Do the shops on the upper floors of Tuk com get any business?

[Hal65]

Last time I went it was a ghost town above the 2nd (mobile) floor. No one on the video/security floor, only 1-2 non-employees on on the media/software/games floor. IT City on Floor 5 seems deserted as well.

A rather striking contrast to Pantip Plaza (in BKK) in which every floor has foot traffic.

[JSixpack]

Tukcom has never, ever been comparable to Panthip for completely obvious reasons. And most business in Pattaya partly reflects the season.

Gartner has said that 2016 is and will be the worst year for the PC biz but expects improvement later on.

That said, the computer shops have been doing OK, all considered. Had to stand in line at JIB a few weeks ago. IT City has suffered problems since 2013 but has been downsizing and seems now to have returned to profitability as the share price last I looked was up. It did invest in the new Habor Mall as well. It still has some advantages over other shops, and I bought a laser printer cartridge, which they had in stock, there recently.

Yet potential customers in N. Pattaya (including the Darkside) will now be going to the Tukcom at Harbor for the most common items. That doesn't necessarily spell The End Of Tukcom, however, as our doomsters will have it. Pattaya's population continues to grow etc. Some may have thought the Tukcom in S. Pattaya would mean the end of Tukcom in Siricha. It didn't.

You'll need to beware of the "my eyeballs at a few random intervals" measure of success that befuddles so many of our forum members, many of whom think Central must be bankrupt. A shop doesn't have to be crowded at every random interval and make money every day to be profitable at the end of the year. We've even heard it insisted that a successful restaurant must be crowded at exactly 3:30 PM: lunch and dinner hours don't count.

Edited April 20, 2016 by JSixpack

[Suradit69]

Tukcom sat vacant and derelict for many years. Don't recall when its resurrection began, but it's come along way since then.

I bought a computer there about a month ago, from the Wattana Systemation branch on the third or fourth floor and have visited the floors above the mobile floor for things like an external HD or a new USB hub or a usb stick. Usually I've found a reasonable number of people wandering about. Probably depends on the time of day and, as JSixPack said, the time of year. Some small shops have closed or changed hands. Not even sure if that large shop on the upper floor is still there.

Certainly on the main floor, the mobile phone floor and the lower level where they removed the dismal food court and renovated the Tops, things are usually fairly busy.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Suradit69

[HLover]

Last time I was there, the proverbial 'ghost town' you speak of; had little or no ghosts to be seen. Nor were there jingling of chains or other spooky sounds.

[NanLaew]

There's no denying that compared to less than 5 years ago, there are more empty units in Tukcom. This is probably due to the increasing number and improving performance of online IT retailers in Thailand.

[ThaiBob]

The raids over the years for illegal software and fake phones has also taken a toll.

[JSixpack]

There's no denying that compared to less than 5 years ago, there are more empty units in Tukcom. This is probably due to the increasing number and improving performance of online IT retailers in Thailand.

Almost all of the empty shops once belonged to vendors of pirated software, games, movies, and music. What with the tightening up on piracy, online buying, and most importantly downloading, business has dried up--though there seems to be enough to keep some shops going. Yep, those shops did generate a good bit of traffic, and tourists were a significant part of it.

As the desktop PC market has declined--even Intel now plans to lay off 12,000--the hardware shops look for other niches. JIB, for example, has continued to expand its appeal to gamers. A good thing: I bought one of my backlit mechanical keyboards there.

Shops do corporate business as well that helps support the storefronts. And there's the service aspect.

Anyway, I suspect the shops will stay around for years to come. If my printer breaks, I know exactly who to carry it to.

[Junkyarddog]

I go almost everyday and buy two movies from the stores on the top floor. Sometimes have a bite to eat at Cheaters.

[dotpoom]

It has always appeared to me to be doing a steady business on the first 4 floors anyway. My wife keeps asking me to go the "new Tuk-Com" on Pattaya Klang (Harbor building)? I have only been inside it on one occasion on the ground floor for a quick message, so if there is a Tuk-Com in there it is probably on the higher floors, I'm going this Saturday to check it out. (she who must be obeyed has been known for getting her facts wrong on more than one occasion). If it is there, that may account for the apparent decline in customers you say you have observed.

[NanLaew]

There's no denying that compared to less than 5 years ago, there are more empty units in Tukcom. This is probably due to the increasing number and improving performance of online IT retailers in Thailand.

Almost all of the empty shops once belonged to vendors of pirated software, games, movies, and music. What with the tightening up on piracy, online buying, and most importantly downloading, business has dried up--though there seems to be enough to keep some shops going. Yep, those shops did generate a good bit of traffic, and tourists were a significant part of it.

As the desktop PC market has declined--even Intel now plans to lay off 12,000--the hardware shops look for other niches. JIB, for example, has continued to expand its appeal to gamers. A good thing: I bought one of my backlit mechanical keyboards there.

Shops do corporate business as well that helps support the storefronts. And there's the service aspect.

Anyway, I suspect the shops will stay around for years to come. If my printer breaks, I know exactly who to carry it to.

I never had interest in games and pirate software so take your word for that. Must be the 'ghost' that the OP is talking about? However, there's a lot less hardware suppliers than before. Sure enough there was a spurt of inkjet refillers and latterly security camera resellers to fill some units but when it comes to computer hardware JIB, Advice Solutions and IT Banana seem to be the stalwarts and note that they have an online presence as well. But the single unit hardware resellers, system builders and repair shops have mostly gone.

[Seizetheday]

I take my young son to the X Box and Playstation games shop on the 4th or 5th (??) floor quite reguarly, they always seem to have the odd customer walking around. I don't think they are killing the pig, but I think they do ok.

[The Deerhunter]

The upper techo floors in Mikes Plaza, Pattaya are the ones I wonder about. They surprise me that they can even pay their rent let alone wages or show a profit. If I want something down that way I usually go and see if I can give them my money but usually they do not have much of what I want. They are always pleasant and not surprisingly, seem genuinely pleased I tried. Some have keys to unmanned cabinets in apparent competitors' stands.

Edited April 21, 2016 by The Deerhunter

[JSixpack]

I never had interest in games and pirate software so take your word for that.

Or ever music CDs, VCDs, DVDs?

It would be really, really hard to miss that a whole floor was devoted to them. Unless you always took the elevator, you'd normally see the floor on your way up to IT City.

But our members are known for being rather near-sighted. I think if you never saw any, your credibility on this topic is greatly diminished.

Must be the 'ghost' that the OP is talking about? However, there's a lot less hardware suppliers than before. Sure enough there was a spurt of inkjet refillers and latterly security camera resellers to fill some units but when it comes to computer hardware JIB, Advice Solutions and IT Banana seem to be the stalwarts and note that they have an online presence as well. But the single unit hardware resellers, system builders and repair shops have mostly gone.

Shops, esp. the mom & pops, and even chains have come and gone. Hardware House, for example, once a major player, vanished. But then Banana IT took over part of its space. A decline in repair business reflects the PC business decline: hardware lasts a lot longer than it used to and prices have fallen dramatically. (Hate to think what I paid for that Athlon Thunderbird 1.2 GHz.) Panthip in Bangkok, same thing--even before the PC downturn. Ability to transition into the online world certainly helped. IT City finally learned that lesson.

The OPs point however concerned foot traffic and therefore indirectly profitability and vacant shop fronts.

As an aside, you may recall when Pattaya had essentially two retail computer shops, Wattana and Liberty. (Ignoring very minor short-lived players like the mismanaged Computer Link or a long-forgotten shop on Soi 6 of all places.) They're still around, survived Tukcom . . . both are still players in the corporate market.

[NanLaew]

I never had interest in games and pirate software so take your word for that.

Or ever music CDs, VCDs, DVDs?

It would be really, really hard to miss that a whole floor was devoted to them. Unless you always took the elevator, you'd normally see the floor on your way up to IT City.

But our members are known for being rather near-sighted. I think if you never saw any, your credibility on this topic is greatly diminished.

Must be the 'ghost' that the OP is talking about? However, there's a lot less hardware suppliers than before. Sure enough there was a spurt of inkjet refillers and latterly security camera resellers to fill some units but when it comes to computer hardware JIB, Advice Solutions and IT Banana seem to be the stalwarts and note that they have an online presence as well. But the single unit hardware resellers, system builders and repair shops have mostly gone.

Shops, esp. the mom & pops, and even chains have come and gone. Hardware House, for example, once a major player, vanished. But then Banana IT took over part of its space. A decline in repair business reflects the PC business decline: hardware lasts a lot longer than it used to and prices have fallen dramatically. (Hate to think what I paid for that Athlon Thunderbird 1.2 GHz.) Panthip in Bangkok, same thing--even before the PC downturn. Ability to transition into the online world certainly helped. IT City finally learned that lesson.

The OPs point however concerned foot traffic and therefore indirectly profitability and vacant shop fronts.

As an aside, you may recall when Pattaya had essentially two retail computer shops, Wattana and Liberty. (Ignoring very minor short-lived players like the mismanaged Computer Link or a long-forgotten shop on Soi 6 of all places.) They're still around, survived Tukcom . . . both are still players in the corporate market.

Hey Tonto... read what I wrote before spouting off about anyone's credibility [insert emoticon of choice here]

Stating "I never had an interest" does not mean I wasn't aware of the shonky software, music and movies on the (even) emptier floors ABOVE the hardware shop level, it's just I never had a need to shop for anything there. I can count on one hand how many times I went all the way up to IT City (and I have 2 fingers missing). I am not denying their existence and if you frequented them and say they have hugely declined, I am not arguing as you are invariably correct considering the clamp down on those enterprises. Your earlier assertion that, "Almost all of the empty shops once belonged to vendors of pirated software, games, movies, and music..." is what I question. I haven't said anything about your credibility even after that sweeping misstatement.

So we agree that there's been a reduction in all aspects of retail IT outlets at Tukcom including hardware and we agree that online merchandising has been a significant factor. Waffling about your historical knowledge of legacy Pattaya IT enterprises, including some that never traded in Tukcom is as impressive as it is irrelevant.

The OP has exaggerated the case with his ghost town allusion. Agreed. Tukcom is definitely not as busy as it used to be. Agreed. But that can change. Agreed.

As I stated in another thread, your experience may differ so don't go glibly lumping all and sundry into the 'eyeballs painted on' category of 'befuddled' Pattaya denizens. They know who they are.

Cheerio

[grabitanrun]

The new Harbor building on Pattaya Klang, is certainly a nicer place to shop, however I was in there last week and there were very few people in there, which maybe because it's new?

Some good deals on phones I noticed tho.

[Pattaya28]

I take my young son to the X Box and Playstation games shop on the 4th or 5th (??) floor quite reguarly, they always seem to have the odd customer walking around. I don't think they are killing the pig, but I think they do ok.

The ""odd"" customer

""odd"" people in Pattaya everywhere.

[NanLaew]

The new Harbor building on Pattaya Klang, is certainly a nicer place to shop, however I was in there last week and there were very few people in there, which maybe because it's new?

Some good deals on phones I noticed tho.

Pre Songkran holiday last week. Retail was down nationwide.

It was mobbed the week it opened though (as expected) so should be good for a few more months of new foot traffic before the novelty wears off.

[JSixpack]

"Almost all of the empty shops once belonged to vendors of pirated software, games, movies, and music..." is what I question. I haven't said anything about your credibility even after that sweeping misstatement.

But that wasn't a misstatement. Well you now seem aware of the CDs, VCDs, and DVDs (as I mentioned in my post, movies and music). You needn't take my word for pirated games and software. Suppose there were none. Still, if you'd ever been on the floor, even to get the next escalator, as you have, you'd have seen that shops selling what look like CDs extended all the way to the back. Now it's easy to see that they don't any longer and that the vast majority of closed shops in Tukcom are on THAT floor.

Proportionally, then, foot traffic must be down there but that doesn't mean that the remaining shops, since fewer, are much less profitable, though they may be. Poster above confirms customers are walking around--at his random interval.

So we agree that there's been a reduction in all aspects of retail IT outlets at Tukcom including hardware and we agree that online merchandising has been a significant factor.

Good, except in many cases the kind of hardware has changed; so not ALL aspects; and I add, with Suradit69, that the remaining shops seem to be doing OK and will likely stay around. They don't always have to be the same shops. When you see a 10% or greater vacancy rate on the hardware floors, then there's a serious lack of demand for hardware in that location. Otherwise you may assume sufficient foot traffic, though walk-ins as noted aren't the only source of revenue.

There is a high vacancy rate on the software floor, so OP is entitled to see ghosts standing in front of the closed shop fronts remembering how they once shopped for whatever in those locations.

Waffling about your historical knowledge of legacy Pattaya IT enterprises, including some that never traded in Tukcom is as impressive as it is irrelevant.

"As an aside," pal. But yes, relevant to the usual "foot traffic" panic button of: Is This The End? inevitably on many posters' minds esp what w/ the new Tukcom. Preemptively I say no. Tukcom PTY wasn't the end of Wattana or Liberty or of Tukcom Siricha. Big C Extra wasn't the end of Big C South or North Pattaya. Central wasn't the end of Royal Garden. Next: Terminal 21 won't be the end of Central.

I love this forum! Though I'm gonna retire from posting pretty soon, till Songkran next year I think.

The OP has exaggerated the case with his ghost town allusion. Agreed. Tukcom is definitely not as busy as it used to be. Agreed. But that can change. Agreed.

Excellent! Love that conclusion. We almost always agree, so I do consider you one of the best posters on the forum and enjoy reading your posts amid all the rubbish.