FREEPORT, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Macy's in Bangor is the latest of three department stores announcing it is closing, along with Kmart in Bangor and Sears in Augusta.
The Retail Association of Maine's executive director Curtis Picard said that retail "always has been and always will be extremely competitive."
Picard said that it can be common to see these types of stores closing around this time of year as companies receive their fourth quarter reports and evaluate which stores are doing well and which ones are not meeting expectations across the country.
But Picard also said that online shopping is taking business away from brick-and-mortar retailers, in part, because shoppers do not have to pay a sales tax.
"Consumers will go in, try on those shoes in the store, and then whip out their phone and order it online," said Picard. "It's an unlevel playing field between what we call brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers. You have to give consumers a reason to keep coming back, and that changes all the time."
People NEWS CENTER spoke to Thursday said there are certain items they will only buy in person, such as clothes or shoes.
"Especially for something like shoes, I have to try them on first before I buy them," said Matt Herbst, who was shopping at the Freeport outlets.
Herbst agreed that online shopping has its perks.
"It's just easier to get it delivered straight to your door," said Matt Herbst.
Other people say shopping in person is a fun activity that will never die.
"People like to get out and shop when they're in the inner cities," said Diane Handfield, who was shopping in Freeport away from her home in Abbott. "If you're out in the boondocks out here in Northern Maine, you shop online."
Handfield said that there are many companies that risk to lose customers if they do not improve the quality of the product or the shopping experience.
"Stores have got to keep on their toes with sales and providing good quality shopping," said Handfield.