Banner Mercantile
 

I'm a big fan of the Villages ability to capitalize on virtually every opportunity to profit while providing a wonderful life for residents. That's why I don't understand why Banner Mercantile does not have an online website. When you think of all the folks who own but haven't retired yet, there is a HUGE market for Villages caps, tee shirts, etc. It makes doesn't make any sense that they would leave all that money on the table.. Anyone have any thoughts?

The Villages in general is not very tech savvy. They don't offer free guest wifi at any rec center. The apps are not user friendly. They hand out PAPER tickets. People subscribe to a PAPER newsprint. If they really wanted to move in the 2000 they could hire some young people to update and improve their technology access to people in their 40's and 50's, who grew up with computers...

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I think they're missing out on a great opportunity..

I am not so sure it would be a big seller. I rarely see people wearing clothes that are imprinted with The Villages. I have lived here 7 years and have never purchased anything in their stores. People who own homes here and not moved can purchase at closing or when they are visiting.

I mostly wear my villages regalia when I am up north in Maine. It helps me to feel connected to my southern home.

It's a personal choice. My husband and I own zero TV apparel.

They don't need to even hire "young people." Some of us AARP members are tech savvy. Heck, the guy who created the first personal computer, Ed Roberts, did so in 1975. He was 68 when he died of complications from pneumonia in 2010. Personal computers and software have been around a LONG, LONG time.

Co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, is 69. The guy who invented the Android operating system, Andy Rubin, is a spry 56. Bill Gates of Microsoft fame is 63.

There's no reason for The Villages to be lax on keeping up with technology.

And yet they are...

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I wear my Villages stuff as a matter of pride..

The villages needs to fast forward about 20 years tech wise. The rec dept was still using dos 8 years ago.

I love my Villages stuff. I have a "sippy" coffee mug with bright bold colors - had two, gave one to my sister. My guest bathroom has both the fuscia and the day-glo orange bath towels hanging prominently from the tub sliding door and I decorated the bathroom with day-glo rainbow accessories to coordinate!

I have an old Villages v-neck that I got the first time I came down, around 10 years ago. It still fits, it does't have any holes or stains, so I still wear it every few weeks.

I have a Villages canvas shopping bag that I tote around to work, since we don't have lockers and we're required to keep our stuff in the back room. Carries my lunch tote, my sweater, pocketbook, cell phone, and whatever I pick up at the supermarket next door on the way home from work.

I -also- have a Villages thermal tote bag, that I absolutely love and use when I go grocery shopping in the golf cart. Keeps things cold on the 15-minute drive back to the house.

How about the movie theaters? You have to go down to the box office to buy tickets for a show and unless you go earlier in the day you might not be able to get into a popular movie (hence, people making two trips -- one to buy the tickets and one to see the movie!)

We have been able to buy tickets online for most movie theaters for years. Come on, TV, get with the program!!

kathy

I just used free WiFi in one of their smaller rec centers. I’m pretty sure there is WiFi available to Villages residents in all the rec centers.

And in the real world Wifi is free to guests... ever visit a restaurant or a hotel? Yep, free wifi... no free wifi for guests in any rec center in the Villages...

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But what you don't realize is that with minimum wireless access, you have minimum intrusion by those with nefarious intentions. Virtually ALL of the "official" villages terminals are hardwired to eliminate access issues, and with central servers and the best data base manipulator ever written (AS400) they have a 99% goof proof system with minimum IT expenses.