Why are all these stores closing nation wide, if the stock market is up and things are peachy?

Yeah, sorry but Sears... The only people that shop there are the same people who get the Senior discount at the Sizzler. Same for Radio Shack. Those stores are bullshit. JC Penny and Sears are also anchor stores for malls. Nobody does their shopping at the mall anymore, therefore no need for JC Penny. I honestly can't remember the last time I bought something at JC Penny, either. Their stuff sucks.
Barnes and Noble and Borders crashed as soon as people started buying digital editions of books on Kindle and the likes, same goes for media from Best Buy and Game Stop. Guess you've never legally downloaded a movie or game before? Netflix, Hulu, PSN and XBL basically cover the entire field. It's also why Blockbuster, Hollywood Video (etc) basically don't exist anymore. As far as electronics goes, you're better off buying them on Amazon in America.
Office Max and Office Depot sell office supplies.. Pens, paper, etc., basically crap we don't use anymore because we do everything on a computer. They don't sell Apple or anything so why would anyone want to buy from them? You can get any computer, laptop, monitor, camera, etc, online at much more reasonable prices and without having to wait around for someone to help you.

So there you go, you wanted it broken down, all of those stores suck. Lots of other retail stores are doing awesomely.

Here in Japan, people still prefer hard copies of everything, and electronic goods stores are still way popular. They even rent CDs here (but not video games?!?!?) so ..Yeah.. Anyway American customer service is bullshit. I hate going to the states and shopping just because of the people inside the stores. Pretty sure others feel the same.

Looking at that list I see why those particular stores are closing, an antiquated business model. We've known for years that Kmart was done. Best Buy and Barnes and Noble don't need brick and mortar anymore, but thier online sales may still be strong. Plus Amazon gets a lot of thier market share. JCP and Sears have also done poorly against competitors for a long time. The overall economy may or may not be doing well, but these are not point proving examples.

Thanks. Here's some stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to put the current situation into perspection:

December 2007
( [link to www.bls.gov]

US population: 302 million
Civilian noninstitutional population: 233 million
(This is the number of Americans older than 16, who aren't in prison or the Armed Forces)
Labor force: 153 million
Employed: 146 million
Unemployed: 7.6 million
Not in labor force: 79 million


January 2013
( [link to www.bls.gov]

US population: 313 million
Civilian noninstitutional population: 244 million
Labor force: 155 million
Employed: 143 million
Unemployed: 12.3 million
Not in labor force: 89 million


So let me summarize that:

- Since Dec 2007, work-age population has risen by 11 million, mirroring the 11 million rise in population. Yet the number of employed has fallen by 3 million, which means 14 million that need jobs don't have them, just from population increase.
- But note that the 'labor force' only rose by 2 million: that means that (a) lots of Americans have retired and left the work force, and (b) there are people reaching work age who aren't being counted as in the work force.
- Official unemployment is up by 5 million, and those not in the labor force is up to 89 million. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2007, 7.9 now (officially).
- Lets compare as percentage of population:

Labor force: (2007) 50%, (2013) 49% - labor force is shrinking as percentage of population
Unemployed/not in work: (2007) 26%, (2013) 28% - less people are working relative to overall population

- And work force to not in work: (2007) 51%, (2013) 57% - this is a key number, because the number of people not in work relative to those capable of work has risen sharply.

- And workers relative to those not in work: (2007) 54%, (2013) 62% - which means that the number of those not in work is rising rapidly to approach the number in work.

- These numbers are actually worse, because it doesn’t count children and military personnel, who are also dependent on workers. So, basically, for every worker there is more than one person dependent on him (313 pop, 143 workers).

Here's a report that those not in the labor force are growing twice as fast as population: [link to dailycaller.com]

Now some of those not in the work force are so by choice, for example housewives. That's fine. But not all. As you say, most of the jobs created while Obama has been president are low paying and/or part time, so in fact of those 143 million workers, millions are living on low paying work. This shows the loss of mid-wage jobs and the gain of low wage: [link to money.cnn.com]
And here's the current percentage that have low paying jobs: 28% ( [link to thinkprogress.org]

So of the 143 million workers, 40 million are earning less than $23,000. This is up from 25%, about 35 million, in 2006 ( [link to inclusionist.org]

In short, we’re in a depression. And the stock market numbers are covering it up, because the stock market is now decoupled from fundamentals, and responsive to insider trading on wall street and government action (e.g. the Fed’s setting of interest rates).

Best Buy
It sells overpriced media and media is being pirated.
Gamestop
Media games are being pirated or sold online. Gamestop probably can't even give away used games now because you can find it for free.

Sears Holding Corp.
J.C. Penney
People are buying cheaper products online. Corporations that make everything can no longer compete with corporations that make just a few things.

Office Depot
Office Max
Tablet devices are making office supplies and paper obsolete.

Barnes & Noble
E-Books are making paper books obsolete.

RadioShack
This one has me a bit confused. Are there fewer electronic hobbiests? Everything is miniturized now so you really can't get any use out of the big electronic gadgets you build. I suppose you can buy media cables and other accessories online and cheaper.

But finally, a big reason why stores are closing is that there is a lot less demand from a U.S. consumer base in which over half earn less than 30 thousand dollars a year.

The stock market says everything is PEACHY... 14,000 BABY OBAMA OBAMA. LOL

They must all be relocating to Virginia because commercial and residential construction is booming here!

OP, the fed is pumping money into the banks to the tune of $40 billion per day. This doesn't include Q3 which is used to buy bonds and keep the yields low. They are keeping interest rates at 0 and bond yields next to nothing to force more money into the stock market. Why do you thing that the Dow went up 125 pts the same day it was announced that the 4th quarter of 2012 had negative growth? because there is no longer a tie between stock prices and the fundamentals of the company. Its all insider trading that is making the insiders all rich before this house of cards collapses. The insiders are pumping stocks up and then pulling their profits out. What do you think happened to Apple? They reported phenomenal earnings but their stock plummeted. Its just a rigged game.

stock market is fake. the gov has thrown $$ at it trying to cause an illusion that the economy is better. to find the true stock # use the gold rates. figure when the recession started gold was about 1000 now its over 1600. true stock market is 8750. now does the economy look better or stuck???
make sence ppl??

So-called "Big Box Stores" are going bye-bye. Online suppliers like Amazon have just about everything, including the proverbial kitchen sink, and it can be delivered right to your door. Old captialist economic system is being replaced by a new capitalist economic system. Biggest problem the new economic system has is identifying buyers and sellers with 100% accuracy, but this will be remedied using biometrics and RFID technologies.

Why wouldn't they think that.. many are still sleeping in the back of the truck and haven't hit the pavement yet.

Imo

I don't think so.
Unless junk mail counts
Everything is done online nowadays.
Soon things will be sent by private couriers.

The only mail i get is flyers.
My bills come online and paid online
If i order anything it comes by private companies.

Partisan, Repuke, OP thought this thread was going to put the smack on Obama --- LOL! DUMBASS!

Well that sure BACKFIRED, eh OP??!!



Obviously, if you would've thought about it for more than 2 fucking seconds, you'd have realized the answer = "The Internet".

But we all know Repukes aren't capable of forethought, or any other kind of common sense analysis -- which is why the Repuke party is filled with nothing but the same shoppers who go to Sears, JCP, etc....

POOR..POOR..REPUKES!

Yes, and they are also using the movements of this money to enrich themselves and to choose winners and losers for their own ideo-political purposes. TPTB are using the leverage of the bank money to reward and / or punish corporations that "play ball".

This ^^ I think they're waiting to get all their ducks in a row. Whatever or whoever has to be dealt with to bring this country to it's knees. When all that has been achieved.. they'll pull the economic rug out from underneath us and we'll fall on our face.

To create chaos too early would upset/interfere with their connived protocol.


Prayer could change things.. but most people would rather do things the hard way and cling to the illusion they have "control".


2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray and SEEK MY FACE, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We're running out of time and options people

Corporations supply the stock market, computers replace people, people spend with less contact.

I saw it coming too - when GWB named Cheney his runningmate I knew we were going back into Iraq. When Bernanke trumped up his rationale for all those interest rate hikes prior to the housing market crash I was saying that all those people who financed with adjustable rates were going to be fuckt. Little did I know that there was such a thing as "bundled mortgage derivatives" that stood to cash in on the crash. Sick, sick fucks who come up with so many ways to profit from human misery.

Yep!!!!!!!! All by design !!! But ? Try explaining that to your average retard! If you see it ? Then you see it! If you cant see whats happening by now? You never will! I work in executive transportation they are trying to utterly destroy transportation in the US! I could go on and on! No point , Americans let this happen by being asleep 50 years! Now it is to late!

Closed stores can = greater % of profit and their stocks respond accordingly. The stock market itself cannot be used as an indicator to the state of the real economy (you know, the working class).

Stores close, even in peachy times, when their business models become obsolete. Blockbuster, for example, closed stores not because people weren't renting movies, but because people were renting movies over the Internet rather than drive to a Blockbuster store.

The problem with conspiracy theorists is that they are SO focussed on proving one theory that they rarely consider the multitude of other possible explanations for a given scenario.

Sorry for tearing up your comment ! Im new lol!!!

Because worldwide money is hiding out in stocks. Generally, its a flight to quality. This pushes up many other stocks that shouldn't normally go up. As money moves from public to private the stocks could go significantly higher. Read some Martin Armstrong. He's somewhat of a crackpot but also a genius.

Exactly, well said. Kensian economics will fail, as expected, because it did not work in the 30s and will not work now, especially on a global level.

I just pray the collapse happens in the next 4 years.

Apathy and Complacency ~ Two powerful non actions that have aided and abetted in the destruction of the U.S.

That might be true in Canada ? And Im glad if it is? But, in the US the economy is terrible ! For any American to ever say things arent realy that bad here needs to be smacked!!!

Absolutely, weve been " lulled" into retardation! Give me a child before he is seven years old? And Il turn his mind as I wish! .....Stalin

Please dont close down VICTORIA'S SECRET, cause if that happens I will be the first to throw the first rock that will start riots as they sweep across america!!

Well, see, it's like this...
President Obama is monitoring the recovering George Bush's Fault economic recovery, and...and...

Guards, drone him!

Not true, post offices everywhere are being closed or having their days and hours cut.