A.C. Moore is closing all of its crafts stores, it announced on Monday, citing the “headwinds facing many retailers in today’s environment.”
The company did not say what would become of its online marketplace it launched just 3 months ago, Marketplace.ACMoore.com.
When the company was preparing to launch the marketplace over the summer, A.C. Moore Vice President of Marketing & Digital Strategy Gavin Joyce told EcommerceBytes there was robust interest in the platform. “Our marketing strategy for A.C. Moore Marketplace will focus on targeting both current and prospective A.C. Moore customers. We hope to inspire our existing customer base already appreciative and inclined to support the creation of handmade goods, as well as a new wave of creative consumers not previously engaged with the A.C. Moore brand.”
Another company actually powers the A.C. Moore marketplace – Zibbet began as a marketplace for handmade goods and saw a growth spurt when Etsy made the controversial decision in 2013 to expand the definition of handmade and allow sellers to use some outside manufacturing. But as we reported in 2015, a promised revamp of the website disappointed many sellers. It now allows sellers to list on multiple marketplaces, or channels, including Etsy.
There’s no announcement of any changes on the A.C. Moore marketplace website that we could find on Monday night.
Yes, we’re losing Brick and Mortar Businesses at a record pace.
1) Rent is being unreasonably inflated.
2) The economy is getting worse not better.
I discourage myself from touring around because I don’t want to see the devastation.
ALSO : A few of the Major food stores are now dealing counterfeit products to maintain their profit levels.
Dental Floss is a favorite…..
I’m wondering if Jo-Ann’s or Hobby Lobby will step in to take over this segment of the market. Few people seems to do any crafts. Video games and electronics are the order of the day, for adults as well and kids. I visit Jo-Ann’s for thread and the occasional notion, their fabrics are mediocre at best traffic and hordes add nothing to the experience. The lack of competition makes for lousy merch and prices.
Pearl Art was a better store in every way and had supplies for the serious artist as well as leather craft items. When they closed the NYC and Philadelphia locations, less choice was the order of the day. Utrecht and Dick Blick are the only large B & M in the Philadelphia area right now.
I went into AC from time to time but seemed geared to children with a few serious art supplies thrown in. Mine was always crowded but that doesn’t always translate into sales. Once Walmart had a decent selection for a time but now has about 3 aisles of sewing/craft type items, after squeezing out competition. Forget better quality yarns in any of these places. Add to this, this type of store depends on people being able to see and TOUCH, online is great but becomes problematic when it comes to dye lots and tubes of paint. And I have no doubt you’ll be seeing any stock they have being auctioned off and sold to the above stores or flipped on eBay….
The bloodletting continues.