From Publishers Weekly:
“Have you heard that Toys R Us is closing? You must be so glad!” is the greeting from dozens of customers over the last few weeks. “Yes, I heard that,” I reply. “Did you guys come in to visit me today—or is there something I can wrap for you? I am unpacking new books… would you like to see?”
“So how’s business? Are you guys OK?” is usually the follow-up query, delivered either sotto voce with a sympathetic look from a parent, or in the appraising raised eyebrow glance of the grandparent—that look that causes you to check your shirt for dribbles of donut frosting and a stray sprinkle or two. “We’re just great—how are YOU guys? Wow, the kids get bigger every time I see them—my goodness, you’ll be taller than me in a week or so! Did you get an April calendar of activities? There’s a great author event tomorrow!”
And so we smile and tap dance and book talk and gift wrap and dazzle them with service, avoiding the hundredth or so conversation about another chain closing, another retail demise, another conversation about how “everyone buys online, now, you know.”
I’m not sad to lose a competitor, but TRU was never that. They are a chain that sells children’s products, as we do, but oh, the myriad of things they sell is hardly comparable to my little neighborhood shop.
. . . .
The ability of manufacturers to sell online immediately, without using TRU as a testing laboratory for new product lines, was also a factor. But retail, as we know, has fundamentally changed, while many retailers haven’t. Customers can buy almost anything cheaper, faster, and with less effort than a visit to the store that serves only one purpose. Multiply that truth tenfold if you factor in the effort of buckling a child or two into a car seat for the errand. And so, the allure of Geoffrey fades, as will the “everything must go” signs taped to the windows.
Link to the rest at Publishers Weekly
“And so we smile and tap dance and book talk and gift wrap and dazzle them with service, avoiding the hundredth or so conversation about another chain closing, another retail demise, another conversation about how “everyone buys online, now, you know.””
If the writer is able to provide such great service that customers are prepared to suffer the drawbacks of shopping in a physical store, including often significantly higher prices, then he deserves to do well. Though this is becoming more and more a niche for many products, including books. It is a niche that will probably always exist for a few very well run stores. For the rest, Toyr’r’Us are gone, but Amazon goes from strength to strength.
If the writer etc., “she” deserves to do well, I think is what you meant.
No. I didn’t really consider gender at all. My apologies. As you point out the writer concerned is in fact female.
Speaking of the “everything must go” signs, it seems like lately when a big store goes out of business, even a day or two before their final closing, items still aren’t marked down enough to make me want to buy them.
And that is why they’re closing. 🙂
What I notice is that “everything must go” prices are always hugely marked up, with the “out the door price” being the regular price. Or slightly more than the regular price. A cute trick that results in me not buying anything.
If they had them (and I had the money), I would buy a TRU giraffe. In one of those odd coincidences of the world, they not only gave their mascot the same name as my son – but the same birthday.