Signs of upcoming economic crash Costco

a reply to: notquiteright

Good point...lol

a reply to: JAGStorm

I work in logistics/receiving at Costco; as I’ve said before there isn’t a shortage. However the overstock is due to, the company sending the same amount of product (pre Covid) but now we have limits on most things. I would also like to point out since this election debacle, I’ve seen less buying/members in the store.

Our stock has doubled almost since the start of this year, they are hiring extra seasonal workers (more so then I’ve seen in all my years here)..

So chill on the doom porn, and ask someone who works there.

a reply to: SeektoUnderstand

I would also like to point out since this election debacle, I’ve seen less buying/members in the store.

So chill on the doom porn

Being observant is not doom porn. People that can see through the noise are usually the most prepared. I like
to be prepared. If people think we are going to come out of this all rosy and with a strong economy, well I'll just say
I hope they are right, but I seriously doubt it. Like I said, I'm old enough to have seen some of these things before.


It's not just me
markets.businessinsider.com...

Roach, a former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, also said he sees a more than 50% probability of a double-dip recession in the United States.
He based that prediction on historical evidence, saying that in eight of the past 11 business-cycle recoveries economic output has risen briefly and then fallen.

time.com...

COVID-19 fears will bring lasting changes to public attitudes toward all activities that involve crowds of people and how we work on a daily basis; it will also permanently change America’s competitive position in the world and raise profound uncertainty about U.S.-China relations going forward.

a reply to: JAGStorm

People are learning to order online so shopping in stores will end. Even my mother has transfered to onine shopping even orders groceries now online. She will tell anyone who listens how much easier shopping for groceries are when all you have to do is pick them up. Costco is a dinosaur and we know what happened to them.

originally posted by: St Udio
i once shopped Costco but the Sams' was 5 miles closer & been annual member for 8 years now

i regularly pick up a carton of those Special Dark Chocolate Bars by Hershey, for their health benefit
i also get 8 of those 6volt 'wet' batteries for the maintenance/landscape Golf Cart i've had in service since Nov 2009

so with maybe 10 visits per year, i cannot really compare public floor traffic in the Store
or compare filled-up ...cubic yard big shopping carts

to bad Sams' not selling construction scaffolding ... You'd think i be able to pick & choose with the COVID lockdowns harming construction suppliers/ pawn shops--- but affordable scaffolds are rare as hens teeth here abouts

Soooo. another person eating chocolate for covid treatment. Ok, legitimate excuse.

www.thehealthsite.com...

a reply to: JAGStorm

Wasn’t trying to be condescending; you may be right, but if that happens Costco will still be standing lmao

a reply to: dragonridr

Well, to use another dinosaur analogy, the dinosaurs actually grew wings and turned into birds, and flew away haha!

I think Costco will survive.

True, the market is changing ... and online buying is definitely increasing to a probably-near-permanent new higher level. Traditional so-called 'brick and mortar' stores are losing market share, which will not likely ever return to prior levels.

BUT I think not all traditional stores will go 'extinct' ... but rather they will switch to product lines people want to buy in person ... and to SEE in person, try-on, discriminate between the 'looks' of items, check the sizes of versus their needs, buy non-new or refurbished second hand items, etc..

Also, shipping costs are relatively low for the delivery of online orders currently, but the costs of delivery are vulnerable to increases in energy prices / transportation hardware prices / increased package theft / etc..

a reply to: Fowlerstoad

The next frontier is definitely shipping and logistics of getting things to the customer quicker and cheaper.
That's something Amazon has been trying to perfect, it's not quite there, but they are the closest.

a reply to: Fowlerstoad

True, the market is changing ... and online buying is definitely increasing to a probably-near-permanent new higher level. Traditional so-called 'brick and mortar' stores are losing market share, which will not likely ever return to prior levels.

the weak link about online supply chain is the lack-of-control over the merchandise getting doused with a poison or a disease to contaminate the delivery item shipped 'innocently' to the Buyer

remember the Anthrax letters sent to politicians after 911 ??

Trojan-Horse, packages would staunch the buy-on-line business pretty damm quick--- ( PDQ )

Amazon would need a costly reevaluation on shipping protocols put in place !

a reply to: JAGStorm

Here, here! Agreed.

I am watching Amazon, and in particular, am watching their experiences in drone delivery.

That certainly removes the middle-man in the transportation network.

Will they be able to do it for all their items, or just for selected ones?

Will it be economical? Dependent upon weather conditions? Prone to a certain percentage of acceptable loss? Liable for damage if an airborne or self-driving drone crashes? EDITED TO ADD: And yeah ... what St. U also said - there are other nefarious not-as-readily-anticipated vulnerabilities too. Wow.

We live in very interesting times for sure

a reply to: dragonridr

I think no matter how hard you try neither on line or physical store is gonna be the go to and the other die out.

to many variables..

for example unless you know about the closes in advance and you know once you like something the company wont change it you need a store to "try on" as it were

along with some new hard goods you never have used or seen in person before...

where a amazon does well is standard goods that really dont change...
tp is tp.. dog food is dog food. a cordless battery for the weed wacker 69 will be the same..

but even in this a limiting factor is shipping time
sometimes you run out of something and need it right now...

IMO the costco and wall mart type will always survive due to their large variety of items under one roof..

along with specialty stores like best buy that major in electronics of all types (variety)

but small mom and pop will have to change to an internet based model to survive ...

just my opinion

scrounger

A word about times-a-changin'.

The other day the UPS guy pulled up the drive and went into the back of his truck. He was rummaging around in there for like 5 minutes. Then he came back forward and got in the driver's seat to drive off. So I walked out and asked him what was up. He told me, every day he has something for us, so now rather than look he just comes up here by default and then looks for our packages. Turned out that day we didn't have a package!

Then, the day before yesterday, the FedEx guy pulled all the way up to the corrals while I was feeding cows. He never does that. So I stopped and walked over to him to see what was going on. He doesn't have a delivery for us, he just wants directions. The FedEx guy...wants directions...from me? Says there's so many new houses out here in the boonies now he can't figure out where stuff is, and we've been out here for so long we must know. (??)

a reply to: JAGStorm

Here in Texas, it's pretty much normal. Except for Hobby Lobby, just like Bluntone22 said, their shelves were almost empty of Christmas products. The cashier said they have already doubled their Christmas sales from last year, and that was two weeks ago.