Is Big Lots! In Big Trouble? | Retail Archaeology
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- Опубліковано 21 кві 2023
- In this episode of Retail Archaeology we take a look at Big Lots! .
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But sometimes you are just in the mood for a 6 pack of butter beer, a case of sardines in mustard and a fiber optic mini Christmas tree.
😂😂true
My BL does sell excellent bath towels. I bought a expensive LL Bean 🛁 towel & the Big Lots bath towel QC was 10x better. I have 2 & might get 2 more.
Hey....sardines are a decent stock pile item, small and cheap. Plus my cats and dogs love them as a treat now and then.
the sardines in mustard cans were some of my dad's favorite drunk foods ... I couldn't eat em even when I was wasted .
Hey don't hate the sardines, I eat like half of the can and think okay that's enough salt for today then feed the rest to my meowing/begging ass cat. That's only a once in a blue moon type of thing though when Publix has them on BOGO, I will buy two cans.
The thing is that Big Lots changed its business model. Wherein they USED TO be a "Close Out" store with random bargains now they are mostly a "General Merchandise & Furniture" retailer with standard stuff that they regularly stock and sell (and likely they source from China specifically for Big Lots). I liked Big Lots when it was a "Close Out" store with random finds but it is simply not that anymore.
Well wal mart also sources from China, so whats your point?
Yeah. It was best back when it was Pick N Save.
Bought my Atari 2600 from Big Lots when they opened here in 1992. It felt like we had more time to go bargain hunting, but maybe that's the rose tinted goggles of age. Trying to find random closeout crap to fill hundreds of stores must be tough. I think the future of this kind of bargain store may be the places that buy pallets of Amazon returns. Closer to the old liquidator stores that used to be so common near us.
Oh they totally are not a CLOSEOUT. All the stuff is indeed mf’d in china. I worked in corporate in the 90’s. Terrible corporate culture too…very toxic on top of the crappy merchandise selection
Yrs ago, I brought a couch from Big Lots and, it was real good quality and, it really lasted, I ended up mainly sold it because, I got a newer couch! However, the last time, I went in there to get a recliner and, I was left disappointed, my whole legs didn’t fit across, it was who makes a recliner like that, funny, I went to the rental store and few doors down and, it was the same thing. I ended up ordering me a much nicer fully loaded recliner through Amazon and, I saved a because, I didn’t have to pay as much for delivery! Then, I had a cousin that got her a mattress from their and, her daughter told me it hadn’t been a year yet and, the mattress was in some serious bad shape! Yeah, this Broyhill furniture might be a big name, but, definitely not as near the quality as the same furniture manufacturer they had before!
Big Lots used to have really good deals on basic furniture like bookcases, tables, and desks. Then their prices started to really climb, because it used to be unthinkable to see anything over 500 at a Big Lots. I think most people in the last few years have switched to shopping online or at thrift stores for those kinds of things, because brick and mortar is almost always more expensive. Walmart is an exception for a few things, but only when they have them in stock.
True
Walmart also has the floor space to be the "everything in one" stop, without the change in products being too jarring, like with Big Lots.
I'd rather sit on the floor than have used furniture (especially used furniture that you *pay for*). Big lots sells furniture encased in plastic, unless they sell you the display model. Bed bugs are no joke
@@jaredhicks5655 I work in pest control. I would definitely say to avoid anything with upholstery. Regular wood stuff is fine, but it's a good idea to always Lysol it, and leave it outside for a while to get rid of bedbugs, roaches, and the like.
If there's a love seat sitting by a dumpster somewhere that looks brand new, I would always take that as a bedbug warning.
EBay,Dealdash,and Amazon have been taking companies like Big Lots to the woodshed!!
Once Big Lots started selling furniture, it was over. They had good deals back in the day, and now the prices are the same as Target or your local grocery store.
Exactly. I noticed that exact same thing. And they used to be cheaper right before they remodeled or updated their stores' appearance.
IT WAS OVER! 😆
When Big Lots opened here, the furniture was secondary in the store. It was at the back of the store while the rest of the store was used for it's regular items. Then, it was just a few beds, chairs, couches and small furniture kits (like bookcases and small tables)
A few years age they changed the layout of the store and put the furniture "front and center" in the store and made it the main focal point and that's when the other things began to be neglected.
It seems like they want to make the furniture more important, because it's right in the front of the store near the entrance.
I would say you are correct. I am originally from Central Ohio (where Odd Lots/Big Lots started) and I used to love going to Big Lots. Now I'm in Missouri and there aren't a whole lot of them around here anyway and when there was one really close to me (before it closed) I was like "meh" and when I do go back to Ohio and go into one it's always underwhelming. They definitely changed once furniture became a big focus. They used to have such a good electronics section that they actually usually had 3 sizes of tvs. Now their "electronics" department is no different than going to Five Below (and it's actually worse because it's most likely more expensive).
They wanted to be Target. Now they aren't anyone. They should change the name back to Odd Lots, and return to having the stores full of interesting closeout merchandise.
Back in the late 90s early 00s, big lots was awesome. They had 25 cent items, 50 cent items and 99 cent items. Most of all their stuff was dirt cheap. I use to buy toys for my nephew and craft items dirt cheap. Also, they had good back to school deals, then they started with furniture and now it's no longer a closeout store but a Target store. Nothing at our big losts is under $3 :(
Yep. Mine got gentrified and is not that cheap anymore. I still go but I don't have as much luck as I used to finding deals.
Yep long ago Big lot's was a good place to shop. Remember around 15 year's ago they would have like dutch boy gallon paint for $3-$5 when it was $15-25 at Sears. Or they'd have a T-fal pot and pan set for $35 when it was $70 at Walmart. Then around 10 year's ago they went upscale and the prices went up as well.
Agree. I also think of it as a Target wannabe. High prices on “chic” items that I don’t want. They want to make their money on furniture and furniture financing. I used to be a steady customer but now I don’t bother.
When I was growing up in the 90's, I remember Big Lots/Odd Lots was so awesome! They sold all sorts of cool closeout items, and as a kid, I of course loved the toy section. Nowadays, as an adult, I do still go to Big Lots. But I don't make a special trip to go there. The one I go to is next door to a Goodwill. Marysville, Ohio, for anyone wondering. After shopping at the Goodwill, I pop in to Big Lots to buy a few food items, just because I'm there already. Big Lots has an identity crisis, I think. They don't know what they want to be. They are no longer a discount store, as others here have pointed out. I wish they'd go back to being a closeout store, rather than trying to compete with Target.
As a Target employee if I take my employee discount out of the equation I notice some places would sell stuff higher than what we sell at Target. The pack of 35 sticks of gum would be around $3.50 at Target but at a Five Below or QT it's about $5. The Pixi brand Makeup, the exact same products sold for around $15 at Target is sold for over $18 at Walgreens.
I liked the old big lot's. The one from 15+ year's ago. Where they were more like Ollie's. More focused on selling various Item's at 30-70% off retail. Over the past 10 year's they decided to go upscale and the deal's aren't there like they used to be. Most stuff is full retail even if it's product that other store's stopped carrying year's prior.
Exactly I couldn't have said it better myself.
Part of the fun of the old Big Lots was the treasure hunt aspect. It doesn't make much sense to me why they abandoned their old business model.
Interestingly I was in a different city a couple months ago and found an Ollie's and thought "this reminds me of what Big Lots used to be like!"
I think Ollies is a excellent business it made me feel like I was in big lots from back in the past. But I think all these is best, and probably the southern half of the country. In NYC, while there is a big lots here, and there, most people would rather patronize its closeout rival, the store formally known as national wholesale liquidators. Although NWL went out of business, employees took over a few locations just to sell the same things and business is still going pretty Well
@@yell0wberry Yeah for a long time ollie's was mainly a northern store. But in the last 5 year's or so they have expanded down here in Georgia and Florida. Probably because with big lot's changing their identity , They realized there was a opening in the market.
Used to work at a Big Lots a few years ago. Lots of great coworkers there and it was fun sometimes, but being inside that store was usually depressing. Fixtures and warehouse equipment were all rusted and worn out. The products are all the kind of stuff that doesn't sell elsewhere, so you were always surrounded by a bunch of junk you couldn't in good faith recommend to most customers. We constantly had returns, especially on electronics. The electronics were the absolute cheapest crap and always broke within a week of purchase, if they even functioned right out of the box at all. Despite working there, I never really bought anything because I found it was usually better to just pay a little more for higher quality elsewhere.
I hate it when the return cart gets so full and customers would be returning crap that shouldn’t even be returned at all.
Current employee of Big Lots here, the company is probably fine for now but I definitely see problems in the future. How long it has until then? It is anyone's guess. United Furniture's closure definitely hit us hard plus overall people aren't buying furniture at the moment because they're having to spend their money elsewhere so they can essentially live.
And empty shelving looks like they were in between resets. They should have found something to temporarily fill that space until they had the merchandise they needed.
Want to say thank you for the most straight forward customer service. You guys never hound ppl with signing up for membership 🫡
worked there for 5 years, was an FPL/Team Lead… virtually seen the downfall happening (2019 is when it really was hitting our store hard). HR pandering to customers was extremely annoying and put employees/management after. Enjoyed my team/associates but the way they operated was highly unfavorable especially during the “store of the future” transition.
surprise you didn't mention the reduced pay rate/position title change for management employees
@@nataliesmartt7753 they tried to promote me from a regular associate, to a team lead… for no pay increase… just a “40 hour work week” was the “raise”. i contested that considering i was a key holder opening/closing and they ended up giving me a $1 raise for my troubles… and a year later… was promoted to a DTS lead (or now a FPL) for … you guessed it… another $1 💀
Seems like people critisizing them don't know that they are a liquidator so their inventory is random
Was a Big Lots employee for 7 years, left the company 4 years ago. I went from a stocker to Assistant Manager in my time. The biggest issue with the company is the lack of future direction, they converted majority of the stores into the "Store of the Future" and put a huge chunk of money into the furniture department creating the weird centrally located area. Customers would constantly complain that all the small stuff was now hidden. But the other major issue, upper management. They hire people who have no idea what they are doing and change stuff monthly. You think you can get ahead then they change it all and you spend so much time fixing stuff.
Yea the management doesn’t tell any employees what’s going on. And when customers come to the cashier. The cashier has no idea what the customer is talking about cause the management didn’t notify the cashier
I want to like big lots but it's been consistently lame for over a decade Ollie's is doing it right got me collecting comics & random toys again.
It's the same store how does 1 get it so right & 1 so wrong
I was with them for all of that bullshit. I can fill a book which I'm about to leave a comment on my experience with them. Shitty ass company
The prices in the pantry department are robbery to the point that it is cheaper to go to a regular supermarket
Yep, it use to be it was a about the same, if not a little better depending on the item, and sometimes you would find something on closeout like cases of Ecto Cooler at a good discount, but now nope you're better off going to the walmart across the street, or the Kroger's, or Aldi down the road.
Much of the time my local Big Lots stores carry beverages for less than Walmart does of the same brand. Like Aldi, Big Lots has them labeled with its own address and the UPC numbers are different than at the grocery stores - forcing people to return the bottles to Big Lots if they want their nickels back.
What could really help Big Lots, is if they went back to the basics of why they were in business in the first place (closeouts, bargains and overstock items)...it would help them while having to deal with competition from the rapidly-expanding Ollie's Bargain Outlet stores, as well as existing competition from T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Ross and Burlington, other stores often frequented by bargain hunters...
Yep, unless they pivot fast their a goner.
Also places like harbor freight and northern tools are hard to compete with price-wise. It's scary and rightfully so to be scared on how dependent we are on China. Just about a 100 percent of harbor freight/northern tools inventory comes in shipping containers from China. Half of America is stupid to keep voting Democrat. The modern democrat party is far more in bed/entrenched with China and foreign economies than most voters realize. I'm not saying republicans are perfect but there is far less of republicans who are sold out to foreign governments such as China. Trump is leagues better for America than weekend at Bernie's Biden and scary harris
At my big lots they get overstocked with furniture all the time
I used to love Big lots but their prices have constantly climbed to the point of it not making a difference whether I go there or other places. And like you said who wants to gamble with the inconsistency of stock, especially when the price is the same as anywhere else
Big Lots prices is what stopped me from going there. The quality of the stuff was always questionable, but now I can go to Target and get something alot more dependable for the same price or just a little more.
@@dskillzhtownI love Target.
My first apartment a few years ago was by a BigLots, I went there and bought a handful of random kitchen items I still have and I still use. The store served its purpose for what I needed at the time.
I did the same thing. It is perfect for that.
Big Lots was a means of financial survival for us when we were young. We also shopped often at a Walmart overstock and returns store called Bud’s, not sure how many of those there were. We actually scored a Tickle Me Elmo there for our daughter’s first Christmas in 1996 when they were SO hard to find!
Big Lots has in the past had a good selection of "random" grocery items (such as canned strawberries, a good price on pie fillings, and spices), however in recent years, they have not carried these items, and for some of the items they do have, the prices are no longer as compettive as Walmart.
I go to Big Lots for things like granola bars and chips.
But recently my Big Lots has been a disaster to shop in. Like they have the food section, but then I'll go into another section and randomly there will be another quarter aisle of more food, half of the same things that are in the food section and half other stuff I never would have even seen if I was just running in to look at the food section...doesn't make a lick of sense.
As someone who has worked there. I can confidently say, yes. It is in trouble. Most revenue comes from the furniture. Which is probably the reason they rearranged the stores to prominently feature the furniture in 2018. However, they also keep increasing the prices of said furniture. And everything else they sell you can literally get anywhere else for probably cheaper.
If you seen something from Target before and then the same thing in a Biglots, then it's probably Targets unsold stock. Lots of unsold Target stock makes it's way to Biglots.
In my area - Big Lots filled a gap that is now broached by TJ Maxx & Ross. IMO, from what I've seen, they maintained that role in lower income areas but now that the aforementioned discount stores are expanding- there's not so much a demand for Big Lots. I've also always found their prices to be on the high side for what they have (and were 10 years ago too). I have one super close and I couldn't even tell you the last time I went.
This one hits home for me! I'm from Ohio and we had an Odd Lots down the street. This was in the 80s. Back then, it was truly a closeout store and they had cool weird things! The big thing I remember was a Max fx freddie Krueger figure and dozens of old Star Wars records.
These days, I feel like they have product that I see at every store (like their groceries) or true throw away items or some of the items are over price of retail.
Have you been to Ollie's? That to me is the way Big Lots/Odd Lots used to be and is a treasure trove of true closeout items.
I concur.
This 100%, as Ollie's has for the most part replaced Big Lots for me as a treasure hunt store, I even got a portable floor AC on good discount last year from Ollie's as several years back I added a game/family room onto my house, and we did not want to drill into the foundation of the original house to run central AC/heat, and the old window unit we had was a pain in the butt(and my back) to deal with twice a year, and it's worked out great, as getting one from almost any other place would have been $100 - $300 more.
Even ollie's is raising prices now, but at least their clearance snacks/food and books are still decent prices.
@HermannTheGreat the book section there is fun! I've found good deals on novels, coffee table books, and recently a Squid Game adult coloring book. Fun stuff.
I’m from Columbus so have been going to big lots all my life. Their golden era for profitability were the early 2000s, after Ames and a lot of the other discount stores closed, but before Ollie’s and the various Amazon/target resale stores came out. Big lots was the only option for close out merchandise so they could get some cool stuff in. But now a lot of their merch is just Chinese private label created for them, and isn’t exactly a draw
My grandmother worked at Big Lots for many many years. She passed away some years ago but my Grandfather continues to get the employee discount at the store.
That would be a good reason to keep going, as you don't hear too many companies do that these days, but for most their prices are not that much better than just going to Kroger, Walmart, or Aldi.
When I worked for Big Lots briefly in 1999, they subleted about a third of an old KMart store. A lot of what Big Lots stocked then looked more like a Family Dollar and less like a Walmart.. If they would drop furniture and patio and streamline their selection, they might save themselves. The store I worked at had wide aisles and everything was easy to find. Big Lots is unrecognizable now.
Big Lots use to be a really fun store. I would find some of the most unique furniture in the old days. Still have a corner cabinet from there that is one of my favorite things. Now Big Lots has the type of furniture you can get anyplace. I miss the old Big Lots
I use to shop there often years ago. Recently I went and there was about 3 customers and this was around 6:00 PM. The store had the look and feel of Kmart before it went bust
We’ve been watching this story as it has unfolded in the finance news, and our local store closed very recently with little to no fanfare or announcements. So sad.
As a current Big Lots employee, your descriptions of the store/company were pretty on point. At least 90% of the customers I deal with and most of my coworkers raise the same points, throw ontop of that, that if a manager treats their employees bad but still gets the numbers corporate wants they'll ignore all complaints, they're going downhill.
Facts
Corporate doesnt have a human resources office or labor relations office? I work for a large grocery and we have an anonymous complaint hotline that goes to human resources NOT to the retail managers side. Or you can just find the number to human resources and contact them directly. Just tell them you want to be anonymous and don't give them your name. At least management will know that someone called human resources and back off a little bit.
@@anon2414 HR is not there to protect employees. It's there to find who needs to be termed before they can cause problems.
@@rb3086 I agree HR normally protects the managers. It depends how egregious it is. I've seen managers get fired for complaints. Or I've seen a manager get fired when employees went to the state labor board and skipped dealing with the company
I go to a store because it checks at least one of my boxes because it has: 1) dependable essentials 2)unique items that feel like treasure hunting 3)best prices. 4) it has a nice, relaxing environment . Big Lots fills none of those. I think Big Lots is failing because it wants to be Target
I don't shop often at Big Lots and one the reasons why is the same reason you mentioned, the randomness of inventory. If I need a specific product, I'll go to a retail store I know will have that item in stock. With Big Lots, this is always a gamble, especially with foodstuff. At the same time though, there is a charm about the randomness which I why I don't avoid Big Lots altogether either. It's a great place to buy snacks! I like to check out the wild assortment of snacks they have every now and then, I've seen unique to downright weird stuff they have there no else carries.
I mainly buy; cheap soft drinks, paper towels-TP 🧻. Some snacks, candy.
Our local Big Lots closed in the last few months. And they had not long before that had a huge remodel adding front fridge/freezers. I think they redid the check outs in a way to make theft harder, just by the difference between how it went from individual lines for each cashier, to one line that fed all the registers, with one way out.
I didn't even realize it was closed till my Mom pointed it out the other day.
Big Lots changed about five years ago in my area with a huge remodel which was a very nice change. However, before they remodeled Big Lots was a good discount store that had a lot of oddball items with good prices. After the remodel they now look like a mini Target or Walmart with nearly the same prices as the other box stores. I call it upscale Big Lots. I think Ollie's is the old Big Lots we remember from 10-20 years ago.
Does Ollie's ever have movies? Only been a couple times
@@money16356 yes
Same with my local one. After the remodel there just really aren't any discounts anymore.
I find it so funny that Ollie's stores have quotes all over the walls about how the store may be unorganized and how you might have to "dig" for a deal but their stores are always cleaner and better organized than any of their competitors like big lots.
I used to really like big lots as they had great deals on closeout merchandise. All of the stores in my area got shut down and relocated to nicer larger spaces, and they all feel like a furniture gallery surrounded by parts of a Home Goods, Dollar General, and Walmart. Nothing is a good price there anymore, groceries and household supplies are cheaper at supermarkets or Walmart/ target. And I wouldn’t go there out of convenience like I would a drug store. So I totally agree that they’re trying to be too many things at once, but not succeeding at any of them.
Yes it's like Big Lots wants to be many different stores in one and the biggest problem is the stores they are imitating each do it better than they do.
I agree with Michael Wilhelm. They used to buy out retailers going bankrupt and such. I worked there in the late 80s, and they were buying out hardware stores, drug store liquidations and Sears close out and hardware stores. So it was a special “treasure hunt” experience like Costco. But that’s been gone for decades. Just another crap store now.
Not the one in my area.
I went to Big Lots for the first time in several years last week because I had a coupon. I was pleasantly surprised by some things, like their selection of rugs, but disappointed with others like their selection of kitchen goods. I did see some decent things but nothing for less than you would pay at Target or Walmart. The best thing I saw was a mis-spelled plant pot that said "thrist trap".
I used to love looking through Big Lots when I lived in Southern California. The candy section was always amazing. There's a great Big Lots in South Pasadena and I still have a pair of actual Crocs that I got there that I wear to this day 15 years later.
As somebody who currently works at a Big Lots specifically, the furniture department, a lot of our problems really started right after we got our new CEO, Bruce Thorne. Prior to Covid we were supposed to have a huge remodel of our stores that included grocery fridges to start selling milk, butter, and eggs and we were supposed to become like the next Target, but that never happened. Along with a lot of our quality in furniture and raising prices, it just really started going downhill which led to the bankruptcy of Lane Furniture and one of our delivery companies called United Furniture to go out of business as well. But then when we started using Broyhill furniture and it did help us a little bit but then they started raising those prices and now if you want to get like anything furniture related the lowest price you’re going to expect is about $200 just for a simple bookshelf.
Also, I think the higher-ups in the corporate facilities are aware that a lot of the stores are struggling and they’re at the point now where they don’t care really who they hire and they are cutting corners because last year my assistant manager unfortunately suffered a miscarriage and the district manager told her that she needed to have counseling over her dead son. That particular district manager made several misogynistic comments like that to the point where many female employees wanted to sue him, but then he quit, but I don’t think it went anywhere after that. One of my manager’s actually got fired and arrested last week because he was stealing money from our safe. And also Big Lots expect employees to have an unrealistic quotas per day for rewards cards and they actually threaten to cut our employee work hours if we don’t meet that quota. (32 new reward card sign ups a day, even though on average, we probably get about like 5 new customers a day if we are lucky.) The company also expect us to work on full holiday work days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter when barely 6 people even show up and then they get mad at us when we don’t make any money those days. And I personally believe along with another coworker of mine, we think that the reason for all these stupid changes and policies is because the company wants to close down for good, but they’re too stupid to figure out how.
My store along with another store that runs in my area, have lost a lot of good people because of the stupidity of the company and it’s just really sad to see something that was once an excellent company to see it become a desperate and pathetic shell of what it was. The way I see it, my store is probably gonna stay open for another four years before it starts shutting down too.😢
@@elchoya8432 Yes, but hopefully for like five more months mainly because I actually have another job as a teacher assistant and even though I get all the benefits it's only a 9-month position and I don't get paid for holidays or breaks like summer break, Thankgiving break, spring break, or Christmas break which is in total about 4 months without getting paid. And with me being a teacher 5 days a week along with working on the weekends at Big Lots I don't get a day off until whenever the schools closes. So, I work too much and it is taking a toll on my physical and mental health and I'm at that point now in my life if it is really worth it. And the state that I live in it is crazy expensive. Like rent is almost $3000 in the state that I live and I plan to move to North Carolina where rent is nearly reaching towards $800. Also, as a 26 year old female I have certification in CPR, Safe Crisis Management ( techniques I have to use in case I have to restrain a child when they get to wild), I'm bilingual, I have over 10 years of experience working with adults and children with special needs and I also have certification to become a counselor. So, so why am I putting myself through this kind of hell? It's just not worth it anymore.
@@Artemis231997 Bless your heart honey! Good luck!
Sounds more like your store suffers from poor management.
Also $200 for a bookcase???? Try $50.
United was one of the leading manufacturers of the upholstery. Not a delivery company. Also Big Lots OWNS Lane furniture and Broyhill. So there’s that.
@@sloppy6640 We haven’t gotten our $50 bookshelves since 2019 and the ones that they send us are like the seasonal ones that are reaching almost towards $150. Along with United deliveries in the state that I live in were not just furniture related stuff. It was also general food items as well. So, in one truck we would be getting about like 15 sofas and 35 recliners and in the same truck we were also getting about 5 pallets worth of paper towels or bleach and 4 pallets of bottled water and many food related items. As for management, our management team started going downhill after the manager that I have known since 2003 retired in early 2020. He was an old Vietnam veteran from Alabama, and took crap from nobody. And he was not afraid to tell the higher-ups that if they were doing something wrong, he was not afraid to tell them off and call them idiots to theirs faces and tell them that he will do what is best for his team and store. God, I miss that man.
When Bruce came to my area to do walk thrus of stores we had to send about 19k in merch to the stores he was visiting to make them look full. I "happened" to run into him while he was at one of the stores and invited him to ours. Our DM, Region Marketing leader and district LP rep all convinced him not to. Our store is still pretty much empty and our trucks are always rescheduled sometimes we dont get a truck for 3 weeks then get 2-3 in on week with 400-600 pieces each. We got a truck Friday 191 pieces
Honestly me and my family hasn't been to a big lots in probably over 7 years. I use to find cool and rare old PC games back in the early 2000s. I do find it interesting that a big lot's moved into a space that use to be Toys r Us and now hearing that they are dying is just strange to me.
the 2 I have in my area, one took over an old Kroger's and has been there for sometime, and the other just last year opened in what use to be a Bi-LO store, and I've been into both a few times in the past few years, and they have been mostly dead except around Christmas, and the deals overall have not been great, but it is kind of odd they are opening new locations when they are losing money.
Haha, same for my Big Lots in Montgomery, AL! It took the spot of the Toys R Us. I think it's doing okay, but I doubt it's thriving if the emptiness of the one time I went is anything to go by, plus peeking at the parking lot.
@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley it's not. Like he said in the video, big lots is basically a furniture store that sells other stuff, and I guarantee there are more people in there most of the time than a dedicated furniture store
Its not cheap enough to compete with thrift stores and not consistent enough to compete with walmart.
even Thrift stores are getting more and more expensive every day. I see a shirt at a thrift store and then go to walmart and its the same price but its also brand new. its a sad thing stores just cant compete with online shopping.
I hate how physical stores are now slowly fading away. Of course huge stores like Walmart or Target aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but stores like BigLots are oddly nostalgic to me.
Some of my fondest memories are going to stores with my best friend. She lives right next to a Dollar General so sometimes we’ll walk there and buy cupcake mix or stuff for a school project. It’s just fun to look around and see what stores have. Online shopping really takes away the fun and excitement for shopping. Of course online shopping isn’t the only thing to blame for stores shutting down. It’s usually a mix of bad corporate decisions, pandemic messing everything up, and a ton of other stuff. But online shopping has to have definitely done something.
I think the world is just too fast paced now, if that makes sense?
Absolutely does , everything is instant gratification and on demand , there's no mystery left , no wonderment
I've always been a fan of Big Lots. There is one within walking distance of my house and it is always busy, so hopefully it will be around for at least a bit longer. I've picked up decent furniture and televisions there over the years as well as Blu Ray and Cd's ( I collect them).
I've always avoided the television's at big lot's. Because they were usually a cheap brand like Coby or Magnavox and they were reconditioned along with not being a good price.
@@thisshouldbeentertaining3386 I got a brand new one for an Easter sale last year and it’s been amazing so far.
I used to do building inspections for insurance companies and Big Lots was one of the biggest offenders for not maintaining their stores. I'm not talking aesthetic stuff like painting, but stuff like leaky water pipes, out-of-date fire sprinkler and alarm systems, exposed wiring and DIY-installed electric fixtures, chained & locked exit doors, leaky roofs, HVAC units failing, etc. They budgeted 'zero' dollars on maintenance, the only reason they'd fix stuff is if it threated the store with being closed. I'd never go in one of their stores.
I still have a knock-off Transformers toy that my Mom bought at Big Lots back in the 80's. It's a copy of the Dinobot Sludge, except with wings.
I still have my knock off Sylvanian Families figures I got from there in the 80s.
My parents bought a sectional from them around 12 years ago. It lasted them over a decade of heavy use with pets. My wife and I bought a sectional from them 3 years ago when we bought our first home and it lasted barely a year before collapsing in on itself. After that experience and rarely going back, they have gone downhill significantly.
what's wild is now they're selling brand name furniture, like broyhill and ashley. shows what a scam the big names are.
@@brianadlich4406wait you can BUY Broyhill furniture? I thought it was made exclusively for the Price is Right.
FINALLY! A channel that marries my nostalgia to crippling depression!
Subscribed!
I used to shop there regularly but they got too expensive. They charge grocery store prices now for stuff near expiration.
Big Lots used to be a good place to browse and not just find bargains but things that were different that you didn't see in other stores. I bought a kitchen hutch and buffet server there several years ago that I still love. I also bought a memory foam mattress from them which came rolled up in a tube and it has held up well enough that I still sleep on it. It used to be a lot of fun going in to see what kind of furniture they would have, but now it's all the same boring black gray and greige crap you see everywhere. The last time I was there they had some nice farmhouse style decor items, especially garden decor, and it was priced very reasonably compared to online retailers who specialize in that sort of thing. But what doesn't make sense is they bury the nicer seasonal items way over on one side of the store, instead of near the entrance. The other departments like food and cleaning products don't work for me, because I have sensitivities to literally everything now and they had nothing I would be able to use. I would love to have a good discount store to browse for odd items but there aren't many nice finds anymore, just whatever regular stuff they carry and it's not worth walking around to look. Maybe bargain hunters are a dying breed, or just go straight to the thrift stores now to look for vintage.
Big Lots only recently started doing the closeout buys again. The prices are just as much as walmart or higher. I don't see them lasting much longer.
Big lots used to be a great place to shop 25 years ago, there's a big lots in my area and I NEVER see anyone in there shopping because stuff is overpriced even when it's on clearance. I am amazed they are still in business
I used to shop at big lots until they started pricing their junk like they were Saks Fifth Avenue
To me Big Lots is just a bloated fancier version of dollar stores. They have an interesting selection, but still to expensive than compared to just going to Walmart or buying online.
I agree with everything you said.
Big lots used to be a fun story to shop in, but you I right, I usually leave the store empty-handed and underwhelmed these days.
Ollie's is the new Big lots of old.
Certainly the neatest Big Lots I've ever seen.
To me, Big Lots is just one notch above the Dollar Tree. 99% of the time, I'll just go to Dollar Tree or Walmart.
Same general items at cheaper prices.
You have to remember, these types of stores did better during Covid times. There was nothing to do except go out and buy junk we didn’t need and buy goodies. In the area I live in MA our Biglots are always busy . We buy stuff there all the time and have great new stock all the time
Biglots doesnt seem to care about there core of having strange closeouts at really good prices. There is a chain at least here in the midwest called Ollie's Bargain Outlet and it's a lot more like Big Lots used to be 20 years ago.
Love your channel. I love these videos, history and the rise and fall of these types of stores.
That G.I. Joe set is made by Hasbro, so it's official!
Big Lots always reminds me of a strange time and place in the suburb I grew up in, here in Australia. Minto Mall, once a thriving mall, changed hands to a discount store operator, and quickly became a dead mall. This store operator took the old, sprawling Kmart and turned it into a store called Big Lot. It was a bizarre place, full of dubious beauty products, cheap toys and craft supplies, a decent pet toy section, strange off-brand clothes, home goods, furniture, etc. But the most weird thing about this place was the Chinese imported hand painted artworks, ranging from AU$200 to upwards of $900 iirc. Minto was considered more of a poorer place back then, so it was such a bizarre thing.
Since running Minto Mall into the ground, it once again changed hands, and was revived as Minto Marketplace, and recently renamed back to Minto Mall. I no longer live there, but it's so nice to see this community mall thriving, with an array of chain stores, mum and dad stores, and even Kmart made a return. If anyone is interested in seeing more about this, there should be a video of the story A Current Affair made about it. A happy ending for a dead mall for once.
Hasbro licensed out the G.I. Joe brand to the company that made those sets, and the quality is known to be terrible.
Growing up I loved Big Lots but unfortunately my favorite one shut down years ago. Other stores in my area are really disappointing. I agree with you that they don't offer much of a discount & are kind of inconvenient now. Big Lots use to be a fun place to get stuff like decor, Christmas gifts, & hygiene/bath needs for cheap. Now I prefer to go to Ollie's Bargin Outlet (they're kind of messy too but at least the prices are a discount most of the time & Ollie's Army members recieve 15-20% discounts from time to time)
I used to enjoy shopping at Big lots from the mid-90s all the way up until a few years ago. They have put more of their focus on furniture. Also the prices have gone up. It used to be more of a cool discount store that you would find name-brand merchandise at good prices.
Yeah it doesn't seem like anyone shops there anymore. During the lockdowns I never ran out of stuff like paper towels, etc so my friends and co-workers asked where I was getting that stuff. I told them Big Lots and everyone had the same "I didn't even think about them" response.
As an avid toy collector, I could tell you that I have found Chase figures for WWE X-Men g.i. Joe etc or I have found very cheap elite style WWE figures that you can flip on the internet for !!!!$$$$$
The Big Lots that was near my childhood home started as a Pickensave. My parents would take me there for the toy section fairly regularly. I didn't go to it much once it transitioned into a Big Lots. However, I believe that they stocked some sort of food or beverage item unavailable elsewhere than my family consumed. My most recent trip there was about 20 years ago to purchase a cheap bookcase that did not hold up especially well.
My mom recently told me our local big lots has been reconfigured, remodeled. I haven't seen it myself, but I rarely go out to bargain hunt, as you touched on in the video. I've always found Ollie's and Big Lots leave me disappointed.
This video pretty much sums up the reason why I stopped going to Big Lots, they raised their prices. I used to shop there once to twice per month. Now it's once a year.
Id bet for people who enjoy shopping there, the inconsistent inventory is a big part of the appeal. Its more the kind of place for people who like to impulse shop. You go once every month or so and see if anything interests you.
That's exactly why Big Lots used to be a fun store, but there's not much there anymore to really appeal to an impulse buy.
@@leschatsmusicale Exactly this, but I feel Ollie's has taken over that spot for me where I go every so often to look for a bagin when I get a flyer in my email the interest me.
I love the variety at the Big Lots here. I can spend 30 minutes easily just picking through the aisles of products I've never seen at prices that encourage me to stock up.
The toy sections at BL are usually really lackluster until around mid-October. They get a few large toy shipments for Christmas. Good video!
I think you hit the nail on the head, Big Lots issue is too much competition, & I don't even mean from Wal-Mart or Target either. In my town besides Big Lots, there is an Ollie's, a Roses & not to mention all the Dollar General & Family Dollar stores. If I am on that side of town I might stop in, but unless I know they have what I am looking for and no one else has, I probably wouldn't make a special trip.
Who remembers Piggly Wiggly and/or Wig Wam?
Big lots has coupons/discounts, and a rewards program. Often the coupons take 10-30 % off so the shelf prices will be standard prices, but then you get a discount off.
Exactly! We still use Big Lots and find bargains. True, a lot of stuff I could care less about, but there are bargains with or without the coupons we use, plus they're one of the only discount stores that give a military/veteran discount. There are three of them around me and all keep the store clean and organized.
I just stopped in a big lots this weekend for the first time in years, they were the cheapest in town for diet coke and bottled water, i had a stackable coupon too. But other than maybe 3 sale items i saw nothing appealing or well priced. Most items were more expensive than walmart/dollar store. Their inventory reminded me of what kmart carried after burning their suppliers but before closing
I go from time to time, but it’s never a place you feel like you have to visit.
I love going to Big Lots for weirdo hard-to-find food. I got Berry Berry Kix and Shark Bites from them, plus even more rejected cereals (usually the ones where they combine a random flavor to Cheerios or Chex).
Last time I went, there was so much Big Lots branded merchandise, I thought they drifted away from buying discount lots.
I noticed that too.
Even the cheap iHome stuff is one of their in house brands, along with Margaritaville deal they made, so yeah it feels like they trying to take the place of KMart in a way instead of what they use to be, and to me Ollie's has taken the place of Big Lots as my treasure hunt store.
Last time I was in that place the entire back of the store was filled with poorly made, overpriced furniture and they were pushing their credit card/layaway to pay for it. The rest of the store was just half stocked.
I read somewhere in one of the local Rhode Island business journals that Ocean State Job Lot wants to acquire Big Lots when they tank,and go nationwide.
I think you nailed it when you said that most people don't browse around stores like this anymore to find something - they go to a store they know will have it -- especially after Covid I find that I don't shop anymore - I go get what I need and right home - its like Covid made me into a hermit and I'm not giving that up anytime soon! As always, an interesting look at what will become another doomed enterprise....Cheers! ♥
Well its not any stores problem tgat yiu bought into the COVID-19 BS!
@@dodgeramsport01 - whats that got to do with going to a store to get exactly what I want peabrain?
@JazzyGurl! then why even bring it up in your post! What does covid have to do with your shopping habits?
As a former employee of Big Lots, and a huge fan of your channel, I am super excited about this video! Thanks!
I bought a Wahl razor at my local big lots a few years ago. After it soon broke I sent it in for warranty and found out it was counterfeit. Otherwise they are the only store I can find a type of pasta I like for casseroles. The crappy swimming pools they sometimes sell I use for my turtles.
Last time I was at a big lot, we saw a pot that was damaged - actually damaged to the point of being unusable not just cosmetic. We gave it to a sales person that happened to be walking by. Before we left, we went back to that aisle and sure enough the broken pot was back on the shelf waiting to be sold LOL
50/50 chance of finding porn when searching for “Fur Daddy”.
We have a Big Lots that just open in Souderton, Pa. From the very beginning the store was empty in many spots. I was disappointed that it wasn't like other Big Lots that I remember. I thought the items we're fairly pricy and didn't see really any bargains. Alot of furniture with prices that you could get just about anywhere. No electronic section either. Walking through the store listening to other people's comments we're pretty much how I felt. It was nice to see the place was taken over and not left empty for to long. But I don't see this store lasting long if it doesn't start doing something different. Honestly it won't be miss by me.
We used to have a Big Lots in our town. It was hugely overstocked with cheap junk, factory seconds and damaged goods. It was one of those stores that I would go to if I was bored and had not been there for a while, but I always left empty-handed. Our store didn't have any furniture. What I remember most were all the bicycles in the entrance to the store between the doors that made it difficult to maneuver. And then all the seasonal decorations and junk---so much of it in front of where the checkouts were that it made it hard for you to actually get to the checkouts. The store was a mess, like one big giant rummage sale. They finally closed their doors and left quite a few years ago. Now there is a rumor that we are getting a Big Lots once again. I think that would be a big step backwards for our town.
Speaking of giant rummage sales, that describes our K-Mart and our Ben Franklin Crafts, both of which went out of business a few years ago. I don't know who the buyers and ceo's are for those stores, but they must not do their own shopping.
I'm new to this channel. Great video and great information 💯
I kind of like the randomness of Big Lots. My brother and I pop in there on a semi-regular basis just to see what's new. I agree with the narrator that the home decor section is the most well-stocked. I've found that they have good prices on basics like plastic bags, condiments, and beverages.
Big Lots/Odd Lots used to have random items etc... but now they are just like a family dollar now days
I agree with everything said in this video. The Big Lots in my town is better kept I think, but not by much lol.
The only time I go into Big Lots is when I just wanna see what weird stuff I can find, lol. It's like the shopping equivalent of Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" search option.
Great Video, worth the wait!!
I’m surprised the Big Lots location you filmed at looks very clean and overall fixtures looks newer. However, the other Big Lots location in Pueblo, Colorado looks a little rundown. Lots of orange and black details throughout the store. Still clean but well stuck in the 90s. It use to be a old Walmart before they moved into another location and became Walmart supercenter. I go there maybe once or twice a year mainly during the holidays.
The ones in my area were remodeled and look just like this one.
My local Big Lots recently shut down and I can see it may happen soon to the other ones soon. It’s just sad seeing this happening because I liked going to Big Lots so much
When your store has the same feel and randomness of stock as a Goodwill, you are in trouble.
Not an in-store purchase - but Big Lots is a great place to find a deal on a mattress. Plus they will deliver it for free.
The way Big lot's has transitioned from their old self. Reminds me of what JCPenney tried to do 12 Year's or so ago. Back when JCPenney hired Ron Johnson , Whose bright idea was to ditch the flyer's with coupon's and any other type of promotions and have just everyday price's that were higher than the old MSRP price's along with trying to make JCPenney look more upscale like they were a Nordstrom's or something. That did irreparable damage to JCPenney.
I have only been to Big Lots one time (some years ago) and I had a positive experience, but the points in the video apply to most retailers in this space.
In Maine, for example, there is a local chain called Marden's, mainly located in small communities with limited retail choice. Prices are reasonable, but it is a matter of random chance what will be in stock at any time. I have left the store with piles of merchandise (e.g. food, hardware, clothing) and other times with nothing at all. I hardly go there anymore since it is often a waste of my time.
big Lots used be on my list of regular stops. I'd go through the grocery list to see if there were any canned goods I could get cheaper. but it would be another stop I would have to make, and not directly on my route for stores. Last time I was in there was mid winter, looking for a BBQ grill cover. Nothing out yet, but Lowes had them in the outdoor area.
As a person who used to work for big lots more than 15 years ago, they were great as a closeout store. The truck would come in to deliver merchandise about twice a week and it was said that ten full tractor trailers could carry enough merchandise that big lots only purchased for $2 million from other merchants. I’m not sure when they changed their moniker from being a closeout store to a general merchandise store but I think they were perfect as a close our store because people would come in to the store to see the latest things that were being sold as opposed to coming in now, and seeing a bunch of things that they could buy for just as less money somewhere else.. although I come to shop there, maybe once a month when they do their 20% off promo, my favorite part of the store is the home furnishing section where they have all the nice things you can put in a living room, kitchen, or a bathroom. I always thought that the way to keep their business going was to totally modernize the store, and perhaps do a merger with a place like five below so you could attract more millennials and generation Z ers
When I moved into my apartment five years ago, I furnished it with items from Big Lots and Boscov's. I've also bought holiday decor from them too. And they used to carry old time candy you couldn't find unless you went to a specialty candy store. I haven't been there for a few years, but they were always a little higher than most discount stores of their type.
I used to be a big Big Lots shopper before the pandemic. But, now, not so much. Except for furniture and food, I actually find that TJMaxx/Marshalls carry either the same or similar items, but, are cheaper. So, I shop there.
the desk im sitting at typing this i got from there had it for 4 years now wonderful and sturdy build
The last time I went to Big Lots was a month or so ago after not being in one for at least 6 months. I could not believe how much they got rid of and how little they had. They got rid of dairy, eggs, frozen pizzas and tv dinners. Plus, they have a lot less furniture and home goods. I agree. Not a good sign.
Yeah Big Lots ended their contracts with their dairy vendors. Then the same goes for frozen stuff, though at least with my store the vendor never kept it stocked up like they needed to as in barely ever placed any orders for stuff that belonged in the freezers.
Big Lots is like a dollar store but without the dollar store pricing. I was there last night and wondered how they've managed to stay in business so long.
The problem with big lots for me is that I forgot big lots existed. There is nothing that stands out to that store that makes me want to go.
I haven’t been into a BIGLots since early 2000’s. It has always felt like a thrift store of retail crap. The shelves were always a mess, and you’d be lucky to find something you were actually looking for.
My mother, who’s 75atm, was an avid BIGLots shopper, and even she doesn’t find as much stuff worth buying there for gifts anymore. I’ve gotten a lot of gifts from that store; so while I can’t say I’ll miss it, I will be sad to see it go because of the memories of going there with my mother.