Has Macy's adopted a new image?

[DodgerGirl]

My mom has been a Macy's fan since she first discovered it in the 90's and we became fans ever since. But now I seem to think that Macy's has adopted a new image and I want to know why they are doing this? Is it because Macy's is trying to stay alive to avoid going bankrupt or is it because Macy's wants to become like London's Harrods? Because back in the 90's-2000's Macy's was THE store if you wanted good sales on anything from kitchen appliances to furniture and clothing at good prices and they would always have great sales. But if you look at Macy's today I think it has gone downhill and it tells me that they are attracting a new audience. Take for instance if you go look at Macy's online in their Last Act clearance section all you'll find is mostly toys and shoes and few kitchen appliances and home decor and it tells me that this is a sign of a new audience. If you look at their Christmas section all you'll find are ornaments and holiday vases and I remember when Macy's had glass ornaments and figurines by Lenox and Jim Shore Christmas decor but the only Christmas stuff that Macy's has is tablecloths and dinnerware. Another thing Macy's does promote every year for Christmas is their Believe campaign where kids can write a Christmas list to Santa and Macy's donates it to a charity and I cannot figure out how this sells every year. And I noticed that Macy's has started having celebrities do clothing lines and appliance lines and even bedding lines. Because it seems that Patti Labelle Gordon Ramsay Justin Beiber Martha Stewart have teamed up with Macy's and I think Macy's is morphing itself into a Kmart like image because just as Kmart had Adam Levine Thalia Sodi and Jacklyn Smith Macy's is doing the same thing because they think celebrities get them money. I wouldn't be surprised if Macy's becomes like Nieman-Marcus in a few years

 

[barkley]

i've not been in a macys in several years. i remember back in the day when macy's was THE place for engaged couples to go and register for china. they had a lock on the most popular patterns with some producers and other stores within a many mile radius were not permitted to carry them (even if they carried other patterns by the same producers). they were one of the last 'department' stores that had staff that was assigned to specific departments that realy knew the products. they had one of the best cookware/small appliance departments but i suspect as lower cost competitors came about including on-line shopping allot of their buisness dropped off (you went to macy's and got educated on a particular cookware/appliance but then purchased elsewhere b/c unless it was one of macy's infrequent very good sales they were higher cost).

where i live now there were 3 macy's when i moved her (2007). now there is only 1 and it's not the notch above the other retailers it once was.

 

[White Cat]

I like Macy’s. But if anything it’s declining some.

 

[Moliphino]

I worked there for a year and a half 10+ years ago. The celebrity lines are nothing new, they've been teamed up with Martha Stewart since before I worked there.
Macy's is having the same problem that all mall stores are. Malls are dying. The Macy's I worked at closed about 5 years ago and the mall it was in was recently torn down.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I went to one yesterday, you are right they are much changed.

These days the stores seem to be in one of two categories. First kind is full to the brim and seems to be almost a warehousing location. What supports this is when I order online the items come from stores all over the US, like I will get 3 from location A and 2 from location B and there will often be receipts that it was rung up in the store and shipped to me. Macys does not appear to have any warehouse that handles shipping. Second kind is more like odd lots of returned merchandise as they live out their leases or wait for the owned property values to rebound.

Online shopping seems to be coordinated with other stores since I see the same assortment of items under different websites over and over. I imagine Macys and many other stores simply rent out their name and online traffic to paying businesses that fill demand, nothing else really makes sense sometimes because the experience it is so strange and customer service so erratic.

Sometimes there is an entirely different business selling direct on Macys, there are teeny tiny blips for this and I missed it. I had a terrible experience happen with a cute silver ring that ended up not fitting. It wasn't a lot of money but getting the refund was nearly impossible, turned into a battle of will. They simply would not process it so I needed to go to the store and get a manager and literally take a photo of his cash register message to get proof it was returned to show the credit card people. It took maybe a month or more but I was determined and annoyed. You can bet I pay closer attention now.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Macy’s is owned by Federated which has gone through a lot of changes in the last 10 years or so. I don’t buy much from them anymore but I also don’t need much either. At this point in my life I’ve all the household items and clothing required and just purchase…wants as opposed to needs.
I’ve outgrown Macy’s on the want and need levels it seems.

 

[_19disnA]

Macy's is having the same problem that all mall stores are. Malls are dying. The Macy's I worked at closed about 5 years ago and the mall it was in was recently torn down.

I agree, people used to go to those large indoor malls and spend the day shopping at various stores. Times have changed, people have busier lifestyles, there are fewer 'stay at home moms' since many of them also have jobs. The internet now lets you shop many stores from your home and in a few minutes do what used to take all day when driving around in person. New shopping areas I have seen are all the outdoor type when you park and have a row of stores. Also solves the problem indoor malls used to have when unruly teens would gather and tend to cause trouble. Typically, people only go to those stores where they intend to buy something and way more time efficient. Also eliminates the overhead costs (i.e. lights/heating/AC/etc.) associated with large indoor malls.

I can remember when Martha Stewart was convicted of insider trading and spent time in jail. Most of her sponsors dropped her. She seems to be making a comeback, but having some celebrity name associated with a product has no impact on what I decide to buy. I have no idea what sort of 'image' any department store is trying to project, but tend to shop at stores that have the products I am looking to buy.

 

[disneychrista]

My “local” Macy’s the entire 2nd floor is like a Ross. Definitely gone down hill from the upscale department store of the 80’s.

 

[Moliphino]

I agree, people used to go to those large indoor malls and spend the day shopping at various stores. Times have changed, people have busier lifestyles, there are fewer 'stay at home moms' since many of them also have jobs. The internet now lets you shop many stores from your home and in a few minutes do what used to take all day when driving around in person. New shopping areas I have seen are all the outdoor type when you park and have a row of stores. Also solves the problem indoor malls used to have when unruly teens would gather and tend to cause trouble. Typically, people only go to those stores where they intend to buy something and way more time efficient. Also eliminates the overhead costs (i.e. lights/heating/AC/etc.) associated with large indoor malls.

I can remember when Martha Stewart was convicted of insider trading and spent time in jail. Most of her sponsors dropped her. She seems to be making a comeback, but having some celebrity name associated with a product has no impact on what I decide to buy. I have no idea what sort of 'image' any department store is trying to project, but tend to shop at stores that have the products I am looking to buy.

Yup, the old mall is being replaced by this:

 

[BrianL]

Yeah, Macy's, like most retail, is showing signs of decline. The "Bakcstage" areas are pretty cheap looking. And, you know, I understand offering a discount section, but why does it have to look like that? The two local stores here are in poor repair, with cracked floors, etc. They are both attached to shopping malls, so, you know, dying malls (one a bit more gone than the other). It's just not that sustainable of a model at this point.

Still, I like going into get work clothes from ther clearance section. Explain to me why a men's button-down shirt goes on clearance? They don't really change at all. Like, I could get a blue shirt with white buttons for 18 bucks, but over in the main section, they have a blue shirt with cream buttons that is almost exactly the same for 60 dollars. Like, it didn't go out of style or anything. It's so weird, but I'm not complaining!

 

[China Expat]

ALL of the Macy's near me are a mess. More clothes on the floor than on the racks. THirty year loyal customer...now I only shop Macy's online.

 

[tvguy]

They clearly are looking for ways to boost sales. Here, they are openly discussing closing stores. We all bring our own experiences here, and unlike OP whose mom discovered Macy's in the 90's and 2000's, for us Macys was clearly on the decline by then. It was a big deal in the 1960s and 1970's when they opened stores here. And when we got married in 1982 it was THEE place to register for your wedding.

 

[disneyseniors]

I shop Macy's online, only because the closest Macy's store is about 3 hours away. I have had no problems so far with ordering directly from them.
However, our town's one mall is really declining. They have now lost the intersection area where 4 anchor stores were located. They are All empty now! They still have a Kohl's, Joannes, and a few other stores but that's it. Joannes is gong downhill too. It's so sad. I used to sew a lot and go to Joanne's a lot. Now some of their overhead lighting is bad and they have not replaced it in at least a Month!!! It's difficult to see fabric with insufficient lighting. You could shoot a cannon down the aisles and not hit anyone.
It is really sad to see this.
I enjoy actually looking at and touching the items I want to buy, like clothes. and fabric.
I don't know what the final answer will be, but it is not encouraging for these malls.

 

[cabanafrau]

I've never really had much attachment to Macy's, probably because they are and always have been a ghostly pale image of a great department store they swallowed up among many others, J.L. Hudson. It's possible I haven't been in Macy's since Covid, although I have ordered a few things from them, mostly for bridal showers.

I'm a bit confused about the ideas that Macy's is both Kmarting themselves and likely to become more like Neiman Marcus. I can't make the mental gymnastics work on that one.

 

[barkley]

Yup, the old mall is being replaced by this:

View attachment 888404

2 of the 3 malls near us have become like ghost towns with the loss of stores. the stores in the diagram above have all migrated to strip malls where the primary anchor/customer draw stores are grocery. i will be interested to see what becomes of the mall properties. we had one old 'mall adjacent' (the building was there and the mall was built onto it decades ago) 3 story store purchased by a developer who transformed it into apartments before the pandemic hit and construction came to a screeching halt. since all of our existing malls are located in mixed use buisness/residental zones it seems like it could be a resource for massive numbers of apartments esp. when you consider the huge swaths of land currently dedicated to parking.

 

[Moliphino]

2 of the 3 malls near us have become like ghost towns with the loss of stores. the stores in the diagram above have all migrated to strip malls where the primary anchor/customer draw stores are grocery. i will be interested to see what becomes of the mall properties. we had one old 'mall adjacent' (the building was there and the mall was built onto it decades ago) 3 story store purchased by a developer who transformed it into apartments before the pandemic hit and construction came to a screeching halt. since all of our existing malls are located in mixed use buisness/residental zones it seems like it could be a resource for massive numbers of apartments esp. when you consider the huge swaths of land currently dedicated to parking.

The general hope seems to be that the large anchor store will be a Target, but nothing has been confirmed. Most of the other stores (and Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A) are also in another strip mall about 15 miles away (near another mostly dead mall where the Macy's/JC Penney/Sears closed years ago and the only thing keeping it alive is Target).

 

[DodgerGirl]

I think what has really hurt Macy's was when they started teaming with stores like Toys "R" Us Sunglass Hut Finish Line Shoes and Barnes And Noble selling books. And why did they end up teaming up with Toys "R" Us? Because the only reason I think they did was to save it and try to revive bringing Toys "R" Us back to shopping centers but also to sell toys year-round not just during the holiday season. And I think Macy's is responsible for the demise of Sunglass Hut stores because I can't figure out why Sunglass Hut became popular because sales of sunglasses soar during the summertime. If Disney Store and FAO Schwarz teamed up with Macy's rather than TRU it would've been better in my eyes. Another thing Macy's has started to do every year is each Thanksgiving Day Parade they create a holiday character and use it to promote Macy's holiday sales and promotions. Like one year they teamed up with CBS to create the movie Yes, Virginia and they had a balloon of Virginia in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and a doll of Virginia was made too as well. And then they did the same thing with Tiptoe and the plushies of these characters seem to sell out during the holidays a lot. But I think in a few years Macy's will focus as an online store and they will most likely sell their Thanksgiving Day parades and 4th Of July specials to another store like Bloomingdales and broadcast the parade on Peacock as a Thanksgiving exclusive

 

[DodgerGirl]

What I also think Macy's is focusing on is designing separate stores like in my outdoor mall they have Macy's Woman which is a store selling women's fashions and Macy's Furniture and Home Gallery which is a home decor and furniture store and it seems to me with these stores Macy's is copying Ethan Allen and Lane Bryant. But what really hurt Macy's was when they stopped selling electronics and video games in the 90's because you could get good deals on electronics such as stereos TV's Sony Discmans and they had a huge selection of Nintendo games Sega Genesis games and Nintendo Gameboy games too but for some reason they quit selling electronics and my first Nintendo system came from Macy's and my dad and I would buy video games a lot at Macy's too. But what could improve Macy's in order to stay alive is to give the stores a new look and renovation and outside their stores try to bring back the old image that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade used to have because ever since the 2020 parade Macy's has ruined their Thanksgiving Day parades and I can't figure out why they continue to score big ratings for NBC and Peacock

 

[kimmar067]

ALL of the Macy's near me are a mess. More clothes on the floor than on the racks.....

OMG!!! I was thinking the exact same thing....I've always noticed how MESSY (especially the womens' clothing department) has been for the past few years, so I never shop there. Also, I returned a dress once and had a lot of problems with that transaction. It took me almost 6 months to actually get my refund [$260]...

 

[Babs Johnson]

In many areas of the country, consumers never warmed up to Macy’s taking over their beloved regional department stores: Marshall Field, Hecht’s, Dayton, Strawbridge & Clothier, etc. These consumers only grudgingly shopped at Macy’s until they found places that were more to their liking.

A few Macy’s in my extended area closed in the past five years as their attached malls were in their death throes. I haven’t been in a Macy’s since before the pandemic, and even then some looked kind of crappy, with huge sections of clearance merchandise that looked like a tornado passed thru.