Dearest readers, a few days ago I got an email from Walmart telling me that if I have a Walmart account, I can start Black Friday shopping online hours earlier than the rest. Seconds later, I saw that they had a 1080p smart TV, screen size around 43 inches, for a ridiculous price of $98! Sure, I could use a decent size tv at that price- 43 inches are the new 32 inches as far as TV screen sizes go haha. Imagine my disappointment, then, when I realized this was for US Walmart- not the Canadian one. So, I went to see what the Canadian retailers are offering during this abomination called the Black Friday month (next stop- Black Friday quarter, final destination Black Friday year haha). Our generous Canadian retailers, just as I suspected, are offering mind-blowing deals up to 50 percent off. Wow, let me bow down and meekly thank them for such an awesome discount! In all seriousness, I almost fell over anger-laughing. That is not a deal, that is not special- that is totally completely nothing. On top of that, Staples is running Black Friday ads on YouTube saying that the prices will not be lower on the actual Black Friday so might as well shop now. Sure, I get it- they are hurting bad. However, they also have more inventory coming to them via a fleet of container ships as we speak, and I do not see enough new warehouses around these parts. Now, dearest readers, seeing as how big retailers can easily restructure their debt compared to us ordinary people, I truly believe they should be having a fire sale here in Canada and elsewhere. Why are they not doing it? It is because they are keeping their fingers crossed we do not wake up to this one powerful fact. Let me get into it, follow along please, and you may truly enjoy what I am about to tell you. :)
In the investment world, they say the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent. This means that, if the market is going against your theory, you may want to cut your losses and get out before the market breaks you and you go broke. Well, in the consumer world, we have the power to stay out of stores longer than the stores can afford to be empty of shoppers! I started this topic with friends and acquaintances from different walks of life and income levels. We talked about how blessed we are that in this great country of ours, we were able to accumulate so much stuff compared to other places in the world. I have a guy friend who said if push comes to shove, he does not need a new suit, a new pair of jeans, or any new clothes save for socks underwear etc. for many years to come. The same goes with girls and their accessories, clothes and so on. I have friends who repaid laptops and desktops and they say that a brand new desktop in the thousand dollar range could last an average user 10 years if need be- maybe more. Other people still hang on to Android phones with replaceable batteries and have spare batteries as well. People also have zero need for new small appliances for many years- again in the worst case scenario. Oh, and our LED lights are supposed to last many years as well. For gamers out there, there is a library of more free games than they would have time to play. Most of us could go years without a new TV. Tell me then, dearest readers- how will our retailers deal with a nation-wide paradigm shift towards retail frugality? It would not happen based on logic for many people- that is true. But, it would happen based on emotion, based on things like anger and most of all defiance.
On top of that, people have already started to shift away from traditional shopping destinations. I know more and more people who are getting cozy shopping on Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji (in Canada), people who go to thrift stores for decorations and paintings and other stuff, even people who have at least considered bartering. it is truly amazing to see and, while I do not believe we can go without retailers forever, we can certainly do so longer than they can stay open.
What about services? Yes, that is a good question. I think that the services and experiences industry is not in danger of taking as much of a hit. The way I see it, people always want to feel something somewhere outside of their usual 9-5 weekday routine and that will never change. People I talk to who migrated here from Southeastern and Eastern Europe tell me that their families always found money to go out for coffee, dine out and especially travel- even when they could not or would not shop for new stuff at retail stores. As it turns out, you can let go of shopping more easily then of living it up through new experiences.
There we go, dearest readers- a topic to consider. How do you feel about retail spending this holiday season and over the next 6 months to a year?
In the investment world, they say the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent. This means that, if the market is going against your theory, you may want to cut your losses and get out before the market breaks you and you go broke. Well, in the consumer world, we have the power to stay out of stores longer than the stores can afford to be empty of shoppers! I started this topic with friends and acquaintances from different walks of life and income levels. We talked about how blessed we are that in this great country of ours, we were able to accumulate so much stuff compared to other places in the world. I have a guy friend who said if push comes to shove, he does not need a new suit, a new pair of jeans, or any new clothes save for socks underwear etc. for many years to come. The same goes with girls and their accessories, clothes and so on. I have friends who repaid laptops and desktops and they say that a brand new desktop in the thousand dollar range could last an average user 10 years if need be- maybe more. Other people still hang on to Android phones with replaceable batteries and have spare batteries as well. People also have zero need for new small appliances for many years- again in the worst case scenario. Oh, and our LED lights are supposed to last many years as well. For gamers out there, there is a library of more free games than they would have time to play. Most of us could go years without a new TV. Tell me then, dearest readers- how will our retailers deal with a nation-wide paradigm shift towards retail frugality? It would not happen based on logic for many people- that is true. But, it would happen based on emotion, based on things like anger and most of all defiance.
On top of that, people have already started to shift away from traditional shopping destinations. I know more and more people who are getting cozy shopping on Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji (in Canada), people who go to thrift stores for decorations and paintings and other stuff, even people who have at least considered bartering. it is truly amazing to see and, while I do not believe we can go without retailers forever, we can certainly do so longer than they can stay open.
What about services? Yes, that is a good question. I think that the services and experiences industry is not in danger of taking as much of a hit. The way I see it, people always want to feel something somewhere outside of their usual 9-5 weekday routine and that will never change. People I talk to who migrated here from Southeastern and Eastern Europe tell me that their families always found money to go out for coffee, dine out and especially travel- even when they could not or would not shop for new stuff at retail stores. As it turns out, you can let go of shopping more easily then of living it up through new experiences.
There we go, dearest readers- a topic to consider. How do you feel about retail spending this holiday season and over the next 6 months to a year?