Future Shop Is History

[james t kirk]

On line shopping only gets you so far.

First and foremost, you can't SEE the product, you can't TOUCH the product. You can look at all the photos you want and all the specs, doesn't mean shit till you actually SEE it. (For me at least.)

Second, you have to pay to ship, you don't get it when you want it. If it's damaged in shipping, you have to pay to ship it back.

Third, if there is a problem, again, you have to pay to ship it back.

Fourth, you don't get it when you want it.

Fifth, your money is just going somewhere not local.

All of the above are huge negatives to me shopping on line. (And I've experienced them all in spades.)

 

[Ridgeman08]

Stelco, and shut them all down throwing everyone out on the street.

OK, lets be fair here... US Steel was not the downfall of Stelco.

The Steel workers union did them in long before US Steel came in and "rescued" them.

Stelco morphed into a property owner/ management company and sold off its steel works in the end to US Steel. (All USX really wanted was Stelco's recipe for its superior steel, and they kept the Hamilton and Naticoke plants open as a courtesy through some back channel political deal... which undoubtedly made some back benchers rather wealthy).

The union continued to push and eventually US Steel said fuck you, and moved all its steel production across the lake.

 

[SkyRider]

http://www.bnn.ca/News/2014/10/1/Staples-closes-15-stores-in-Canada.aspx

Wonder how long Staples will keep their retail stores open? I heard somewhere that most or almost all of Staples profits are sales to big businesses and these customers don't shop at the retail outlets.

 

[|2 /-\ | /|/]

Shit, I wanted to return something today and noticed all stores closed. What happpens with returns?

***edit...just checked the FAQ and apparently bestbuy will take them.

 

[SkyRider]

On line shopping only gets you so far.

First and foremost, you can't SEE the product, you can't TOUCH the product. You can look at all the photos you want and all the specs, doesn't mean shit till you actually SEE it. (For me at least.)

Second, you have to pay to ship, you don't get it when you want it. If it's damaged in shipping, you have to pay to ship it back.

Third, if there is a problem, again, you have to pay to ship it back.

Fourth, you don't get it when you want it.

Fifth, your money is just going somewhere not local.

All of the above are huge negatives to me shopping on line. (And I've experienced them all in spades.)

I bought a camera online from a vendor in China. The merchandise was not as advertised and the performance was pretty bad. Tried to get my money back and had to threaten them with a complaint to my credit card company before they refunded my money.

 

[Keebler Elf]

My guess is that BB/FS (nice acronym!) knew that there wasn't enough market to go around for them both so BB decided to close all of the FS stores rather than some of each (which would hurt the "parent" BB brand). If you've gotta close stores, close your "competition" and re-brand the ones that are good locations as BB.

Smart move.

 

[SkyRider]

Retail is a perfect example of what happens when you have unfettered competition. Instability, job losses, bankruptcies. That is one reason why oligopolies like our banks and telecom companies works.

 

[james t kirk]

I bought a camera online from a vendor in China. The merchandise was not as advertised and the performance was pretty bad. Tried to get my money back and had to threaten them with a complaint to my credit card company before they refunded my money.

I bought a battery for my laptop from "battery Depot"

Basically, the original battery was 150 from Asus, plus shipping.

Battery depot was 39 or something like that.

The original battery was 10.8 volts and 5200 mAh. They had other Asus batteries but 10.8 volts was what I needed and what I ordered.

They sent me 11.3 volts and 4400 mAh.

Fuck me, it's not the same. Now maybe 11.3 volts works or maybe it fries my machine who knows. There was no phone number to call. Everything was by email and a pile of paperwork to send it back. Cost me almost 20 bucks to mail it to BC.

Naturally they didn't refund my original shipping.

Now if I had simply gone to a store, I would have either gotten the correct battery, or not bought it in the first place.

 

[HobbyHorse]

Back closer to its its days of origin here in Canada, shopping at Future Shop was truly a vile experience. Sales clerks were reduced to mere scum bags by their highly commisioned compensation structure and they pushed on unwary shoppers with high pressure sales strategies phoney, worthless products like extended warranties. In my eyes, it never really lost that overtone and i was delighted when BestBuy, which to take advantage of Futures Shops terrible public image trumpeted its the non-commissioned sales approach, moved in, and after some years, bought them out. Die Future Shop! And good riddance scum bags!

 

[bestman007]

Best should buy BJ's Wholesale Club & bring it to Canada.

That way they can no longer provide the service of BBFS in Canada but at least provide us with BBBJs!

 

[cynalan]

I will not miss Future Shop. Sales staff were very aggressive and always trying to push extended warranties. I guess that comes with a commission based reimbursement package. I also found the stores dark and dingy. Best Buy on the other hand were willing to take the time to help - knowing they were on salary and not needing to make a sale.

 

[Scarey]

I was in Future Shop before Christmas.There were more employees then customers.5 years ago the place was packed.Online shopping and piracy just decimated their business.....not surprising.

 

[bestman007]

I will miss all the FOBs from the GTA Future Shops. Especially, the brown ones with their pungent aromas & "vedy, vedy gooood" recommendations!

 

[Smash]

I will miss all the FOBs from the GTA Future Shops. Especially, the brown ones with their pungent aromas & "vedy, vedy gooood" recommendations!

+1, LOL... I stopped going to FS years ago because of all the epic BO emanating from allot of the sales staff. I have been to many locations within the GTA and all of them had sales staff that reeeeked. They would leave a BO trail within the aisle that made my eyes water:Eek:

Best Buy has better air circulation plus not as FOBED out so the BO experience is much lower.

Good Riddance FS and their BO staff

 

[Indiana]

History Shop

 

[SeductionSpa]

I'm actually surprised it took this long for Futureshop/Best Buy to go under this kind of restructuring. I feel sad for the potential job losses but it didn't really make any business sense.

 

[wangbang]

There was a FS near me that opened 3 years ago and closed a year and a half ago so I guess this isn't surprising. The Source in the same mall closed a month or so ago. Went into The Source last year and they charged me $35 for a cable that was $6 plus $3 shipping on Amazon.ca. I want to support my local retailer but come on.

I heard somewhere that most or almost all of Staples profits are sales to big businesses and these customers don't shop at the retail outlets.

Staples actually encourages businesses to not go to the store. Every week or so they mail my business coupons that are for online or phone orders only. They follow that up by emailing more coupons. None of the coupons can be used in store.

 

[GPIDEAL]

I preferred shopping in Best Buy because the sales people would leave you alone unless you asked a question.

Always hated the pushy high pressure sales tactics at Future Shop.

That said I buy electronics online these days. I think brick and mortar stores in that space are doomed, but if you like bricks and mortars, Costco has them beat on price for the big ticket items and Amazon/eBay clean their clock for the smaller stuff.

I can't imagine ordering electronics online but I suppose it's possible to buy smaller ticket items like readers from Amazon, etc.

I like going to The Source for stuff, if it's not at Staples.

I purchased stuff at Costco before.

 

[ironkok]

Wow ! Future Shop and Tiger Direct both gone in same the month.
The Source has virtually been gone for a while, so Best Buy has the big box retail market all to themselves...unless you count Costco.

 

[explorerzip]

I wonder what's going to happen to Canada Computers who's stores have gotten bigger, selling appliances and more stores in the last few years. The exit of TigerDirect is likely good for them.