Wednesday, June 30, 2010

#1.

On Friday, our Tivo failed. It's the oldest one. Still, you never notice this thing until an hour before the store closes. We rush out to Best Buy. It wasn't even all that great, because we had to replace it with a series 2. The others don't get pay-per-view.

Who still watches Pay-per-View you ask? You can get porn from the Internet!

It's almost embarrassing to admit, but Howard Stern is still on Pay-Per-View. And it isn't like I watch him all that often, but every once in a while there is something funny on. And hey! It's one of the few places on TV that isn't moderated. They show peen, and cuss. So I'm not completely willing to give it up. This meant we didn't get to buy a shiny new Tivo. Just a series 2. Meh.

But, this isn't the interesting part of the story.

Mr S. goes to put the Tivo in the trunk, and I go to look around. See what people are buying. It's the only fun I can have, because I'm still in the bunker. One of the worst things about this recession is - it's such a mind fuck. Best Buy was packed. Everything looked like it did before everything went sideways. And you start to feel like things are self full filling. Everyone appears normal, so maybe people are spending again. Then you read how the economy is really going and you think "oh shit". Hunker down.

Anyway. I notice they have expanded their appliance area. When I get over there I think "when the hell did Best Buy enter the luxury Kitchen market"? I mean, it was all high end stuff. Like viking and high end hoods. They were even selling a 2000 dollar shirt presser. It was the weirdest thing ever, because last time I was in a Lowe's a couple of months ago, they'd ripped out at least half of their kitchen design area.



This picture is from the inside of the Best Buy.

2 comments:

  1. First, my condolences on the loss of a close family member. The real question now is are you going with the HD or the premiere for the replacement? Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

    Second, I think we are seeing a bifurcation in the economy. Those who've been able to buckle down, without a lot of debt and who have jobs are feeling comfortable enough to spend like there isn't a financial calamity going on. A year or two ago they feared for their jobs, now they are comfortable. The other part of the economy is really struggling though. You've got people who are hundreds of thousands to millions in debt asking themselves if 7 years of bad credit is worth that much, bank having to sell foreclosed homes at 30% discounts and millions left without the jobs or resources to succeed in this environment. I bet if you walked into a 99 cent store, it would be just as packed. Reconciling the growing gulf between the have and the have nots won't be easy for a long time.

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  2. I have to admit - I wasn't in love with buying the new HD. Rest assured. I love Tivo. There is no better product. Still, it was super cool. 5 years ago. Now it's merely - cool.

    Five years ago, I didn't see anything on the horizon compete with it.

    Now, I'd have to wait 2 years for the depreciation cost to feel like it was worth buying. It's limitations are starting to outweigh it's cool factor. And it keeps me tied to Comcast because of the cable cards.

    The idea of being tied to one provider makes em really prickly right now. If we truly are in a deflationary period - well, I'd want to take advantage of that.

    I agree the markets are splitting - I just can't figure out which segment is feeling comfortable. That is a lot of real estate in an electronics store. High end can't be that strong. I don't know anyone with a business that feels comfortable. The administration seems okay with shredding sectors one by one. So that means people with jobs, and wages have been stagnant.

    Maybe I'm completely miscalculating. It's been known to happen.

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