Kohl's And The Rest Of The Retailers Are In Deep Trouble

Zero Hedge ^ | 09/14/2014 | Tyler Durden

[george76]

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.” ? Mark Twain.

I never believe government manufactured numbers. They will always be adjusted, massaged, and manipulated to achieve a happy ending for the propagandists attempting to control and fleece the sheep. Yesterday, the government produced retail sales numbers for August that were weak and the corporate MSM propaganda machine immediately threw up bold headlines declaring how strong these numbers were. Positive stories were published on the interwebs and Wall Street hack economists were rolled out on CNBC, where the bubble headed bimbos and prostitutes for the status quo like Jim Cramer and Steve Liesman declared the recovery gaining strength. Woo Hoo.

If everyone else is whipping out that credit card, why aren’t you? Credit card debt has reached a new post recession high. They tell me consumer confidence is soaring. Forget about the 92 million working age Americans supposedly not in the labor force. Forget about real household income hovering at 1999 levels. Forget about median household net worth still 30% lower than 2007. Forget about what you see with your own two eyes in malls, strip centers and office parks as you motor around our suburban sprawl empire of debt. Those Store Closing, Space Available, and For Lease signs mean nothing.

...

It appears our friendly government drones may be pumping the current data to give the appearance of recovery

[Chode]

if he mailed or even emailed a copy of every article that upsets him to his elected representatives AND the mutt in the white hut while stating his complaints i would say good on him... but to simply whine to those that agree with his premise but are mature enough to know why it's not gonna happen and have explained it to him ad nauseam, it is simply spam now and will be viewed as such

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I disagree.

Sorry to say, we can suffer from groupthink here on FR and in America.

In large part that is good. But when we’re on the wrong path, we become frozen in what we are doing wrong and just continue doing what is in effect, destroying our country.

America has exported far, far too much of what should be American manufacturing.

We need to pay attention to that.

We need to talk about that.

Nobody, is saying a single word.

Not one peep.

So we continue to sell off American businesses, build up China (which is already number 2 in the world), and ...

Nobody talks about it.

[Qwackertoo]

I shop online at Kohl’s. Have two teens & husband. Plus household items.

I only buy IF it on sale.

I only buy IF I have a 30% coupon.

I usually only buy when they have 10.00 Kohl’s Cash per 50.00 spent.

I only buy when free shipping.

And I go through ebates or mrrebates to boot and I think that recently bumped up from 4% to 8% on one of them.

How can they possibly be in good shape after all that?

And . . . IF it is a larger order . . . it might arrive in 5, 8 or even 10 different shipments. YIKES. Their shipping budget must be crazy bloated.

And I buy name brand stuff like NIKE, and NCAA or NFL etc. etc. items for the kids that I can’t usually find on sale elsewhere so it is a good deal for me.

I’d NEVER EVER buy Kohl’s stock.

[Toddsterpatriot]

But when we’re on the wrong path, we become frozen in what we are doing wrong

What are we doing wrong?

[KarlInOhio]

Clothing stores would take even more of a hit if manufacturers coukd get their crap together. First either standardize sizes or just publish actual dimensions. I don’t care what size you call it, just let me know what the real, unstretched length, chest size or shoe size is. Similarly find a standard way of descibing color and fabric thickness. If the could do those I would hardly need to go to a clothes store again. I only go because clothing is so different from store to store or even piece to piece.

[roofgoat]

you mean by not only outsourcing, but insourcing. Sorry, corp taxes could be 0% and “regulation” could vanish and nothing would change if corps can find labor/costs cheaper. How do you compete with slave labor and environmental rape. OMG that makes me a Green Loving Lib. Or maybe someone who knows what happens without “some” regulation.

There is this word that “free marketers” hate, it’s the word “balance”.

US based Corps are allowed to outsource. Anyone who understands business understands this and would be against trying to stop it. But these same US based Corps then have to have their labor arbitrage too.

So then what do you get? A lousy, illegal alien filled work force. Cringing is closer to the truth than most here.

Freepers wanting to delude themselves with MBA pipe dreams on how to get the US economy thriving again are just as bad as those that worship Government as the answer to everything.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Sorry, corp taxes could be 0% and “regulation” could vanish and nothing would change if corps can find labor/costs cheaper.

You're right, that's why Burkina Faso is an economic powerhouse.

[William Tell]

SauronOfMordor said: "America needs less regulations, right to work [less unionization?], and less taxes. Do that and the jobs will come back."

Well, not quite.

We will need less regulation than exists in China, less collective bargaining than exists in China, and less taxes than exist in China. And it will have to be sufficiently less as to provide an incentive to move manufacturing back to the U.S.

Though unlikely to happen, the changes in the U.S. will have to be such that it is economically attractive to have jobs move here rather than stay there; parity will only eliminate the trend, it will not reverse it.

[William Tell]

fatnotlazy said: "Usually, in January at least one mall store closes."

I recently read an article claiming that investors have supported the building of malls to the extent that there now exists TWICE as many as are going to be needed in the future. If that is true, then the future for at least half of all malls is bleak indeed. Those businesses located in the unneeded malls will not be able to keep the lights on.

[dinodino]

I’m beginning to think you are mentally challenged.

Administrations don’t, “send American jobs overseas.” Executives of companies make rational economic decisions to move their production abroad to locales with more advantageous cost structures.

If you want this trend to reverse, start by eliminating the corporate tax in the United States. Then, reduce the burdensome regulations which hamper business development in the USA. It would be a good idea as well to repeal legislation which favors unions—the unions are a large part of the problem.

[Revel]

You live near a moat?

[CynicalBear]

>>I am trying hard, to raise the issue for Republicans.<<

Not in a cogent way your not. Repeating the same naive comment over and over while denying the cause and effect means nothing. It sounds more like Obumbler with no plans.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

There seems to be a group of posters here, who seem to support China, and who seem to oppose American jobs.

I am not one of those people. I do not oppose China, but we are being completely irresponsible as a nation, by making China rapidly into a superpower, then continuing to strengthen them, at a real cost to America.

It is time to bring back production, to America. That is my point.

It is time to bring back American production.

[Chode]

but do you complain as much to your elected representatives as you do here???

[William Tell]

Cringing Negativism Network said: "But I say we need to bring back American manufacturing."

I may NEED a new car. My NEED itself will play very little part in actually causing a new car to appear. It might certainly provide motivation and guidance as to which car I might obtain. But more important than simple motivation will be the steps I take to actually obtain a new car.

I will need to investigate the availability of suitable cars, the purchase price of such cars, the maintenance requirements for such a car, and my ability to pay for it.

The most difficult part will probably be my ability to pay. I may have to save money or work longer hours. I may have to forego various other pleasures. I may have to defer my purchase until my circumstances improve.

Given that the U.S. NEEDS jobs, what steps do you propose for accomplishing this?

[Utah Binger]

Thanks for the tip. I just ordered four.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

The Doctrine of “Free Trade” coming home to roost. Wealth flowing to productive countries and cheap and nasty goods flowing into our country.

[deweyfrank]

OK. What is your plan? Are you going to tell us how?

[Straight Vermonter]

This huge trade imbalance, is now happening every single year.

(and our debt, continues to skyrocket)

18 trillion dollars, almost.

You understand that those two figures have nothing to do with each other, right?

[PeterPrinciple]

Your post reminded me of the “Invisible Hand” as discussed in the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Our Government does not like the concept of the invisible hand because it means they are not in control.........

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Term used by Adam Smith to describe the natural force that guides free market capitalism through competition for scarce resources. According to Adam Smith, in a free market each participant will try to maximize self-interest, and the interaction of market participants, leading to exchange of goods and services, enables each participant to be better of than when simply producing for himself/herself. He further said that in a free market, no regulation of any type would be needed to ensure that the mutually beneficial exchange of goods and services took place, since this “invisible hand” would guide market participants to trade in the most mutually beneficial manner.

http://www.investorwords.com/2633/invisible_hand.html