There are some things you shop for that you really want a kinetic experience … trying on shoes, or swimming togs ( for ladies anyway). I think shops that provide real in-person service with fitting and advice for these sorts of things will still have something to offer that the online shops don’t. This is why wedding dress shops charge for a personal fitting session … then you can still go buy a similar dress online ( if you think the risk is worth the saving) but the kinetic shop has still been paid for the service they offer. A local craft supplies shop seems to thrive by offering lesson classes and chat-and- sew groups. People will always need people, so the physical shops that want to survive will have to offer more than just shelves of items to be scanned at the self- checkout.
I think in the future kinetic shopping will be a niche activity. Socialisation may take place at local centres which may include such facilities but it will be in a village style setting rather than in the model of the tearooms at S & C
“For those of my generation there may be something lost in the socialisation experience that accompanies kinetic shopping but for younger generations the online acquisition of goods and many services has become the norm.”
It has certainly become the norm for me : and I cannot claim to belong any longer to the “younger generations” - not with a straight face anyway!
On my count, Ballantynes in Christchurch must be about to become the “last man standing” of New Zealand’s once much patronised by the “better one ” buyers to whom where you bought an item was as important as what you bought.
I think Ballantynes survives (so far at least) because Christchurch (whence I come) remains the “And where did you go to school?” city and Ballantynes management has been astute enough to to play on that.
As to books, I’ve had my fill of the electronic variety and have gone back (cost not withstanding) to paper. For me there’s nothing quite like a real book in the hand and the relief it provides from computer screens.
Having lived in ChCh, Ak & Wgtn all the legacy dept stores are 'home' stores to this gal & I loved them all...still have the Doulton dinnerset I laybyed at Kirks when marrying, bloody indestructible stoneware lol...all their sales very fondly remembered, half half-price final day at S&C, fun times queuing up outside waiting for the doors to open at all of them & a habit passed on to one of our kids, who is also greatly saddened by the S&C news. The day we hear of Bally's going the same way will be traumatic indeed. Raised on Bally's, Beaths, DIC, Hays, Farmers et al, formative memories at each. What you say about Farmers & malls is probably true but I would love to know more about their savvy in lasting. Our local one is always immaculate. Shopping is still fun & we make time on visits back to AK & Wgtn to do it the old way, though Queen St is a shadow of its former glory. Oh for the return of Fri night shopping there in the 70s...from S&C, 246 down to Marbecks...
Ha - Friday night in Queen St. I recall it was quite an occasion and a lady by the name of Paddy Walker who ran a model agency ran a "best dressed man in Queen St" competition. Wouldn't happen now. Men (with a few exceptions) mdon't know how to dress. Which reminds me I must drop in to Hardy Amies in Savile Row when I am there in just over a months time.
My Savile Row suit is no longer a good fit - I’ve trimmed down to be even slimmer. That’s spelt the end for the Italian suits too. But a suit recently bought in Nelson for a sad occasion is perfectly fine and very well made.
You must David! With luck the jihadi marchers will be on their hols. Paddy Walker rings bells...I'll risk one more personal anecdote, bear with...when we moved from ChCh to AK in April '72 we relished night shopping in short sleeves, such a change from 'Coats & Cardies ChCh'...Mum & us kids would catch the bus over the bridge from Northcote to meet Dad in the CBD, closing our eyes at the top of it as AK buses sped compared to sedate ChCh big reds...haha...good times! Another good piece, btw. Did you read Yardley on the bill this week?
I found the Yardley article - many thanks. It now lies with my other research material on the topic.
I think he and I are in agreement that the Fourth Estate is necessary. It is the direction that MSM has gone in that has caused it problems. It is interesting that he comments on the belated introduction of paywalls - Peter Williams made this very point on RCR last Friday.
I am not sure about the rationale he offers for the Fair Digital Bill - bringing "Big Tech to heel" to pay for their use of other people's stuff - the solution is in copyright law.
As for AI - I have been investigating that. First thing is to understand how it works and I am not sure that our legilsators do. The likes of ChatGPT (known as generative AI or large language models) train the software by scraping data across the internet - data that is freely available. I wonder if MSM will be able to protect their stuff by putting it behind a paywall. I need to look into that.
Gavin Elllis commented that the Fair Digital equivalents overseas have not been successful and I think Yardley acknowledges that. The solution I think does not lie in subsidization of MSM so that it continues in its present form.
Finally - bear with me please - I was interested in your comments of experiences in the past - recherche du temps perdu. I wonder if there may not be room for a Substack on our own temps perdu. Auckland in the 1960's was a different place but as they say "the past is a foreign country - they do things differently there"
There are some things you shop for that you really want a kinetic experience … trying on shoes, or swimming togs ( for ladies anyway). I think shops that provide real in-person service with fitting and advice for these sorts of things will still have something to offer that the online shops don’t. This is why wedding dress shops charge for a personal fitting session … then you can still go buy a similar dress online ( if you think the risk is worth the saving) but the kinetic shop has still been paid for the service they offer. A local craft supplies shop seems to thrive by offering lesson classes and chat-and- sew groups. People will always need people, so the physical shops that want to survive will have to offer more than just shelves of items to be scanned at the self- checkout.
I think in the future kinetic shopping will be a niche activity. Socialisation may take place at local centres which may include such facilities but it will be in a village style setting rather than in the model of the tearooms at S & C
“For those of my generation there may be something lost in the socialisation experience that accompanies kinetic shopping but for younger generations the online acquisition of goods and many services has become the norm.”
It has certainly become the norm for me : and I cannot claim to belong any longer to the “younger generations” - not with a straight face anyway!
On my count, Ballantynes in Christchurch must be about to become the “last man standing” of New Zealand’s once much patronised by the “better one ” buyers to whom where you bought an item was as important as what you bought.
I think Ballantynes survives (so far at least) because Christchurch (whence I come) remains the “And where did you go to school?” city and Ballantynes management has been astute enough to to play on that.
As to books, I’ve had my fill of the electronic variety and have gone back (cost not withstanding) to paper. For me there’s nothing quite like a real book in the hand and the relief it provides from computer screens.
Postscript: The Farmers chain of course survives, but then it took to the Malls!
Having lived in ChCh, Ak & Wgtn all the legacy dept stores are 'home' stores to this gal & I loved them all...still have the Doulton dinnerset I laybyed at Kirks when marrying, bloody indestructible stoneware lol...all their sales very fondly remembered, half half-price final day at S&C, fun times queuing up outside waiting for the doors to open at all of them & a habit passed on to one of our kids, who is also greatly saddened by the S&C news. The day we hear of Bally's going the same way will be traumatic indeed. Raised on Bally's, Beaths, DIC, Hays, Farmers et al, formative memories at each. What you say about Farmers & malls is probably true but I would love to know more about their savvy in lasting. Our local one is always immaculate. Shopping is still fun & we make time on visits back to AK & Wgtn to do it the old way, though Queen St is a shadow of its former glory. Oh for the return of Fri night shopping there in the 70s...from S&C, 246 down to Marbecks...
Ha - Friday night in Queen St. I recall it was quite an occasion and a lady by the name of Paddy Walker who ran a model agency ran a "best dressed man in Queen St" competition. Wouldn't happen now. Men (with a few exceptions) mdon't know how to dress. Which reminds me I must drop in to Hardy Amies in Savile Row when I am there in just over a months time.
My Savile Row suit is no longer a good fit - I’ve trimmed down to be even slimmer. That’s spelt the end for the Italian suits too. But a suit recently bought in Nelson for a sad occasion is perfectly fine and very well made.
You must David! With luck the jihadi marchers will be on their hols. Paddy Walker rings bells...I'll risk one more personal anecdote, bear with...when we moved from ChCh to AK in April '72 we relished night shopping in short sleeves, such a change from 'Coats & Cardies ChCh'...Mum & us kids would catch the bus over the bridge from Northcote to meet Dad in the CBD, closing our eyes at the top of it as AK buses sped compared to sedate ChCh big reds...haha...good times! Another good piece, btw. Did you read Yardley on the bill this week?
I am not familiar with Yardley. Perhaps you could direct me? Please
Mike Yardley, regular opinion writer for the Press Real People Give A Damn About Media's Future, Tues Press.
As to Paddy Walker - see https://nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/paddy-walker/
She and my aunt were great friends.
I found the Yardley article - many thanks. It now lies with my other research material on the topic.
I think he and I are in agreement that the Fourth Estate is necessary. It is the direction that MSM has gone in that has caused it problems. It is interesting that he comments on the belated introduction of paywalls - Peter Williams made this very point on RCR last Friday.
I am not sure about the rationale he offers for the Fair Digital Bill - bringing "Big Tech to heel" to pay for their use of other people's stuff - the solution is in copyright law.
As for AI - I have been investigating that. First thing is to understand how it works and I am not sure that our legilsators do. The likes of ChatGPT (known as generative AI or large language models) train the software by scraping data across the internet - data that is freely available. I wonder if MSM will be able to protect their stuff by putting it behind a paywall. I need to look into that.
Gavin Elllis commented that the Fair Digital equivalents overseas have not been successful and I think Yardley acknowledges that. The solution I think does not lie in subsidization of MSM so that it continues in its present form.
Finally - bear with me please - I was interested in your comments of experiences in the past - recherche du temps perdu. I wonder if there may not be room for a Substack on our own temps perdu. Auckland in the 1960's was a different place but as they say "the past is a foreign country - they do things differently there"