[St. John's] Retail Thread

[christopher_chafe]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Still think it was a great mistake opening the new Best Buy practically next door to Future Shop on Stavanger. It's a total bitch trying to get and out of there. Don't even try to make a left turn out of there on a Saturday afternoon. I have been down their many times and decided not to go in there at all knowing it's going to be a pain trying to get out of there. They should have opened it on Kelsey Drive or even in Pearl Gate in Mt Pearl. Future Shop serves the east end and there is nothing to serve the west end. I wouldnt be a bit surprised if one of these stores closed in the near future.

Best Buy's biggest problem here in YYT is not location, it's their staff they have hired. As former employee of BB I still can't understand why they had people who had no knowledge of camera's working in the camera section, same goes for the Computer section and Home Entertainment section.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by christopher_chafe

Best Buy's biggest problem here in YYT is not location, it's their staff they have hired. As former employee of BB I still can't understand why they had people who had no knowledge of camera's working in the camera section, same goes for the Computer section and Home Entertainment section.

Wait do they actually have employees? The times I have gone there to buy something I've left because I can't get service.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by christopher_chafe

Best Buy's biggest problem here in YYT is not location, it's their staff they have hired. As former employee of BB I still can't understand why they had people who had no knowledge of camera's working in the camera section, same goes for the Computer section and Home Entertainment section.

For a second I thought you were saying there was a Best Buy in the airport

Actually, whenever I've gone to Best Buy to purchase an item, I've found the staff very helpful and somewhat knowledgeable. The worst place in the world for customer service has to be Canadian Tire. Everything, including $4 lightbulbs are locked in cabinets and finding one of the stores 3 employees who are not busy unlocking a cabinet for another customer is near impossible and very frustrating.

Sorry, but I am very bitter towards Canadian Tire..

[CaspinK]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Wait do they actually have employees? The times I have gone there to buy something I've left because I can't get service.

As a former (albeit not directly employed by) Best Buy staffer I know how frustrating it can be for customers to not be served.

Best Buy is like a lot of retailers in NL in that it is hard to find quality employees. Nothing more frustrating than seeing someone hired, show up for 3 shifts, and never reappear at the store again (often without giving any notice).

I really doubt Best Buy St. John's will close up shop, although I wouldn't be surprised if the parent company (Best Buy USA) decides to sell their Canadian division to raise capital for their renewal campaign.

One thing I have noticed is that in cities (such as Sudbury) where FS and Best Buy are far away from each other, one of the stores really struggles. In Sudbury's case it seemed to be Best Buy, which was never busy (but Futureshop was always slammed). Similarly, the Staples on Kelsey Dr never ever seems very busy...

[christopher_chafe]

Originally Posted by Townie709

For a second I thought you were saying there was a Best Buy in the airport

Actually, whenever I've gone to Best Buy to purchase an item, I've found the staff very helpful and somewhat knowledgeable. The worst place in the world for customer service has to be Canadian Tire. Everything, including $4 lightbulbs are locked in cabinets and finding one of the stores 3 employees who are not busy unlocking a cabinet for another customer is near impossible and very frustrating.

Sorry, but I am very bitter towards Canadian Tire..

I detest Crappy Tire. Also Townie......you are very lucky, my cousin went down there last week to purchase a laptop, and asked for one with a dedicated video card, sales rep told her no laptops come with dedicated video cards....funny thing is the one he sold her had a dedicated video card.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

No kidding. I'm the only person I know who still buys CDs and I haven't bought one in a store for years!

I still buy CDs! Bought one last week actually. I hope to never see the day that Fred's closes.

[Arrakis]

Regardless, I still think St. John's would have been better serviced if Best Buy had built their store in the west end being that Future Shop was already servicing the east end. St. John's has the most finicky consumers I have ever seen when it comes to location.

I would say though that when the White Rose intersection gets traffic lights, it will hopefully take a lot of the congestion off of Stavanger as they will have two main streets leading into the shopping area off Torbay Road.

Originally Posted by christopher_chafe

Best Buy's biggest problem here in YYT is not location, it's their staff they have hired. As former employee of BB I still can't understand why they had people who had no knowledge of camera's working in the camera section, same goes for the Computer section and Home Entertainment section.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by christopher_chafe

I detest Crappy Tire. Also Townie......you are very lucky, my cousin went down there last week to purchase a laptop, and asked for one with a dedicated video card, sales rep told her no laptops come with dedicated video cards....funny thing is the one he sold her had a dedicated video card.

I've stopped going to Canadian Tire because everytime I go there I have to turn away people trying to get me to sign up for their Credit Card. Drives me insane.

[Arrakis]

I think if Fred's were to close, they would have done it a long time ago. But they seem to cater to a different customer base than that of the Best Buy or HMV crowd. No one else has the selection of local music or even LP's for that matter as Fred's does. They also get a lot of the tourist trade there too. I can see both Best Buy and Future Shop abandoning the CD sales market eventually. They are always reducing the amount of floor space dedicated to CD's at both stores.

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

I still buy CDs! Bought one last week actually. I hope to never see the day that Fred's closes.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

I think if Fred's were to close, they would have done it a long time ago. But they seem to cater to a different customer base than that of the Best Buy or HMV crowd. No one else has the selection of local music or even LP's for that matter as Fred's does. They also get a lot of the tourist trade there too. I can see both Best Buy and Future Shop abandoning the CD sales market eventually. They are always reducing the amount of floor space dedicated to CD's at both stores.

..and they suck if you are looking for something that is outside of the mainstream music. HMV is good, but I honestly don't see them lasting very much longer. To me, there is still nothing like having a physical copy of a CD from a store, hoping in my car, popping it in the player and going for a long drive until it's over!

[Arrakis]

Yeah sadly you are probably right. HMV days in Canada are numbered. The market dictates. Just like book stores vs Amazon. It's record stores vs digital music. I have a collection of about 750 cd's at home and havent played a single one in my car since I got an iPod years ago. I just rip what I want and put it on my ipod which syncs with the car stereo. No hassle of having cd cases in the car.

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

..and they suck if you are looking for something that is outside of the mainstream music. HMV is good, but I honestly don't see them lasting very much longer. To me, there is still nothing like having a physical copy of a CD from a store, hoping in my car, popping it in the player and going for a long drive until it's over!

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Yeah sadly you are probably right. HMV days in Canada are numbered. The market dictates. Just like book stores vs Amazon. It's record stores vs digital music. I have a collection of about 750 cd's at home and havent played a single one in my car since I got an iPod years ago. I just rip what I want and put it on my ipod which syncs with the car stereo. No hassle of having cd cases in the car.

Same here, not as many as 750 but I don't think it's far off. Either way, I like to just look at the collection on my shelf and think that I will have it to hand down to someone someday. I do the same regarding the ipod, but it usually gets a play in the car stereo first.

[Arrakis]

You know at some point I think it's all the little mom and pop type specialty stores that were originally put out of business due to big box stores that might benefit from the demise of big box music stores and book stores as they close due to online shopping. Perhaps the market will open up again for the small neighbourhood bookstore or record store when there is no where else to buy physical books in your town or for those who do prefer and enjoy browsing and shopping in a real store instead of a digital one. Who knows.

[SignalHillHiker]

That'd be so cool. I'd love that - more little, eclectic music shops.

[statbass]

The Telegram
Feb 2, 2013
Author: Daniel MacEachern

Overhead costs are driving a downtown business owner to move her operation online.
Kelly Jones, owner of Britannia Teas on Water Street, said rising wages, rent and ferry problems have all contributed to her decision to close her storefront and turn the business, which sells teas and accessories, into an online delivery operation.
“For a small business, overhead costs are huge,” she said.
“You look at it,” she said. “You’re
paying rent, and your salaries — they’re your two hugest (costs) when you’re running a small business.”
Crunch of overhead costs problem for retailers
The store has been on Water Street for six years, but Jones said she knows rent will be going up, and as tough as a decision it was — “I cried a few tears,” she said — she decided moving to the Internet was her best option.
“It’s hard because you have a bit of an emotional attachment that big business doesn’t have in the same way that small businesses do,” she said. “You’re dedicated to your customers, and they are a big part of your life, and you really enjoy seeing them every day. And your staff is important to you in a different kind of way, as well. When you’re a small business, you tend to have staff that have been with you from the beginning....

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/...rompted-move/1

[Ayreonaut]

Nooooooo!!!!! That's my favourite store on Water St!

I wish they would just relocate to somewhere with cheaper rent. Like Harvey Rd! We can be neighbours.

[J_Murphy]

That is too bad, I know a few people who will be upset by this.

[Townie709]

I am good friends with an employee of Britannia Tea's who has been there since the beginning. Heard the news yesterday. It's sad, but I wonder what will be going there?? I would love to see some kind of cool renovation like what was done with Smokie's Poutinery. We'll have to wait and see

[PoscStudent]

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Townie709

I am good friends with an employee of Britannia Tea's who has been there since the beginning. Heard the news yesterday. It's sad, but I wonder what will be going there?? I would love to see some kind of cool renovation like what was done with Smokie's Poutinery. We'll have to wait and see

Yeah it's kind of sad, but at least she isn't totally out of business. I hope the online thing works for them. I don't think it will take long to fill the space there!