Retail meltdown: Which chains are closing stores in 2016?

[big dog cowboy]

Retail meltdown: Which chains are closing stores in 2016?
The Motley Fool
Daniel B. Kline

With some retailers, including Sports Authority and Sports Chalet, closing all of their stores, and others, like Aeropostale, teetering on the edge of heading into the great strip mall in the sky, this has been a difficult year for brick-and-mortar retailers.

The damage, however, is not limited to the chains that are closing up shop entirely. A number of others -- including some iconic names -- are getting smaller, closing stores as a way to shrink into, if not profitability, at least lower losses.

It's a tough time for America's shopping centers, with it looking like those temporary pop-up Halloween stores will have their pick of prime locations this year. Blame the Internet in many cases, changing consumer demands in others, bad management in a few, and a combination of all of the above in many cases.

Here's a look at some of the retailers that have either already begun closing locations or plan to do so this year:

Ralph Lauren

Macy's

Barnes & Noble

Sears

Office Depot

Staples

Wal-Mart

Gap

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...-chains-are-closing-stores-in-2016/ar-AAgNMp2

 

[CyberB0b]

I think the only one who stands a chance in this game is Walmart, as they have a state of the art logistics system, and tons of buying power to drive sales.

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

Walmart may lose money, but they will bill around til the end.......McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell Etc. will cease to be Long before Walmart ever does...

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The report points out what challenges are facing many of these chains.

Walmart still does several times more sales than Amazon... They'll pull through.

 

[CashMan]

Walmart may lose money, but they will bill around til the end.......McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell Etc. will cease to be Long before Walmart ever does...

Agreed. In some of these small towns, Walmart is the driving force. My grandfather lives in western Kentucky, and the big attraction in his town is Wal Mart.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The report points out what challenges are facing many of these chains.

Walmart still does several times more sales than Amazon... They'll pull through.

I'm surprised Walmart hasn't really tried to compete with Amazon for online sales. To do that, they need to work on their direct to consumer distribution.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm surprised Walmart hasn't really tried to compete with Amazon for online sales. To do that, they need to work on their direct to consumer distribution.

Agreed.

Walmart let Amazon "in the game". They could have squished them like a bug at the beginning but neglected that portion of the market.

 

[CyberB0b]

I'm surprised Walmart hasn't really tried to compete with Amazon for online sales. To do that, they need to work on their direct to consumer distribution.

They're slowly getting there. I have been using Walmart.com more than Amazon lately.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Its mostly clothing stores. Those are a tough business. Its hard to be innovative in clothing...which doesnt change much. Plus, many people are finding the means to buy more-direct the same items and skip them as a middle man.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Most of my purchases are online now. Perishable groceries are the exception. I can shop from the convenience of my home and get more bang for my buck. I can compare prices and look for the cheapest price. Most places offer free shipping and some even offer free returns. I don't have to sit in traffic or waste gas.

The only time a use the brick and mortar stores is if I need to verify my size for clothing or check the clearance items. Or if my wife just wants to get out of the house and just browse.

I buy a lot at Eddie Bauer. Sometimes the item is cheaper online with free shipping than at the store. The store will match the online price but what good is that for the store.

 

[Longboysfan]

The report points out what challenges are facing many of these chains.

Walmart still does several times more sales than Amazon... They'll pull through.

Maybe those who frequent WalMart like to try on or test out the things they buy.

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

Maybe those who frequent WalMart like to try on or test out the things they buy.

Or they like to have whatever they're buying right when they buy it, instead of days or weeks later......I order stuff online from time to time, but only when I cant find that same thing within the DFW area, which is very rare......

 

[darthseinfeld]

Walmart may lose money, but they will bill around til the end.......McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell Etc. will cease to be Long before Walmart ever does...

Never mention the possibility of Taco Bell ceasing to exists in any context ever!!!!

 

[darthseinfeld]

Most of my purchases are online now. Perishable groceries are the exception. I can shop from the convenience of my home and get more bang for my buck. I can compare prices and look for the cheapest price. Most places offer free shipping and some even offer free returns. I don't have to sit in traffic or waste gas.

The only time a use the brick and mortar stores is if I need to verify my size for clothing or check the clearance items. Or if my wife just wants to get out of the house and just browse.

I buy a lot at Eddie Bauer. Sometimes the item is cheaper online with free shipping than at the store. The store will match the online price but what good is that for the store.

Plus you don't waste the money at stores with impulse purchases you never meant to buy. Even the most prudent of us succomb at times

 

[BigStar]

Good riddance

 

[BigStar]

Agreed. In some of these small towns, Walmart is the driving force. My grandfather lives in western Kentucky, and the big attraction in his town is Wal Mart.

You can work full time @ Wallmart and still qualify for food stamps.

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

Never mention the possibility of Taco Bell ceasing to exists in any context ever!!!!

lol, I love Taco Bell to (though not as much as Taco Bueno) so I dont ever want to see it cease to exist either...McDonald's, Subway and Taco Bell aint goin anywhere anytime soon of course, but they would disappear before Walmart ever would is all Im sayin.......

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

Plus you don't waste the money at stores with impulse purchases you never meant to buy. Even the most prudent of us succomb at times

I actually end up buyin more online than in person....for instance for my wife's Bday I wanted to get her a new WVU hoodie online (she's from WV) and I ended up sayin "****, might as well throw in a hat and some new T-shirts as well"....If I was in WV and able to just go to a store that sold WVU stuff, I woulda just bought the hoodie....Happier wife, sadder wallet.....

 

[BigStar]

I'm surprised Walmart hasn't really tried to compete with Amazon for online sales. To do that, they need to work on their direct to consumer distribution.

I smell a merger coming

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If you were to ask me which one is going to be around longer as their present business model?

I'd pick Wal-Mart over Amazon.