Connect Centre | 56.3m | 16s | ONE Properties | DIALOG

[David A]

Oh yeah corporate "efficiency", usually at the expense of customer service these days.

I rarely go to West Ed, so I guess I will not be buying much from them anymore.

 

[Clearshades]

Online is slaughtering bricks and mortars. Numerous giant reputable retailers are on the Brink's of demise.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Yes things are cheeper online but meanwhile local businesses suffer unless they are online businesses based here.

 

[David A]

Yes things are cheeper online but meanwhile local businesses suffer unless they are online businesses based here.

Sometimes cheaper, but there are also good sales in store you can totally miss out of or not be aware of if you never go there.

Of course there is the hassle of getting thing delivered to your home. Such as if you are not there; the risk of things being stolen, or you have to go pick up packages.

Depending on the brand, sizing may not be the same, so then you have to return items. It is not always more convenient or faster.

 

[Clearshades]

Sometimes cheaper, but there are also good sales in store you can totally miss out of or not be aware of if you never go there.

Of course there is the hassle of getting thing delivered to your home. Such as if you are not there; the risk of things being stolen, or you have to go pick up packages.

Depending on the brand, sizing may not be the same, so then you have to return items. It is not always more convenient or faster.

Consumers are not agreeing with this and THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

 

[IanO]

WEM and Southgate's $/sqft are record highs... but we are/were over-retailed by 2-3x.

This is but a correction.

 

[David A]

Consumers are not agreeing with this and THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

Actually significantly more purchases are still made in store than on line.

I suspect work at home and COVID made buying online more attractive (and at times the only option), but with RTO and everything being open without restrictions or fear that will constrain its appeal in the future.

I'm not saying it doesn't work for some people, just not everyone.

 

[Clearshades]

We have lost traditional retailing. As much as I on board with your thought, power centres and online have killed what we were accustomed to. It is not just an Edmonton thing as the whole USA and Canada are facing the same fate.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Considering too, how many malls we have around this city we are somewhat lucky that we have any retailers in the core.

 

[David A]

Consumers are not agreeing with this and THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

Actually significantly more purchases are still made in store than on line.

I suspect work at home and COVID made buying online more attractive (and at times the only option), but with RTO and everything being open without restrictions or fear that will constrain its appeal in the future.

I'm not saying it doesn't work for some people, just not everyone.

 

[IanO]

Considering too, how many malls we have around this city we are somewhat lucky that we have any retailers in the core.

Edmonton has ~2x+ of retail space per capita and very little density = this.

 

[David A]

Over retailed in the suburbs, under retailed in the downtown core.

 

[occidentalcapital]

Edmonton has ~2x+ of retail space per capita and very little density = this.

Curious if this still holds with metro population at 1.5-1.6 mil. I remember this statement being made when the city was much smaller, and relatively little retail has been added since then.

 

[Greenspace]

^Millions of square feet of suburban retail has been added in the last 10-20 years. Our suburbs have grown over 50% in the last 25 years, much less dense city.

 

[TAS]

^Millions of square feet of suburban retail has been added in the last 10-20 years. Our suburbs have grown over 50% in the last 25 years, much less dense city.

Yes, and with that hasn't the amount of roads we've built and have to maintain grown by a third in that time-frame as well - maybe a little longer?