Another bookstore bites the dust?

[If_I_Loved_you]

I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.

Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.

Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.

Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement — retiring — in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."

It's "our" not "are". It should be a capitol "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. 

Capital.

I believe the reason I go with capitol letters within my sentences. Is I'm trying to showcase that word instead of doing every word in Capitol Letters. From time to time I have a case of dyslexia. A lot of famous people have had this problem. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Jack Nicholson, Walt Disney, Tom Jones, Robin Williams and many more. Thanks for your help and not making fun of me.

[Traveller]

Every state that imposes sales tax also has a use tax on out-of-state purchases, not just Florida.  However, it's usually only businesses that pay it since they're the only ones that get audited by the state.

http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/consumer.html

The trickier issue the states will need to address is the distinction between tangible and intangible property.  If I buy a book or a CD, that's tangible property subject to sales tax.  But if I download a music file or book from iTunes, BN, or Amazon, that's intangible property exempt from taxation.  Similar rules exist for software, video games, etc.  As more and more intellectual property is transmitted digitally rather than by physical medium, states are going to have to update their tax laws accordingly to maintain their revenue streams.

[fsquid]

Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade.  Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.

Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?

After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy.  Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence.  Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade.  Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.

Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?

After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy.  Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence.  Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.

And the real problem is for the consumer's if in the future it's just wal mart and target then they get to name their price and we are screwed.

[peestandingup]

Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade.  Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.

Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?

After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy.  Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence.  Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.

Then they're completely crazy & out of touch with reality. Any CEO would fail if they kept with the same vision because of simply what it is at hand. They'll end up suing each other & tearing the company apart instead of seeing the big picture. Best Buy, and most retail like this, needs to start the painful process of scaling back these huge storefronts, fire a bunch of zit faced employees who aren't needed, increase their online presence & use the store spaces for pick ups, exchanges, distribution, etc.

Amazon has it right. Check this out: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-locker-2012-8 Yes, its small & not in a lot of cities. But I can imagine a not too distant future where people just order what they want online, even bigger items, & go pick it up locally. Maybe even the same day if distribution centers are close by. And with very little overhead so prices remain the cheapest they can.

This is the kind of major disruptions I'm talking about. I'd bet anything that most the big box & other retail crap is gonna go bye bye in the next decade. Blanding Blvd will look like a damn bomb hit it.

[Traveller]

Congress is close to introducing a new bill that would allow states to require web-based retailers to collect sales taxes on items sold to customers in those states.  Called the Marketplace Fairness Act, the bill is scheduled to be released at a February 14 news conference by sponsors in the House and Senate.  The bill would exempt small retailers with $500,000 to $1 million in annual sales (number to be determined).

Governor Scott has announced his intention to propose a state law requiring out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on internet sales to Florida residents.  Doing so would level the playing field between online retailers like Amazon and brick-and-mortar stores like Target or Chamblins.  The law would technically not be a tax increase in my opinion, since all it would do is shift the collection burden from the consumer to the retailer.  Nevertheless, Gov. Scott would like to use the increased collections to eliminate the sales and use tax paid by Florida manufacturers on machinery and equipment (which Georgia has done already).

[Tacachale]

It's a good idea. I'm not sure the Florida version should be "revenue neutral" though. So much has already been cut; why not just put the new revenue into something worthwhile like schools and higher ed.

[spuwho]

Amazon has it right. Check this out: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-locker-2012-8 Yes, its small & not in a lot of cities. But I can imagine a not too distant future where people just order what they want online, even bigger items, & go pick it up locally. Maybe even the same day if distribution centers are close by. And with very little overhead so prices remain the cheapest they can.

This is the kind of major disruptions I'm talking about. I'd bet anything that most the big box & other retail crap is gonna go bye bye in the next decade. Blanding Blvd will look like a damn bomb hit it.

Odd, this is the model Sears, Penney's, Montgomery Ward used when catalogs were the way to order. Look up what you want in the catalog, either call the toll free number or go down to your Sears Catalog Store and order it. When it comes in Sears would call you so you could pick up, or if it was an appliance, arrange the installation.

You want a tracking number eh? I remember Sears Catalog Store called us once when our new stove didn't come in  on time. They tracked it down to a loading dock in Chicago where there was a local Teamsters strike going on. They knew where it was and they knew WHY it was delayed. Ever wonder why your UPS tracker says it is at a processing facility for 2-3 days? Ever try to find out? Ha!

Only difference with Amazon? The catalog is online. The tracking is online and instant to your phone, but I don't think they do installs (yet).

What comes around, goes around.

[peestandingup]

I'm old enough to remember those days. But of course being in a catalog vs online is not the only difference. Amazon also doesn't have storefronts to maintain like Sears, Penney's, etc does. So that's one huge difference when it comes to bottom lines & costs. And you're dismissing "online" too readily. There's no comparison to it. You have instant access, smartphone apps, search for anything at anytime, etc. A paper catalog simply cannot compete with that.

[Tacachale]

Yeah, but a catalogue wasn't reliant on you having a computer, a smart phone, a tablet, and monthly bills for the privelege of accessing it. Nor was their business model largely based on taxing loopholes. There are still major downsides to the business.

[peestandingup]

Yeah, but a catalogue wasn't reliant on you having a computer, a smart phone, a tablet, and monthly bills for the privelege of accessing it. Nor was their business model largely based on taxing loopholes. There are still major downsides to the business.

I guess, but who doesn't these days? I'd wager most of the buying public has access to some if not all of these things. As technology advances, prices drop, etc, its only going to become more & more prevalent. My point is, whoever was in a financial position to be buying these things in catalogs in the first place have moved on to the new way. Thats why they don't make the catalogs anymore, there's no point in them. And also why you never see pay phones anymore, or phonebooks for that matter.

You're either talking about the impoverished (who weren't shopping for much anyway, catalog or not), or older people who never jumped on the technology train. I know plenty of people like that & there's nothing wrong with it. My parents are the same way. But not to be dark, they'll eventually be dead.

[Tacachale]

According to the Census, up to 20% of homes in the US still have no internet access. About 37% have no good access. Yes, a lot of those people will be the poor and unlikely to have a lot of disposable income, but everyone needs clothes and appliances. Making your products available exclusively to those on one side of the increasing digital divide may not end up being a smart strategy. As for prices declining, eh, maybe, but I've yet to notice the difference in my wallet.

And all this is besides the fact that a big part of Amazon's success is that they have a competitive advantage in not having to pay the same taxes as their brick and mortar competition.

[Ocklawaha]

There is one more thing missing from the business model and Amtrak is (stupidly)  responsible for it's total demise. Such a network once subsidized the nation's passenger train system and made DHL or UPS or FEDEX look like light weights. Amtrak eliminated Express service in 2003 as a political gimmick. This resulted in the sale of most of the high speed express boxcars, though some of the 71200-series boxcars were retained for mail service. However, with the demise of all mail and express service, this equipment was mostly eliminated from Amtrak. The one exception was some 'Refrigerated ExpressTrak' cars due to contractural constraints. In it's heyday JACKSONVILLE was THE king of the national express network.

Seaboard Air Line Railroad, #4 Passenger-Mail-Express nearing the Virginia border northbound. The worlds largest Railway Express Terminal sat where the JTA maintenance yard and offices are today. Even in the early 1960's the REA (Railway Express Agency) 32 track yard was crammed full of express cars 24/7. Everyone knows about the Memphis hub of FEDEX or the Louisville hub for UPS. Jaxson's WE WERE MEMPHIS and LOUISVILLE!

This scene of the SCL's Everglades shows the train passing through bucolic farmland at Fredericksburg, Virginia as it travels northbound led by E8A #576 and an aging E6A on January 25, 1969. Originally a New York-Florida streamliner, The Everglades continued to operate after the merger with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line. The Everglades shows off the dominance of Railway Express even at this late date.