It has been awhile since I was at the mall. Wow, things have changed. Times are tough. Several restaurants are closed and some of my favorite stores are gone. Other stores are busy doing whatever they can to hang on.

Fossil, the trendy watch company, realizing that people can't afford to buy as many watches, wallets and handbags as the used to is now selling t-shirts. If they can successfully bring the neo-retro design excellence from their collectible watch packaging to their t-shirts it might work for the short term but they best not dilute the brand by offering too much apparel. People go to Fossil for cool watches and accessories. They already have other places to go for jeans.

More generally the trend seems to be to clog the entrance to stores with clearance racks stuffed with merchandise. In an attempt to entice shoppers to come into the store. It seems obvious to me that these tactics are desperation. Stores need traffic but a clearance clog seems self-defeating. One or two shoppers browsing the clearance racks block entry to the store. Of course if there is a stroller involved it only takes one. Other potential customers can't easily enter the store and therefore are likely to give it a miss. If it's not easy and comfortable to enter the store I am not coming in. I'll just move on to the next store.

Once again it's about the fundamentals of knowing what business you are really in and providing compelling customer experience and service. Discounters like Target are siphoning off the design and fashion conscious shoppers that mall retailers covet. It has to be about the experience.