I thought the BASS store was closing...

[FirstLight]

We have a very small 'factory store' shop center here in town and about 30-40% of shops have closed over the past 3-4 years...

So the Bass store today was having a HUGE sale...I mean, 80% off kind of sale. I found sandals that were originally $74 for $25. It was amazing... but it wasn't just the shoes on sale...everything in the store was ridiculously cut.
Now they were doing business like crazy, because everyone wanted some of THAT!

Here's my thoughts
How can they even think to ask for $75 for some crappy sandals in the first place..?they weren't high fashion shoes, just some comfortable flip-flops.
And how obvious is it that they use $1 labor to make said shoes when they can cut the prices like that and still stay in business?

I asked the sales girls, they weren't clearancing everything becauase they were going under, just the simple seasonal shift of stuff I guess...but wow. It always seems to amaze me the way commerce works. It seems like nobody has any money, but when there's a good sale - it's a whole different story! And really, I would venture to guess the store still didn't make its quota today...

[marmar]

1. Because Americans, even broke ones, are addicted to buying sh*t.....

...... We've been brainwashed to be consumers of products since the cradle.

[sandnsea]

2. August & February

Best clothing deals of the year. Massive clearances, yes 80% off. They aren't making any money on them, they're getting rid of them.

However, clearly labor no longer drives the retail price of goods. I don't think it has for years. The labor cost does not change when a high tech gadget goes from $3,000 to $300 in 5 years. I don't know why people don't see that.

Take gas. Most of the country has self-serve because it's supposed to reduce the cost of the gas. Oregon has gas attendants. Our prices aren't any different than anywhere else and nobody has been driven out of business or to the poor house.

We get lied to about labor costs, no question in my mind about that.

[Angry Dragon]

3. Oregon gas prices are higher than some places

such as Minnesota

[sandnsea]

4. And they're lower than some places

It's currently $2.55 to $2.90, about the same as Oregon.
http://www.minnesotagasprices.com/GasPriceSearch.aspx

Our gas comes from California which has more environmental standards attached to the fuel. The closer you get to Louisiana and Texas, the cheaper the gas too.

But whatever, go ahead and pretend it's all labor costs if you have some crazy idea that will help working people somehow.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. As somebody else said, they're clearing out summer stuff to get ready for...

fall & winter, and holiday stuff, when the big money is.

Retailers get charged taxes on their inventory, and while they would rather get more money for an item, they assume they already made their profit on the previously sold items so they get rid of as much as possible in one humongous sale. The tax savings and cash influx is worth the per-item loss.

That's the theory, anyway.

(Now I gotta get to the Bass outlet around here and see what deals they have.)

[earth mom]

6. My dad always used to say that most stuff costs just pennies to make...

and that everything for sale is a complete and total rip off.

Wow, have I EVER learned that lesson since the first time my dad told me that some 40+ years ago!

It's why I like buying stuff at flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales. However, I do buy clothes and shoes new-but for less via ebay, Ross or TJ Maxx.

[WolverineDG]

8. anything less than 40% isn't really a "sale"

before bar codes, my dad was really good at cracking the codes on price tags to figure out the wholesale price. Any markup more than 10% is a rip-off.

dg

[FirstLight]

9. I'm a thrift store gal myself

but my mom was kind enough to offer to get me some 'real shoes' after she saw that my kmart sandals were thrashed. I have arthritis in my feet and should be wearing othopedic oxfords, lol, but something with soft sole and support is a nice change.

but ya, the words of wisdom from your dad ring true ...wish we could go back to using wampum beads & bartering for things!

[KT2000]

7. I used to wear Bass shoes but

it looked to me like someone must have bought them out and turned it into a crap shoe co.
Do you know if this is the case or did the original co. decide to join the gold rush for outsourcing?