Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Bricks & mortar in the hood vs the Internet

I have been hesitant to blog something that has been on my mind. My goal is not to poo-poo some one's dream or hurt business. It is mainly me, as a customer, in my role as a consumer, expressing myself.

Way back, when I first moved here about 5 years ago, residents, newbies and some old timers vocalized a desire for certain businesses that would serve the community. One of those types of businesses was a video rental place. At this moment I have zero interest in a video rental store. Why? Netflix, need I say more. I seriously doubt a neighborhood store would have the variety of foreign with English in subtitles type of movies I like. I'm actually happy with Netflix, and I can't see myself trudging down to a store to be confronted with 20 billion copies of that recently released Action Rom Com and a few copies of foreign films, half of which are Kung Fu movies.

Another business, not requested but existing, I don't see myself as a customer. There is a clothing type shop that opened up in the TC recently (in the past year) and I went in with high hopes. However I couldn't find anything I wanted to buy. There is an online store that I frequent that sells like but higher quality merchandise with more variety, which makes shopping at the TC store unnecessary. I do hope the store succeeds, but sadly it won't have me as a customer.

There are other businesses around and about the neighborhood that will have me as a customer because I need their physical presence. Like the dry cleaners or quickie mart, because I need milk or a can of tuna, now.

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3 Comments:

At 4/04/2007 10:38 AM, Blogger si said...

Netflix is great but I like Blockbuster's combination. If the mood hits me I can take one of the mailed movies into the store & switch it for another title for free. Sometimes its nice to browse the movies in the store.

 
At 4/04/2007 10:50 PM, Anonymous ak said...

what site do you buy clothes from? bluefly? I have not shopped for clothes in so long, it is killing me... at least I could window shop while at work. The other day i passed by an open ups truck and half the boxes in there were from zappos.com. I'm not really into expensive shoes, though. i buy mine at target. we need a bakery, coffee shop (or some combo) and dry cleaners in shaw for sure (there is a cleaners off of rhode island, but it needs some competition.) i would also love a payless.

 
At 4/04/2007 11:29 PM, Blogger Mari said...

Clothing clothes I do EBay. Being one who'd shop at Goodwill with no shame, I have no problem buying used and new clothes, particularly if I stick with certain makers and it helps when the sellers give measurements.
But the online store I was thinking of was Sock-dreams.com . They have ridiculously long stripy socks, cotton tights, and thigh high socks that in my reality are knee hi's. I was showing them much consumer love this winter. The main thing I was looking for was something thick and 50%+ cotton, for wicking. A lot of what I saw in the TC store was synthetic and thin.
I have friends who have ordered from Zappos, and seem to like what they get. I haven't tried them yet.
There is a drycleaners on 4th near Florida, and some time,maybe Big Bear will open, and maybe Catania's will do more retail.
Si- I'm too lazy to go to Blockbuster, and Netflix got to me first.

 

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