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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.
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.
I really think it comes down to what you are buying. I buy clothes, household goods, office supplies, etc. from B&M because it's way more convenient than waiting to get what I need from an online retailer. But specialty items? Yes, I could probably track down really specific items, but it might take me a week of calling around and there's no guarantee that I'll actually find what I'm looking for.
None of this is really new. Over 100 years ago local general stores were losing business to Sears Roebuck or Wards who had much the same idea of delivering product to customers only they used magazine catalogs instead of webpages.
Somehow the world and economy survived and improved greatly on the whole. You forget that people who save money buying through Amazon instead of at a mall now have additional money to spend into the local economy.
In another century Amazon will be supplanted by something else. Probably local businesses that can 3D print or otherwise fabricate custom goods for consumers.
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
Ionly make their own local economies wither
Nonsense. Retail jobs are unproductive and create no additional goods or services. The elimination of these jobs is good for the economy, since it frees up labor for productive work. Rising productivity not only raises living standards, it is the only thing that raises living standards. The common belief that it is a "bad thing" is ridiculous.
Go visit a 3rd world country. You will see thousands of people sitting behind tables, or with some goods laid out on a blanket by the side of the road. In poor countries, far more people work in dead end retail jobs. So why aren't they rich if they are working so many hours?
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!
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.