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'Amazon Effect' Hits Retailers Around the Globe (axios.com)
From a report: U.S. stores have been closing at a faster rate in 2017 than at any time since the recession, an American phenomenon being dubbed "retail apocalypse." Though this has so-far been largely a worry for U.S. retailers, the Wall Street Journal reports that investors in Europe are worried that it is now spreading abroad.
But hiring the cheapest and most clueless idiot to staff your stores is a big part as well. If brick and mortar wants to compete, they have to add value over amazon. A person that can actually answer questions is a big step in that direction.
Oh sorry, I read that as "Investors in Europe are worried that it is now spreading a broad."
I still can't get how people are so caught up in convenience that they not only make their own local economies wither but also turn over such troves of data to the master data-miners.
Everyone needs to remember where the name comes from. The Amazons mutilated themselves just so they could be war-like.
I used to visit retail shops, before I realised Amazon is cheaper and I don't have to carry stuff inside buses and underground trains.
NYC it's a bunch of boutiques who rented in overpriced neighborhoods and lost money on their flagship stores to make it up elsewhere. Toys'R'Us is in chapter 11 but I think its happened before.
Otherwise I'm going to B&M more than ever. Best Buy is the same price as Amazon most of the time. Same with Target. No need to pay $100 for shipping. I just bought new sneakers and was able to try them on before buying. I'm never buying another phone before playing with it in the store. Bought my kindle B&M. I like Zenni, but I still buy a lot of glasses in local stores.
I'm not sure if it's really appropriate to call it the "Amazon Effect" seeing how there's only online giants like Alibaba and so forth. For electronics and computer stuff I can see that being purchased online. Many small computer shops have closed in my area in recent years and even giants like BestBuy are struggling. It all makes sense because unlike clothes, if you read reviews and do your research most folks don't buy electronics as a fashion statement. I don't see clothes and shoes going online thou because it's hard to size clothes looking at a picture.
Also I can't help to think that some chains over-expanded due to economic slowdown in recent years got hit pretty hard as well.
...I have Amazon stock!
I really hate the idea that one billionaire's company
a) is destroying small business in middle america
b) is becoming an import pipeline for foreign goods into the country
c) gets cheap delivery service from the post office (tax payer subsidy)
d) pays a very small percentage of taxes compared to the typical large business
e) is accelerating the process of replacing the bottom 70% of citizens by automation
f) controls political discourse using the Washington Post as a megaphone
g) has so much control of politics that it is an unaccountable giant corporation
American citizens were much better off before Amazon. The bigger Amazon gets, the worse it gets for the average American citizen.
/. for 2 days?
dammit, I thought we were blaming teh Millennials for killing businesses now. Stick to the script.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
I wasn't aware the "recession" had a date associated with it. Perhaps the writer meant the depression.
I come here for the love
Drop your prices and or add value.
I have looked for specific products on other websites as well as street retailers and consistently face either paying more and getting nothing better, or buying from Amazon.
i live nearby city in eu where best store locations have had several long standing shops closed down... and best part.. two largest had large internet shops too, and prior that post-catalogue ordering system and both are bankrupt might be something else going on than amazon....
You can only enjoy your low prices until Amazon rules the whole world retail.
Needed to replace a QSC amp. Found it on amazon with 2 day shipping for free (thing weighs like 30lbs...). Decided i felt sorry for our local AV place so i called them up and asked them the price. Was about $50 more plus some small amount for shipping. Told them about amazon and offered them to price match it, which they did.
2 weeks later and i was still waiting for the part. They said their supplier had a delay. Finally 3 weeks later the amp arrived. No apologies or anything from the local guys (likely not their fault, but still...)
So next time I won't even bother getting them to quote and price match. Amazon's distribution chain in canada is blowing everyone away right now.
As a potential lottery winner, I totally support tax cuts for the wealthy
Online shopping became popular in Europe a bit earlier than in the US. Amazon came too late to the party to become a significant player. Even now it's only present in a few European countries.
Another important difference is that I get the feeling that the US market is dominated by a relatively small number of big online retailers. In Europe, there are countless small online shops, often family businesses and often grown out of existing brick-and-mortar shops.
Major retail stores have been giving a horrible experience and value proposition for longer than Amazon has existed. The difference is that before Amazon came around, there wasn't really any alternative.
I do shop at some retail stores that actually give value and don't present a terrible experience. They tend to be small, sole proprietorships rather than chains. If they don't have what I need, then I go online.
Interestingly, at least in my neck of the woods, those small shops are doing pretty well. It's the larger retailers that are closing. It seems to me they brought it on themselves.
I'm absolutely sick and tired of walking into a physical local store location with cash in hand... only for them to not even stock what I'm looking to purchase. And thus, I return home, order online, and have it in a few days. This isn't a once or twice thing, but an often enough occurrence that I've honestly stopped shopping locally entirely except for groceries.
Its as simple as this: I can't buy what you don't have!
Investors are free to invest where they choose to invest. If one is invested in brick and mortar stores and the earnings are challenged simply move your investment to another company whether it is on-line or in Bangladesh or whatever. That is one basic nightmare about capitalism. The wealthy may have zero concern for the effects of where they choose to invest or not invest.
Zara expanding online but still leverages retail where better able to get customer sentiment. Even Amazon testing how to utilize retail. Expect retail to continue decline overall but will also get better to offer more than online. Of course otherwise no point. Panasonic in Ginza offers beauty salon services along with gadgets which can easily buy online to so no need to carry home but retail helps the touch and try experience. https://www.google.co.jp/amp/w...
only solidly middle class folks can afford to do otherwise and, well, we're running out of those. I knew we were in trouble when Mervyn's went out of business. The were the place you went when you made too much for Walmart but not enough for Macy's. They didn't even get Bain'd like most of the brands that went tits up (Toys R Us, Kay Bee Toys and of all things a local chain in my neck of the woods called Yellow Front come to mind).
Basically wages are down. Way down. Folks can't afford "shopping experiences" like what you're describing. They buy it online for cheap instead.
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Once Amazon second-hand, or Amazon-thrift, or whatever they eventually choose to call it hit the net, it's over for retail.
I shop in pawn-shops, thrift-stores and craigslist more than ANYTHING else. It's not that I'm broke, I'm just not paying 3x prices for the new plastic smell.
Pawn-shop guys are friendly in a no-bullshit kind of way. No fake smiles, you can actually talk down the prices, most of the time they own the joint, and they don't work on commission. Craigslist usually means a 5 dollar cup of coffee but is worth it most f the time, I've yet to get burned, and you can't beat the price of cloths at a thrift store. I'm wearing a $250.00 leather jacket I picked up for 20 bucks.. I don't care if somebody died in it.
My prime membership pays for itself every Christmas though. Usually with a single gift+free gift wrapping for the girls... they love that shit. Prime has products with free shipping for cheaper than the manufacturer charges +shipping. We actually use the prime video with the firestick too, so that's a plus.
Retail is doomed.
Last time I was at wal-mart was to buy my son a prepaid game card. The cops wrestled a spun out junkie to the ground right in front of the entryway on our way in, and some asshole rear ended my pickup while parked in the parking lot.
You are being ripped off every second of every day, so that advertisers can help rip you off even more tomorrow.
Wouldn't it be better if you actually had a competent guy
I think you mean having a friend instead of a salesman. Friend that understand other friends needs is way better at recommending the right product than a salesman, since their goal is not about increasing sales but to have a good time.
The one area where stores are responding is organic foods and this needs to stop because it is a bad product. This is how stores are getting pushed into selling crap that won't profit.
Maybe some day city centers will be for people to live and meet instead of shopping malls. Maybe some day we will have public space outside of shopping malls.
Part of what we're seeing is due to there being too many of some kinds of stores in some areas. It's nice having a few electronics stores in town. I don't need 90 of them.
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I've spent under $40 on Amazon in 2 years.
In Malta most prices are much more expensive than Amazon, except for a few retailers like Scan.
Plus at times they don't stock the latest versions, which is worse.
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I think that amazon must pay to the society the loss of employments due its robot automatization.
Wonder why you don't see "the left" protesting against Amazon, like they did Walmart? Oh, Walmart...they are putting mom & pop business out of business and on and on. Well, isn't Amazon doing the same thing? Oh wait a minute. I forget...liberals (among others) LOVE Amazon, it's chic, it's hip, it's trendy....and they are located in a leftist paradise. Seattle.
People seem to forget or care about the lack of possible records of purchasing any item regardless if they think it has any negative impact and regardless of video cameras all round check out.
I can see why someone asked how we reached where we are today with a disregard of privacy and personal info.
Most of Europe is now out of the recession, but not out of the crisis. Last year a peak number of shops foreclosed and that has barely improved. I am not sure about this Amazon, but Internet shopping is part of the reason.