Why do you think stores like the gap, Victoria Secrets, Walmart, Macy's, are losing younger shoppers?

[nightdrot]

Actually, the answer is a little bit of all of the above. It being an even harder question to answer because the stores you cited all serve different segments of the markets.

Walmart is more for the bargain shopper. (Besides, Walmart is actually doing pretty well. More about which anon.) Macy's, at least historically, was always a bit more upscale. Victoria's Secret is something different again entirely.

Beyond that, certain things exist in common. The Internet has made shopping from home a preferred option and those stores that were slow out of the gate to offer that option did not do as well, lost market share to competitors who did, and have yet to regain that market share.

Also, the wider a store's selection of products, the better it did. By serving a diverse array of customers, some stores - see Walmart as referenced above - were able to spread out their market and were thus able to lower their risk and offset losses to online shopping.

In the case of Victoria's Secret, the problem - to my horror - is that tastes are changing. The up and coming generation regards the "sex appeal" approach of Victoria's Secret as unacceptable and retrograde. Not appealing but demeaning of women. (Thankfully, my girlfriend feels differently. (Love ya, honey.)) Also, being somewhat impractical for the woman of average build.

Bottom line, there is an irreducible bit of everything on the list. Either that or some things that don't apply at all. Macy's, for example, would not typically carry health products, for example. They simply don't compete in that market and therefore they did not lose younger consumers of such products because they did not have them to begin with.

So a vote for all of the above. There are bits in common, but each case has to be examined case specific. Indeed, if it really were a "one size fits all" answer, every store would be able to adopt the formula for success and thrive. That there is no such answer is what keeps them struggling and the economy churning.

Suffice to add that it is people like me who probably keep them going. Strange as it may sound, I miss the old world where a trip to the mall was part of the flavor of the times. I especially miss bookstores - I still have my Barnes & Noble membership - because there is nothing like that moment when you are casually walking around the stacks and finding a book on a topic that you had not been looking for. Online shopping does not deliver that and never will.

P. S. Best to you for the Holidays as well.

[Massageman]

Two primary reasons.

1. Merchandisers in the popular price range- in general- are losing customers-- ALL customers-- because they just don't "make them like they used to". Items are made to be disposable rather than repairable. I have a 32-year old refrigerator which just keeps on running. The plastic trim is falling apart from age and brittleness, but the compressor and guts of the thing just keep on going like the Energizer Bunny. We know people who bought new appliances and both the fridge and the stove have broken within the first four years!

2. Specifically, younger shoppers just want avoid the hassle of shopping and some merchandisers have simply adapted better to e-commerce than others. In 2018, Cyber Monday finally beat out Black Friday in total sales, and it looks like that trend will continue, and the difference will continue to expand. Many will simply order a stack of Gift Cards from various stores or credit card companies through a clearinghouse of sorts, which will mail out the cards right to the recipients- for a fee, of course. But in a half hour, the buyers are done shopping for the season!

And 3 more minor ones-

1. Some merchandisers carry high price tags, and many of the younger shoppers simply don't have strong enough buying power or high enough credit limits to buy those big-ticket items.

2. Some merchandisers simply get the wrong "mix" of items for particular demographic groups, ie, their buyers guess wrong when they place their orders months in advance.

3. Whole categories have simply "dried up". Separate sets of fine china and "real silver" silverware are less often found on Bridal Registries, for example.

[CallyKat89]

I wish there was an option for other. The reason the market is losing younger shoppers is because of online shopping, not because what they are looking for isn't carried in stores, but because online shopping is more convenient. The trends show that younger people are more likely to buy most of their products online rather than visit malls and shop in person. These stores are trying to adjust to this trend. And from what we've seen, failing. The example you gave, Walmart, has tried to keep up by opening up online purchasing options but it is nowhere near as successful as Amazon.
There is definitely the issue of market value and value-based pricing in the more popular retailers you've mentioned such as The Gap and Macy's. We've witnessed this in consumer buying habits that preference "Green" products over cheaper products. We've also seen this with customer outreach as the older generations are trying to market their brands to the younger generations. Vitoria's Secret canceled their annual fashion show as they try to figure out how to appeal to the values and perspectives of the younger generation.
So in sum, I'd say that it is because younger people would rather their shopping to be convenient as well as feel like their purchasing power is supporting a cause they believe in.

[SimoneParker]

Walmart is the cheapest. The others stores are expensive, but I usually wait to buy something that is on sale. A lot of people buy online products. It's the easy thing to do, but I like to be out and about. Maybe stores will lower their prices to compete with on line shoppers.

[sejla]

Not young... but

Victoria Secret is sort of over priced and the quality has gone down. Plus many young women or women in general don't want to wear underwire bras any more and are opting for more comfortable braletts or tank tops.

Walmart is just depressing. There are only a few stores that I've gone into where I felt like the employees seemed in good spirits. Probably had a good manager. The rest of the time it just is one of the most depressing places to go for shopping.

Macy's, at least the one in my area, doesn't stock clothing that really reflects what young people wear. It tend to give off a middle aged vibe shopping wise. Again that just might be the one in my area.

I don't know I've always liked the Gap but don't know about if young adults like it.

[chickenneck75]

Well I hope everyone's figured out about the blood suckin larger corporations that destroy so many lives in many ways and they know it but don't care , they don't care the product poisons the water , takes the trees , kills the indigenous animals and the land it takes to make something that is clearly not intended to last , all the air that the stuff we love to use that deprives us from our families and moral values and lower our standard, the stuff we use that makes us use our minds less. I hope and pray that's what is causing it.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Well i believe that Macy's , Victoria Secrets , Gap started
following Walmart's trends so young people especially
young Women started going to other stores cause most
likely they stopped carrying a lot of large sizes in Bras
for plus size ladies and it could be prices too cause
i shop at Walmart and their prices have went up in few
Men's cosmetic items it's ridiculous what price they want
and face soap is cheaply sold in Walmart , colognes forget
it the scent hardly stays on me , so i believe it's all got to
do how merchandise is produce and the price of things
too yes stuff can be cheaply made like younger peoples
colognes, perfumes , body sprays , bras , underpants. etc
and one place could be following Walmart stores.

[lovedejj_xo]

I’m not buying bras at VS that rip and fade after like the 3rd wash especially for 50+ dollars. When competitors have good quality and decent patterns I buy for comfort and to get more out of my money over super cute... guys can care less anyways. I don’t shop at Macy’s I hated when I was younger my mom would drag me in. But I noticed they have Junior and Women... the junior section makes you look like a child and it’s cheap looking. The women’s section looks like church wear and it’s not flattering. I go to Walmart for food and random stuff not clothes. I buy jeans from gap occasionally but gap falls under old navy and it’s cheaper and they have cuter clothes for regular and business wear for “younger crowds” so that’s my guess. Take it or leave it

[VIVANT]

We prefer to shop online. At least I do. I hate having people up my hurt when I’m trying to find something plus it takes wayyyy too long to find stuff in a store., I just want to find it and get on with it not Make a day of it. Hate shopping in clothing stores.

[Zealashton]

Nothing fucking fits, all the number are fucking uselesss
oh 32/33
none exist fucking bull shit
its litterly impossible. And mens colthing fashion sucks shit,
everything is ethire shit, or super expincevive and redundent
I hate fucking shitty copy pasting men looks
suit tie suit tie
wemon
have all sorts of shit. Including sex toys
fuck it piss me the fuck off.
And the duble standered bull shitl. Oh no fgm but oh look mgm is al liggal fucking scum. Sorry I m pisssed off by stupied people in this world
I have spoken

[Dihiya]

I think it's bc of the prices don't reflect the quality
for exmp when you know that the VS body splash you bought is full of toxic ingredients bad for both you and the environment, add to this the production cost is way below what you paid for you'll never buy again

[sweetcocoa_]

Multiple reasons

1. Fast fashion (brands like fashionnova, plt are the new thing)
2. They can buy everything online (convenient)
3. There's not enough sizes in stores
4. They don't carry trendy stuff that matches with the insta look that everyone is trying to go for

[DevilsAdvocator]

H- There just aren't enough younger shoppers to generate the same consumer figures any more, due to the aging, declining population.

[locoloco68]

Kids don't even go out and play but could be a couple of facts cheaper by ordering it with what's in your hand right now easy don't have to put out effort or they going shopping five finger discount or whatever Falls off the truck but I would probably go with number one this gadget makes people Dumber Lazy and close families a thing of the past go eat at the restaurant and look how many people are looking at that phone instead of actually having conversations and making one lose touch with reality

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Leasing for retail in USA is really expensive as far as I know so that's why they have a high mark up for their items. But people prefer online shopping these days because it's cheaper and more convenient. It's the opposite here. I do shop online but it takes forever to arrive because our couriers sucks. However, leasing is really cheap here.

[MzAsh]

Well I know VS went from marketing a sophisticated, sexy until around 2006 then started marketing to a candy colored teenage audience. That managed to do well for a couple of years but they refused to listen to the demands of young female consumers. Plus the high prices of sub par quality bras with sprinkles on them just seemed unrealistic and useless. Now women just want good quality support bras that fit, not overpriced decorated bras that fall apart after a month.

[jennifer_bloom]

I don't go to Macy's since I'm in Canada but I think wal-mart caters to poor people who want simple clothes - most would not wear a wal-mart outfit to work or to a wedding or elegant party

[Daniela1982]

Because it's easier to shop on Amazon. If you don't like something or it doesn't fit you can simply return it and all from the privacy of your home.

[Daisy007]

a lot of better offers online (: & VS does have cute items BUT mostly overpriced so i either wait for a sale, or go when i have rewards to use

[Anonymous]

because "younger" shoppers go wherever the internet tells them to go, and right now those people are telling them to go to other places to do their shopping. Simple as that. Next week they'll be back to eating tide pods because the internet voices tell them to.

[Insomnia72]

Not sure. Maybe due to the conflicts of feminism and transgenderism? Not sure. I've not explored this in depth.

[wankiam]

voted g but its also true that the biggest group of online shoppers are young and they go for sites more aimed at them

[UnknownGagsUser]

People might like shopping online rather than go direct to the stores or malls.

[Anonymous]

People live on the internet now.. if they can save gas money, the trip and the line to pay, likely they will just buy it online and continue on there social media

[Avicenna]

It looks to me like those stores aren't targeting that demographic and that young folks have noticed that.

[Ianto]

There is a general pattern of youngsters rebelling in some way against the behaviours/tastes of their parents. The current fashion seems to be moving against consumerism.

[Anonymous]

My guess it is because it is expensive and most young people are following YouTubers and are buying their products online

[humanearth]

All the new specialty stores that are popping up online.

Most offer custom-made clothing for the same price of bulk made.

Hell I even started to shop at them to. I hate to say it. It's too hard to pass up.

[lsjr16]

I work in retail , it cause young people don’t want to wait in line and physically go to the store also the stores have high prices and sell the same thing for months

[Anonymous]

Their target audience decade older like atmosphere in store.
Prices to high. When you go there only older people there...

[zagor]

Because younger people, and a growing number of older people, are buying online.

[cice411]

Victoria's secrets keeping sex slaves for the uber rich is one, having ties to Epstein is another. But I would also say most women are fat, can't fit into the clothes. Don't know about the gap. Lot of people shop online retail.

[lofii]

VS and macys overprice their items

So high it makes me happy that I'm not a woman

[YHL6965]

Probably because online shopping is a thing and young people are more online than older ones.

[Gsm24diecast]

There marketing techniques are terrible and outdated, their clothes are outdated and expensive. It’s all just to pricey and outdated.

[Exorcist_Rampage]

They need to include organic foods like pizza and cereals in their food malls.

[Agape93]

To expensive and less reason to go there.

[ALewis30]

It's a mix of several things. High prices, over pricing, and relaying too much on internet.

[Countrywildmangirl]

Because the prices are outrages

[itsmeamy]

I still love VS when they have sales

[Sweetnessxoxo]

Maybe they don't Like their products

[Anonymous]

the obvious answer you didn't list: online shopping.

[October808]

Target has better customer service here.

[skeetskeetskeet]

This shit called the internet

[hellacray]

Ugh... Simple Amazon.

[OfDeath]

Cause all the young people work there

[Rangers]

Cause their stuff is lame, lol

[Big-A]

Losing*

Yeah.

[CuriousMufuxka]

Amazon.