Neiman Marcus, Golds Gym, and J.Crew are just a few victims of the perfect storm

It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's the pandemic coming to fuck you in the ass, Retail!

The perfect storm, it’s where your customer base is dwindling, antiquated systems suffering, online is taking control, and finally a massive pandemic closes any remaining exit doors. I just described to you what is happening to retail chains across the country. As less people leave home, less money comes through the doors of department stores. It’s a sad situation, but these problems have been chipping away at retail locations for years, the problems just needed one last push. And in the beginning of 2020, the problems got that push in the form of a global pandemic.

With the recent news of both public and private retailors dying out, it shows that we were running on old technology, people needed a change, and unfortunately, we were finally pushed to make that change when COVID-19 came around. The death of some recent giants gives light to a new horizon where the titans of industry used to roam. Look, this for better or for worse is changing core principals of shopping, commerce, engagement, and a whole slew of other behaviors that have now adapted to the new world of buying we are in. When this all blows over, what does it look like? Fuck if I know, but I cannot imagine it being the same as it was. Now fundamentally things might not change, but more access to remote help, even in store with iPads and other gadgets to help the customer make a purchase but not needing to be physically there, closing the sale. Did that make sense? It did to me, so fuck it.

Times are a ‘changing as I believe Bob Dylan said. And just like Dinosaurs, most of the companies that once ruled the world will crumble and new ones will emerge. The experience is changing for customers in all facets of life, and businesses must respond appropriately to that. Just like my grandfather, these companies are slowly getting eaten away by the young people (jk my family is not cannibalistic).

Companies that can’t seem to change always fall first, not saying it’s the only thing that took down these once known behemoths but their lack of adaptability in one way or another has seemed to cause a series off small dents that eventually fucked the value of the vehicle. Adapt or die you little bitches.

Anyway, that’s my take on it. Until next time. -GS