Around One Out Of Every 10 Mall Stores Now Vacant

[Marenco]

http://consumerist.com/2011/04/nearly-one-out-of-10-mall-stores-vacant-in-the-us.html


The malls of America have seen better days. In the wake of the still-lingering economic downturn, vacancy rates at shopping centers — of both the "classic mall" and "strip mall" varieties — are at their highest levels since the twentieth century.

The Wall Street Journal reports on new figures that show a 9.1% average vacancy rate in malls in the top 80 U.S. markets, and 11.1% for strip malls.

In 2005, at the height of the boom that preceded collapse, malls were running at 5.1% vacancy while strip malls were at 6.7%.

Not surprisingly, reports the WSJ, the biggest problem areas are those regions that saw the most rapid development during the boom. Shopping centers were constructed around or near homes that have never been moved into.

And as big chain retailers feel the pinch from two sides — a recession economy and increased online shopping — they have had to downsize their bricks-and-mortar outlets.

"We will hit a tipping point soon, if we have not already, where online will become so mainstream that retailers will wonder what they need some of these big boxes for, when you have a retail presence in everyone's pocket via your smart phone," a retail consultant tells the paper.

Where do you see the mall fitting into the American shopping landscape in the next 10 years?

[torchbearer]

high leasing fees during a depression equals:
http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/fail-boat.jpg

[justinc.1089]

Where do you learn how to create your own websites?

I'm almost done with a Bachelor's in Business Management and they don't teach one thing about business management, much less about managing your business website. Although I never expected to learn anything from my university anyway to begin with.

I could run the store I work in one day if the owner would sell it to me, but without an internet presence its worthless. And I don't have a clue how to even begin to create a business website and run it.

I mean websites are the future in business in my opinion. But its like there is no place to learn how to create websites that I know of.

[low preference guy]

Where do you learn how to create your own websites?

I think almost all good webmasters just learn using tutorials from the internet. But I gotta tell you it requires a lot of practice and it's very time consuming. That is, assuming you want to create really fancy websites with comments, databases, etc. Simpler websites are of course easier.

[justinc.1089]

I think almost all good webmasters just learn using tutorials from the internet. But I gotta tell you it requires a lot of practice and it's very time consuming. That is, assuming you want to create really fancy websites with comments, databases, etc. Simpler websites are of course easier.

Well if I decided I wanted to buy my boss's business, the store I work in, the website would need to be as good as possible because eventually it would handle more sales than the store itself. So it would need excellent, update-able product sections, a blog, and a forum to keep people coming back and able to buy current products, at the bare minimum.

So I would need to learn how to do all that.

But most webmasters really learn from internet tutorials? Why am I not surprised lol... government supported schooling really fails hard when pitted against the free market.

[Bman]

Well if I decided I wanted to buy my boss's business, the store I work in, the website would need to be as good as possible because eventually it would handle more sales than the store itself. So it would need excellent, update-able product sections, a blog, and a forum to keep people coming back and able to buy current products, at the bare minimum.

So I would need to learn how to do all that.

But most webmasters really learn from internet tutorials? Why am I not surprised lol... government supported schooling really fails hard when pitted against the free market.

You could learn how to do all of that, or do what most people do that cannot do it. Hire someone who can. Keep in mind you said you went to college for business. Not computer programming or design.

[RonPaulIsGreat]

Well if I decided I wanted to buy my boss's business, the store I work in, the website would need to be as good as possible because eventually it would handle more sales than the store itself. So it would need excellent, update-able product sections, a blog, and a forum to keep people coming back and able to buy current products, at the bare minimum.

So I would need to learn how to do all that.

But most webmasters really learn from internet tutorials? Why am I not surprised lol... government supported schooling really fails hard when pitted against the free market.

Look at oscommerce. That's probably the most active e-commerce solution. You'll still need to know a little "programming" to get it going but not much. Anyway, it was when I looked at it a couple years ago. It's free, there are a bunch of add-on's of varying usefulness. Some hosts come with one click install, but that would be on a shared hosting plan, which is fine if you just want to check out the options and or aren't going to get large traffic numbers, though you'd probably want a dedicated server, or virtual dedicated server if you are going to make a real go of it.

For that you wouldn't really need to know how to "program", but it would help. You'd still need to learn some though for customizing the look or pay someone. You'd either need to learn to install and the basics of mysql, unless you paid someone. But, if you want to make a business based on the "internet", you should probably have at least a rudimentary understanding of such things anyway, just so you know what people are talking about, and you don't get ripped.

[Travlyr]

Learning how to build and update websites is not too difficult or time consuming. Of course, keeping up with the technology is more challenging.

http://www.w3schools.com/

[teacherone]

website:

1) step one-- buy domain name and webspace
2) download joomla (http://www.joomla.org/)
3) upload joomla onto webspace
4) download (cracked) artisteer (http://www.artisteer.com/) and design your own template (or use a free joomla template....or learn CSS)
5) purchase SSL cert and install
6) download virtu-mart joomla extension (http://virtuemart.net/)

you are now ready to sell on the interwebs...

this takes a weekend max.