Can Pier 1 Imports make a comeback?

I used to be an employee with Pier 1 Imports on and off through the past years since 1995. I have also heard through the years of the ownership switch (new CEO). What I have heard is that they are carrying new merchandise that is more of a "retro 70's style" product that the consumers are not used to. I have seen some of the new product recently and am a bit shocked with the floral teapots. This is not their style that we are used to. I think that consumers really miss the imported look that they are used to. This could help with their business if the designers were a little more picky with their choices, keeping to their traditional style of foreign products.

Comparing Pier 1 to Target and Wal-Mart is totally off base. It's a classic "apples & oranges" thing. My wife and I have been out comparing Tar-ghee and Wally with Pier 1 for several months in a variety of markets. There is NO comparison. I asked my wife to actually take a job at Pier 1. She agreed. Disclaimer: we are big Pier 1 stockholders. Anyway, what we are finding is that the typical Pier 1 customer wouldn't be caught dead buying schlock stuff at Tar-ghee or Wally. They simply aren't in the same ballpark. People at the store my wife is "secret shopping" are coming from as much as 150 miles away. They tell her the ambiance is what they want. They have money--they buy stuff in $200-$300 dollar purchases. They are NOT furnishing dorm rooms, people--they are furnishing McMansions in the Land of Big Money & Blue Sky!
Go figure!

My wife tells me they are very casual about purchases at this level. Somehow, I just don't see similar behavior in my monitoring of Target & wal-mart. They don't have comparable merchandise, they don't have comparable staff and they don't have what it takes to compete in this class of business. Only Pier 1 is positioned to take advantage of the Baby Boomer market for unique items in well-heeled homes.

I am planning to add significantly to our position in Pier 1--it's got a legit chance of hitting the proverbial home run ball over the center field fence with the bases loaded!

Monte

I told my wife about my comments to this list when we had dinner tonight. She totally agreed. Her clientèle is totally different that those people who park and shop at Target or Wally. They aren't in the same league. I hope all of you investors out there consider these comments carefully. Your rush to think that somehow Target and Wal-Mart can hurt Pier 1 are off base. You are looking at two totally different demographics here. Ignore this reality at your own risk!

Pier 1's problems are that they don't know what to do with their brand. They try something and ditch it as they watch sales continue to fall. By the time customers get a feel for the "new" Pier 1, they try something else. Now they are going back to the "old" look and feel and are trying to appeal to the customers they alienated years ago. They changed their return policy, cut out e-commerce, closed stores, changed their marketing strategy, restructured from the home office all the way to stores, and who knows what else is next. How can you know what works and what doesn't if you keep changing things? Seems to me like it's anything to stop the bleeding and no real focus on what caused the bleeding in the first place.

When I shop at Pier 1, I see the same friendly people. Everyone is happy to help, and I enjoy the variety of merchandise. It is nice to shop their. However, I can get similar merchandise cheaper elsewhere. In fact, I can do it without going out of my way and without sacrificing quality.

What does that say about the brand? I'm not sure. What I do know is I still stop in from time to time, I just don't buy as much as I use to.

Pier 1 neds to return to what they do best: candles and other home scents They have cut out all of my favorite fragrances and the offerings are meager. The quality of their furniture is barely better than Target... and too pricey for what it is. Sad to say that I have found their merchandise at our local Big Lots... that is bad news for their image. I miss the online shopping option and I am sad to see that they have returned to their more traditional look - I thought they had a great concept going with the loft line.

I just got off the phone with Pier 1 Headquarters. I am legally blind and have special computer equipment that will aide me in using the computer and accessing websites, etc. I was shocked that you could not order from Pier1 website any longer. I am unable to drive because of my disability and besides mentioning my own dilemma, I realized that Pier 1 stores do not accomodate people in wheelchairs. There is no way someone in a wheelchair can shop at Pier 1! Their website was the only way people with disabilities could enjoy their products. What a shame! Our money is as green as anyone else's and we love to have nice things in our homes as well! They did not promise me anything, but I just had to get my point out there, on behalf of all house bound people! If they can't accomodate us, I will have no choice but to shop only at Target and Walmart! Merry Christmas!

Yes, that is a terrible issue with your disability! People that live in rural areas hours from a location will no longer be able to purchase a candle or something quirky. They also, removed the bridal registry from their site! WTF. Do they want to lose the customer base that they have built for over forty years. The 80/20 rule.. Eighty percent of your business is from 20% customers that are loyal to your company and it costs four times more to acquire a new customer base. Is Pier1 just going to leave the older Baby boomer segment in the dust and target Gen Y and Gen X. It just sounds silly to me... They would be better off outsourcing IT to India and getting back into the 21st century mind set and I am out!

Pier1 is going down the drain. I took a look at their current offerings...and...boy...is it bad or what?! The furniture style is bizarre, to put it mildly...I really wonder who might enjoy it. Prices are way too high. If Bombay didn't make it, how can Pier1 survive it? Buy-out? Partnership? Maybe in Monte Zuma's dreams...
Who needs to get involved with a brand in a constant search for its own identity?

I enjoy(ed) shopping for gifts at Pier 1. However, Pier 1 has become so hit and miss. Several years ago I could walk out spending $200-300 every month or so. Now, I'm lucky if I find one thing to purchase. Target is much more reasonable price wise for similar items. If I want to spend more on a more "upscale" gift, I'm much better off going to Crate and Barrel than dealing with Pier 1. And, as someone who deals with panic attacks on a regular basis when shopping, the fact that Pier 1 no longer has online sales has pretty much sealed the coffin for my continued patronage.