What has the world come to? A retail rant

[Guest]

I appreciate REI, both the brick-and-mortar store a half hour away, and especially the sometimes tempting Deal of the Day on the outlet site.

I check the Deal of the Day link with some regularity, and saw something a week ago that I cannot get out of my mind.

The Deal of the Day was a “Designer Diaper Bag, 40% off”.

Once you’ve seen that you can never unsee it.

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

MEC in Canada has been selling more and more lifestyle gear. Good outdoor gear and clothing has been displaced by yoga mats and swimwear. What's worse is that much of it ends up in the clearance section so that when I look online I am forced to wade through images of ridiculously slim young women modelling bikinis they couldn't sell at full price. Now that certainly isn't good for my blood pressure!

 

[Guest]

MEC in Canada has been selling more and more lifestyle gear. Good outdoor gear and clothing has been displaced by yoga mats and swimwear. What's worse is that much of it ends up in the clearance section so that when I look online I am forced to wade through images of ridiculously slim young women modelling bikinis they couldn't sell at full price. Now that certainly isn't good for my blood pressure!

I expect the mark-up on clothing exceeds that of most other gear. And if it was actual outdoor clothing gear I could swallow it. But too often it is print board shorts, Hipster hats, summer frocks and cocktail dresses. And freaking diaper bags. WTF.

Even if I was looking to purchase a colorful evening wear ensemble at REI Outlet I know that buying clothes on line is a crap shoot at best. Clothing sizes are not even the same between “identical” items, and in the garment trade if you have a big order for “Larges” it might have been filled by throwing in a few Mediums and XL’s.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...11c812-2978-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

Not just outdoor gear, although that quick-dry, UV, waterproof tech wear stuff tends to be overly pricey for things that may not be sized as speced.

Overalls for Christ’s sake. I wear overalls 8 month of the year. I have for 40 years. I know my size. And even so I’ve bought overalls that looked like clam diggers, and overalls with legs long enough to use as socks.

Actually, socks seem to one of the few things that are dependably sized.

If I can’t try it on I’m really hesitant to buy any clothing, shoe, PFD, hat or glove.

Crap, I probably just jinxed myself on socks.

 

[yknpdlr]

Nothing remains the same. When I joined REI Co-op in 1970, their catalog had several pages dedicated to the company itself, with members of the board discussing their adventures and how that influenced the products they sold at REI. More pages gave truly useful tips about camping, almost like a tutorial. I saved those early catalogs for years as reference. But then marketing to the masses happened, and here we are today.

Back then EMS was in direct competition with REI, but EMS did not offer dividend rebates. Still, it was a viable company with good catalog offerings. There were no REI stores in the east at that time, but EMS was here with their anchor store and warehouse in Peterborough NH. Then some brainy marketeer at EMS decided that they would no longer do catalog orders, and that portion of their sales (including mine) fell to zero. It took them a few years to realize the error and then bring back the EMS catalog. But neither REI nor EMS today offer the hard core exclusively dedicated outdoor equipment and information services to the extent that they once did, and what they do offer is with wedging in the dapper look clothing for the 20-30 somethings. Diaper bags huh.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Why I love Ragged Mountain in Intervale NH.. No lifestyle stuff just functional outdoor gear including some very good consignment stuff. No rant here.

 

[tump_lion]

MEC has lost sight of their core values...

i lived thru their ridiculous colours, but still great gear, in the 80's & early 90's...tho i bemoaned the passage of their woolen knickers in 1988...

there is less and less reason to go there for me now, they stopped carrying backcountry ski gear last season in the toronto store...and shrank the books and maps section to an impulse buy rack near the exit...used to have a sofa and a little lounge area...now it's yoga gear. MEC began as an alternative to the type of store that it is quickly becoming...

 

[smallworks]

I expect the mark-up on clothing exceeds that of most other gear. And if it was actual outdoor clothing gear I could swallow it. But too often it is print board shorts, Hipster hats, summer frocks and cocktail dresses. And freaking diaper bags. WTF.
Actually, socks seem to one of the few things that are dependably sized.
Crap, I probably just jinxed myself on socks.

Sierra Trading Post used to sell really great hiking pants & shoes; I bought the best tent I ever had a while back. God knows who their buyer is now- really weird clothing, ill-fitting shoes etc., -sounds like MEC I guess (not familiar with it).
Quality's been replaced with bright colors & hip hats.
I don't know- back to yard sales for me.

 

[Mihun09]

Consider... MEC is in all the major cities in Canada. The younger generations are buying micro condo's, Not buying cars, do not leave the city, therefore, the stores need to try to find products to market to the new generations who's idea of being outdoors is yoga in the park.

We, generally, who still go out to the wilds, are older and not spending much income in those stores, especially enough to keep them afloat long term. Also, with the internet we search and find the more hardcore gear in that fashion and get it directly from the manufacturer or a distributor. We have less money to spend in the now trendy MEC stores.

Why would they market to people who are looking to buy one thing that will last 5 years or more. We still seek that level of quality don't we? The young'uns these days have no idea what quality really means, they think something that lasts a year is a quality product.

Why can we not sell a w/c canoe up here? It requires maintenance. Today they want a plastic canoe from Canadian Tire that if they break they will toss in a landfill and buy another one. It is all about cheap and disposable. They don't leave the cities so they never see the landfills where the garbage goes. Same goes for the news coverage, what is trending is priority. Get it online as fast as possible, facts or grammar/spelling be danged.

Camo diaper bags are the new normal.

 

[memaquay]

You guys are just seeing things all wrong. Think of how a camo diaper bag could be re-purposed. It might make one heck of an organizer for barrel packing. Or it might be a trendy beer carrier for those short weekend trips.

Now here's something to really rant about - clothes sizing. I am somewhat rotund as of late, but I'm not a freaking beluga yet. Seems like every shirt made in Asia is made for tiny, long bodies. If I can find a shirt made in North America (ha, good luck!), an extra large gives me a nice fit with room to move around in. Every shirt from Asia has to be at least a 2 or 3 XL to fit my girth, and then it hangs down to my knees. Makes me look like a fat ugly cross dresser. My wife bought me some spandex type shirts from walmart in XL, thought they would be good for canoeing. Well, after I tried it on, I realized that I actually have three nipples, as every little contour of my skin was vacu-packed into the shirt. Ten pounds of baloney in a five pound skin.

That is all.

 

[forest runes]

More & more I find , If you appreciate the quality of something buy three of them now because next year they will not offer it any longer. Try to find a wool product in a woolrich catalog, l.l. bean eliminates heavy duty outdoor items every year just look at the bean hunting boot there were many hights to choose from now very limited. seems as if this is the trend. We should support craftspeople who make quality items.

 

[Alan Gage]

I for one welcome the onslaught of skinny shirts. Otherwise I had to buy large and extra large just to get sleeves and torso that were long enough and then you could have fit two of me in the rest of the shirt.

As for designer diaper bags I'm with Mem in that you just need to re-purpose them. When I was into photography some of my favorite bags for carrying around gear were pretty much canvas diaper bags bought from American Eagle (on clearance of course). And to this very day the shoulder bag that's going to come along on a short day hike in the mountains, or even just an afternoon on the local prairie, will be a woman's purse from Eddie Bauer.

I agree with Karin too that the hard core market for places like REI and MEC is likely going away and they need to stay afloat somehow. When I want a new hammock I'm going for something like a Warbonnet bought directly from a small (1-2 person) operation rather than the more mass produced options available at any retailer. Too many small custom shops turning out top tier gear for the same or less than big name prices to not take advantage of.

Alan

 

[Guest]

I for one welcome the onslaught of skinny shirts. Otherwise I had to buy large and extra large just to get sleeves and torso that were long enough and then you could have fit two of me in the rest of the shirt.

As a portly fellow I can attest to the exact opposite. I have come to believe that the waistband on long underwear is exactly the same size on L, XL and even XXL. That size being known as “medium”.

There is no doubt that the general quality of clothing has declined precipitously as clothing manufacture has moved from New England and the southern States to Bangladesh, India, China and Vietnam. Tents too; Vietnam seems to have dang near cornered the foreign-made marketplace for tent manufacture.

I buy US made gear when I can find what I want, and am willing to pay a premium for something from Cook Custom Sewing or the like, knowing that I am buying gear made with quality and care.

Back to clothing – I’d welcome suggestions for US manufacturers of dependably sized, well made clothes, especially brands with retail fitting rooms or free return policies.

 

[Mihun09]

Hands on purchasing is slowly going away. I much prefer to touch and see what I may be spending my hard earned cash on, but that is getting to be more difficult to do. Blacks Photography recently announced closing ALL stores in Canada and only retailing online. Would you buy a car without first seeing or driving it? Why should it be any different for anything else?

For clothing I rarely buy new, Value Village is a great place for that. Mind you, I rarely buy clothes anyway, which my compatriots will find out soon on Marshall Lake.

 

[Guest]

For clothing I rarely buy new, Value Village is a great place for that. Mind you, I rarely buy clothes anyway, which my compatriots will find out soon on Marshall Lake.

I envy folks with secondhand stores offering decent clothing, especially used work duds or outdoor gear.

I have several secondhand shops locally (Country-local; within 30 miles). 99% of the clothing there is worn Walmart crap.

I have emptied my closet and donated bags of clothing a few times, but it has been almost entirely old dress pants and shirts. I wear my work duds and outdoor garb to rags and suspect the local country boys do likewise.

The (on-line order) outdoor stuff that I was dissatisfied with (XL my arse) has mostly been passed on to friends whom it might better fit. Along that same line half the country boys up my way dress in camo and I have never seen a decent piece of camo gear in the secondhand shops.

Hands on purchasing is slowly going away. I much prefer to touch and see what I may be spending my hard earned cash on, but that is getting to be more difficult to do.

That is a huge dilemma. Buy something on-line and pay the shipping cost, find it doesn’t fit and pay to return it. And then what, try again and maybe pay for another return shipping? Any savings in cost or convenience was quickly lost in repackaging, paying return postage and driving to the Post Office or UPS.

That alone may explain why I wear my clothes to rags.

 

[scoutergriz]

here in southern Ontario, almost every store has been pushing out more and more gear in the favour of fancy clothing and accessories.MEC in Burlington is a case in point, the ground floor is almost entirely clothing now and a good part of the upstairs is too. I don't need 16 different pairs of yoga pants, but I do need the repair kit for the stove I bought from THEM. Hikers Haven (Europe bound) is carrying more and more clothing and crap for tourists, and less and less HIKING stuff. Sad to say, now when I need gear, it's a trip to Canadian Tire for cheap crap that lasts a season or two, or Sail, which has still got some quality stuff if you search for it.
As for online, I've been burned too many times. If I can't see it, handle it, and get it when I want it (not 3weeks later), I won't buy it

 

[Alan Gage]

That is a huge dilemma. Buy something on-line and pay the shipping cost, find it doesn’t fit and pay to return it. And then what, try again and maybe pay for another return shipping? Any savings in cost or convenience was quickly lost in repackaging, paying return postage and driving to the Post Office or UPS.

It's all about location. Clothes are one thing and I agree that trying them on first is nice, shoes especially. But for any hobby related stuff (canoeing, camping, photography, etc) I'm looking at a 6 hour round trip to Minneapolis to get something other than big box selections (which is only a 3 hour round trip). And I've made that 6 hour round trip, went to multiple stores, and still came home empty handed because they didn't have what I wanted. I can pay return shipping on a lot of mail order items for the gas and time that takes.

Besides, when you've got Glenn doing all the leg work of extensively researching every possibly choice there's no need to see it or touch it in person. You just buy what he says is best and check the "Glenn MacGrady" box when asked, "How did you hear about us?"

HOOP is pretty good for that too. Anxiously awaiting my Evernew titanium cookware to show up.

Alan

 

[Iskweo]

Now here's something to really rant about - clothes sizing. I am somewhat rotund as of late, but I'm not a freaking beluga yet. Seems like every shirt made in Asia is made for tiny, long bodies. If I can find a shirt made in North America (ha, good luck!), an extra large gives me a nice fit with room to move around in. Every shirt from Asia has to be at least a 2 or 3 XL to fit my girth, and then it hangs down to my knees. Makes me look like a fat ugly cross dresser. My wife bought me some spandex type shirts from walmart in XL, thought they would be good for canoeing. Well, after I tried it on, I realized that I actually have three nipples, as every little contour of my skin was vacu-packed into the shirt. Ten pounds of baloney in a five pound skin.

That is all.[/QUOTE]

There is a mental picture that is sure to scar me for some time. I may never eat baloney again. Bologna either. The good news is that Mem might be able to open his own chapter of the Brotherhood of ill Tempered Old Fat Guys after that classic literary effort.


I lament the new trend of all my favourite outdoor stores turning into retail clothing chains instead. Perhaps I can create a niche market for a retirement business out of this conversation.Things to think about.

Christy

 

[stripperguy]

I guess I'm in the minority, I prefer to make as much of my own gear as possible. Yes, that means shirts, boats, paddles, sailboats, skis...

My prediction is that brick and mortar retail as we know will cease to exist. Replacing the standard, stocked stores will be display houses, where you can see, touch, try on and try out all manner of product. If you like the product, whether a tent or pair of pants, then order the item and it will be delivered soonly.

I am lucky in the sense that one of the best paddling specialty shops is just 1 mile from my house. Rich at Adirondack Paddle n Pole does a great job of stocking quality outdoor products, from Swift canoes to NRS paddling shirts.

 

[APPaul]

I have a lot of the same feelings as people here...but in some ways I am happy that MEC broke my customer loyalty. Once MEC started to go all "urban" I was pissed and searched out other stores. I hated MEC, but now I am happy that I found all these other stores and other brands. Plus if MEC needs to sell yoga matts and bikes (both of which I do to keep in shape for hiking and paddling) so that they can keep selling me dry bags, wetsuits, ropes, head lamps, tents and tent pegs I can live with that.

I have only ever been to one REI and was pretty disappointed, been to a couple EMS and liked them. SAIL is good and have great sales sometimes. Canadian Outdoor Equipment is also great....don't even get me started about the Sporting Life.

 

[Guest]

I lament the new trend of all my favourite outdoor stores turning into retail clothing chains instead. Perhaps I can create a niche market for a retirement business out of this conversation.Things to think about.

There may be opportunities there. By far the best used gear I have found has come from a swap meet that an outfitter hosts once a year, and from paddler gatherings where there is often a sidebar event of used gear tagged for sale. Try it on, try it out, talk to the owner about why it’s for sale, maybe even dicker or trade. Prices are usually more than fair, and stuff marked “Free” abounds.

Not applicable for a retirement business, but there is an annual bike swap in my area with an interesting twist. Folks donate bikes they aren’t using or that their kids have outgrown. All donations get a sequential number, first bikes donated get 1, 2, 3, etc. A couple of volunteers do some triage, tune up and cleaning and a week later all of the bikes are put out on display, and donator #1 get first pick, followed by #2, #3 and etc.

Lots of folks just turn in bikes and don’t come to take one, so the selection is excellent. My sons rode a series of swap meet Treks from age 6 through college. The leftover bikes are donated to a charity.

(BTW – That was an Eagle Scout project 15 years ago, and it is still going on).