Shopping Mall Traffic - post your experience

[drsteph]

Florida.

1. High end mall. Few discounts. Nobody buying. Few stores had major discounts but looked to be closing. Nobody carrying bags. Jewelers now beginning to discount - 20% off with no interest one year financing.

2. Outlet mall. Major apparel discounts - 50-75% but merchandise seemed old. Moderate traffic, but many lower income folk. Some stores selling to the fixtures and preparing to go out of business.

I don't go shopping in malls often, but can't remember since when it has been so quiet at the christmas season.

One observation - people do seem to be going out to dinner quite a bit.

Not scientific here, so bias may be introduced. Use your own info.

 

[hoodooman]

I go to the mall to vote.

 

[hughb]

I went to Borders last Monday in the Fashion Valley area of San Diego. It was noon, the parking lot was full and so was Borders. And I do mean full, I was bumping into other shoppers in the store. I stood in line about five minutes to pay.

 

[Mvic]

I was at a Mall in Natick MA, Macy, Nordstrom etc and the parking lots were compeletely packed last night, I only went in to the American Girl store and there was a long line at the checkout registers.

I drive by Best buy fairly often and its parking lot has been fuller than I have seen in a long time since Thanksgiving.

Costco is just as busy as ever.

Were it not for the drop off in business revenue and cancelation of contracts I would not be able to tell that the econmy was having trouble based on the actions of consumers I have observed.

 

[AAA30]

I was in London 2 weeks ago in the high rent shopping areas it was packed with only a few sale or liquidation signs lots of shoppers and lines-ups. Most people had a bag or bags of purchases.

 

[cstfx]

My car door got dinged in the parking lot.

 

[jsv416]

Apple store in Phoenix, Biltmore. Absolutely JAM packed. We bought a mac book, two week wait for data transfer from old pc to new macbook.

 

[nazzdack]

1) Too, too many jewelry stores in the enclosed, suburban, Chicago malls. Too many wide-eyed window-shoppers. Obviously not enough buyers.
2) The Apple stores are (SRO) standing-room-only.
3) The stores that sell portrait art of dogs playing poker and the Three Stooges are void of customers.

 

[jnbadger]

Quote from nazzdack:

1) Too, too many jewelry stores in the enclosed, suburban, Chicago malls. Too many wide-eyed window-shoppers. Obviously not enough buyers.
2) The Apple stores are (SRO) standing-room-only.
3) The stores that sell portrait art of dogs playing poker and the Three Stooges are void of customers.

Same experience at the Ridgedale mall in MInneapolis.

We were there on a Wednesday around supper time, so there weren't that many people around, but when we went into the Apple store, you'd think it was a busy Saturday afternoon.

 

[Trendytrader]

Local malls here very quite. The other telling factor is how many bags people are carrying. Lucky if they have one rather than the half dozen in previous years.

I notice the old traditional clothing gift seems to be popular. Sorry guys expect another business shirt and tie for Xmas