VOA标准英语2009年-Small US Retailers Fight for Survival

Some smaller retailers² have been forced to close their doors because consumers are spending more carefully and also are favoring warehouse³ chain stores like Walmart and Costco.

Chris Simkins | Rockville, Maryland 18 December 2009

 
Photo: VOA Image
Many smaller retailers are closing their doors in the face of the current economic climate

Traffic is heavy along Maryland's Rockville Pike, outside Washington, DC.  But the look of this commercial zone has changed over the last three years.  Many large and small stores, restaurants, and other retail¹ establishments are gone. In their place are vacancies⁴ and signs advertising⁵ space for rent.

"In the last two years, from big brand stores to the little guys, I would say 20 percent of them are gone," said Paul Phan, a small business owner. 

Paul Phan owns a home furnishing store on Rockville Pike. Although his showroom is full of merchandise, there are few customers these days. He says sales this year are down 30 percent. He and his wife had to lay off workers, reduce inventory⁶ and stay open longer hours just to remain in business.

"We needed to look at all the avenues to reduce our costs and the number one, of course, is our rent, and I asked the landlord to help me out, which they agreed," he added.

Developers who own shopping centers have slashed⁸ rents in an effort to keep tenants⁹. But finding new shopowners to fill empty space is increasingly difficult.

The space next to Paul Phan's has been vacant for three years. Phan says when shoppers see empty storefronts, it reminds them how tough the economic environment is and they feel less inclined to buy. 

Phan doesn't see the trend changing anytime soon.

"I wish I could give you the good answer, 'Yes, tomorrow will be a better day'," said Phan.  "The thing is that consumers' habits have changed -- or the way they are buying has all changed already. So for us to go back to the good old days is going to take years to rebuild."

Ellen Davis, with the National Retail Federation¹⁰, notes that smaller stores have been harder hit than large retailers. "Right now for the American shopper, it is all about low price," she explained.  "And because small retailers don't have economies of scale to be able to order a lot of merchandise at once, they are not able to negotiate the best prices or offer the best deals to their shoppers."

Small storeowners like Paul Phan have begun to slash⁷ prices. But for him and others that means making little or no profit. He also says he cannot get a business loan from the bank.

"I want to put more money into advertising to bring more customers in," said Phan.  "I want to put money into bringing in more merchandise to give the customers more choices. However, I don't have the resources in terms of the capital."

President Obama, after a White House meeting with bankers whose firms received government bailouts, said the banks should help the economy by lending more. "So I urged these institutions here today to go back and take a third and fourth look about how they are operating when it comes to small business and medium sized business lending," the president said at a news briefing.

Paul Phan says if he can make it through the first two quarters of 2010 he might be able to survive through some of the hardest times retailers have ever faced.
 

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

3 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

4 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

7 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

8 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

10 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。