right nearby and the teachers always gave out a list of required shit beforehand. Then it was off to Kohl's, JCPenney or Carson Pirie Scott (maybe you know it as Younkers) to get clothes I just grew out of or ruined over the summer. Those department stores were necessary. But now, it seems they're failing. Fashionista jumped into the department store struggle to see why brands and shoppers alike are no longer visiting them as often.
Those familiar, affordable and eternally marked-down stores are doing nowhere near the business they've done in the past, mostly due to the continuing downturn of America's shopping malls. I mean, when was the last time you stepped into a Sears? Meanwhile, Macy's is the golden child and has made strides to better its overall shopping experience both online and in-store. It allows shoppers to pick up online orders at their local store and typically ships items from nearby stores to cut down on delivery times. Then there's Nordstrom, who is fucking crushing it.
But while some make their online presences better, their in-store shopping experience suffers. To be frank, it's a hot mess. Who wants to go into a store that's completely disorganized? While their online business can be kept clean, organized and easy to navigate, storefronts are tougher. Eventually, their physical footprint in shopping centers and malls nationwide will have to be addressed if they hope to keep them at all.
