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Businesses The Almighty Buck

'Amazon Effect' Hits Retailers Around the Globe (axios.com) 133

Posted by msmash from the meanwhile dept.
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.
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'Amazon Effect' Hits Retailers Around the Globe More

'Amazon Effect' Hits Retailers Around the Globe

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  • Amazon is part of it... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by houstonbofh ( 602064 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @05:35PM (#55272377)
    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.

    • Re: Amazon is part of it... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by kurkosdr ( 2378710 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @05:40PM (#55272417)
      Still not convinced. I don't need some employees opinion when I can have reviews from a multitude of sites literally at my fingertips.

      • Re: Amazon is part of it... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:10PM (#55272649)

        Even if you can't trust the majority of them? Most 'reviews' these days are either straight-up astroturfing, the bias of personal taste that may or may not match your own, or knee-jerk reactions from people often as uninformed as those you are castigating. The review culture is utterly useless.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Opportunist ( 166417 )

          Yes, because the information from someone who probably gets commission on crap he sells you is more reliable.

          • Re: (Score:3)

            by rtb61 ( 674572 )

            Speaking of lies, do you think, maybe, just maybe mind you, the collapse of middle class incomes and jobs, just might have something possibly to do with it. Democrats and Republicans funnelling money from the middle class and working class, to the 1% might cause problems with stores that sell to the middle and working class ie less customers with less money. Why are they blaming Amazon, misdirection, and people are buying into it. I go to click and mortar to buy now and get service but only because I can af

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by l810c ( 551591 )

          My wife and I have on been prime for several years and have generally agreed with the reviews after we have received and used the product.

          Household, Grocery, Electronics and Computers as well as Children's toys for birthdays and holidays.

          We are generally pretty happy with the convenience and price. I work from home and would rather UPS/USPS/FedEx bring boxes to our home 4-5 times a week than wander around the local big boxes.

          Someone is going to figure out a different way to beat them.

          Walmart is trying.. I

          • "Don't carry crap. Carry the best products with the best reviews at good prices(There are many times that I would drive a few minutes and pay a few extra $ for the convenience of having it Now)"

            Yes, there are. The question is: are those times many enough as to cover for the store's overhead and profit? Probably not. And even then, if you go to the store is because you are in a hurry: why having the highly regarded (and probably a bit more expensive) items, when you will probably end up buying the crap at

      • Re: Amazon is part of it... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by ShanghaiBill ( 739463 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:16PM (#55272697)

        Agreed. Why would I ever ask a store employee for a product recommendation? They aren't going to know more about the quality of the products just because they stock the shelf.

        I buy retail because:
        1. I need it now.
        2. I want something fresh (produce, dairy, bakery)
        3. Retail is cheaper for many common products.

        My local Walmart hires people that can barely speak English. One of their employees is in a wheelchair. Two of them appear to have Downs Syndrome. Yet Walmart gives these people meaningful employment, while keeping prices low. Win win. The dumbest thing they could do is raise prices so they can hire "smarter" employees.

        • The dumbest thing they could do is raise prices so they can hire "dumber" employees.

          ftfy.

          Since by today's standard, people with Downs Syndrome might be "smarter" , especially when they
          don't know how to get addicted to FB,
          don't understand advertisement,
          don't troll on the internet,
          don't know how to click on phishing,
          don't know how to type in personal info to random website,
          don't know how to add credit card to random website,
          don't put enough privacy online for companies/ hackers to steal,
          don't have enough privacy for companies/ hackers to steal,
          don't know how to use a comp

          • Re: (Score:1)

            by Anonymous Coward

            don't know not to put your watermelon on top of your eggs and bread
            don't know to KEEP BAGGING until ALL the groceries are bagged
            don't know why they have to keep going out and bringing in the carts (I already brought them in this morning!)
            don't know why - Oh look! Shiny!

            FTFY

        • Why would I ever ask a store employee for a product recommendation?

          Maybe because the world is full of misinformation and because not everyone runs around googling every small detail they see. I often shop at stores looking for something that meets a generic specification. Having to google each and every item I see on the shelf is a waste of time.

          Walk into a hardware store I expect to be able to say: "I'm looking for a water proof glue that is food safe," and get a response along the lines of: "This one, this one and this one are food safe. What are you trying to glue toget

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by MeNeXT ( 200840 )

        How can you tell that reviews are real? At least at the store I can touch the product even if the employee is clueless. Also some sites like Airbnb don't post negative reviews. If it's too disgusting to stay in or not as advertised or even dangerous to get to. You will never see the review.

        There's a lot of scams out there. Especially for services like Airbnb (yes I'm speaking from experiance) Airbnb doesn't care. In retail, so far, Amazon seems to be better than most brick and mortar stores with their pro

        • How can you tell that reviews are real?

          By reading them. Are they are written in proper English? Do they actually describe what is good and bad about the product, rather than just saying "Five stars"?

          Also some sites like Airbnb don't post negative reviews.

          Wrong. I host on Airbnb, and I absolutely guarantee you that they post negative reviews, even when they are totally unjustified, such as a one star rating because the traffic from the airport was worse than expected.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by havana9 ( 101033 )

        Still not convinced. I don't need some employees opinion when I can have reviews from a multitude of sites literally at my fingertips.

        If the clerk is a competent one it will help selling you the right thing and giving you post selling services. For instance, if you are buying a puskbike having a bike right for your body sized and tuned to yours is a good thing that an on-line retailer can't do.
        The problem stems with large chins that have based their success on low prices and as side effect having few untrained clerks unavailable for any explanation or having learnt only what is on the site.
        What I have noticed regular full-time employees

      • Which often are fake by paid reviewers. If anything, read the negative reviews. Nobody pays to have people diss the product.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I blame Al Gore.

    • Re:Amazon is part of it... (Score:5, Informative)

      by sit1963nz ( 934837 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @05:43PM (#55272451)
      That may help a little, however I know a lot of people will use the knowledge of the local store to find out about a product (or even try it on in the case of clothes) and then buy online because it saves them money. Hell in some cases I can buy stuff from overseas and get it faster than buying local.

      • "I know a lot of people will use the knowledge of the local store to find out about a product (or even try it on in the case of clothes) and then buy online because it saves them money"

        Exactly that.

        The solution is obvious... and it's not going to be implemented because the way capitalism works.

        There are a lot of products you'd better see before you buy -if you can, that is.

        Online vendors should negotiate with local retailers to be their window displays and prescriptors instead of making them paying in advan

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by bsolar ( 1176767 )
          There is no need for such deals: reviews can include video and for many products they can be found on youtube, including unpackaging and usage giving a lot of insight on the product. Furthermore a good return policy like the EU mandatory 14 days return no-questions-asked for online purchases means you can actually try most products and return them if you figure out it was a bad purchase.

          • "There is no need for such deals: reviews can include video and for many products they can be found on youtube"

            If you think video is a good substitute for having the item at hand, you are not for quality, so I'm not talking to you, so to say.

            "including unpackaging and usage giving a lot of insight on the product"

            Payed astroturfing is still payed astroturfing even when videos are involved.

            "Furthermore a good return policy like the EU mandatory 14 days return no-questions-asked "

            Except the return is on custom

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

          Online vendors should negotiate with local retailers to be their window displays and prescriptors instead of making them paying in advance for their goods and then letting them figure how they'll cover the fix-ups, cost of business, decent profits, etc. But they won't: in the short term, they already work as displays; in the long run, of course, they'll fold and vendors probably will end up with less overall sales and quality will be hurt (when you sell based on photographs and astroturfing, there's no ince

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dddux ( 3656447 )
      I don't need anybody to sell me anything. I come to the store to buy a thing that I like. All I need is someone to give it to me and take my money. I actually find people giving me advices rather annoying since I usually spend days researching about the thing I want to buy.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by GuB-42 ( 2483988 )

        I don't need anybody to sell me anything. I come to the store to buy a thing that I like. All I need is someone to give it to me and take my money. I actually find people giving me advices rather annoying since I usually spend days researching about the thing I want to buy.

        You are the exception rather than the rule.
        And the reason you are doing this research is probably because you don't trust salesmen. Wouldn't it be better if you actually had a competent guy, pointing you directly to the right product, saving you all that time?
        And while I am also the kind of guy who spend days researching before buying, sometimes, it is easy to get lost in details. A competent seller advice can bring you back to earth. It happened to me several times.

        • 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.

        • Wouldn't it be better if you actually had a competent guy, pointing you directly to the right product, saving you all that time?

          Once upon a time you used to have small shops which only carried one or two brands. They did the research, figured out what they wanted to sell, and carried that. If you didn't know what you wanted you went down and asked them, and they told you. Today everyone thinks they're a goddamned genius, they get a notion into their head and then they go buy something based on emotions. If you confuse them with logic they might not buy anything. So you stock everything, put all the boxes on the shelf, and hope somet

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by dddux ( 3656447 )
          Absolutely, I don't trust the salesmen, but I would like to spare myself from having to research it all by myself.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by dddux ( 3656447 )
          However, thinking about it a bit further, you can never expect a really good advice from a salesman because he will always try to sell you what's more expensive and what's better for his company in some way.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      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.

      Doesn't help being forced to pay a minimum wage of $15hr (including health care) for those same useless employees. A brick and mortar shop will never be able to compete with a vendor that doesn't have those restrictions.

      • Amazon is a part of it. But local stores don't sell what I'm looking for 90â... of the time. So I have to turn to Amazon/eBay to purchase what I wanted. Plus, why are local businesses mad? They're planning to move to all robots and screw employees, people just said well if I must order from a robot, I'll have it shipped to my door.
        • Or they do not stock the niche items. Home Depot is really bad about this. They do not stock ANY long hammer drill bits. But they can order one... Well so can I.

          • Or they do not stock the niche items. Home Depot is really bad about this. They do not stock ANY long hammer drill bits. But they can order one... Well so can I.

            I think the assumption is that shoppers still care more about being able to buy an assortment of different versions of the same item than being able to buy the specific thing they need right now. They might well be right, I don't know. I know that I for one will order what I want online at the lowest possible price if I know what I want, and if I'm going to Home Depot for something I probably need it ASAP... so I would prefer that they have a broader selection of items than a broad selection of the same ite

    • Before Amazon got the blame it was Wal-mart. They also have to compete more and more with sellers of used things. What counts as a retailer anymore, anyways?
    • 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 experien
    • Reminds me of the (really) old Radio Shack parody:
      Radio Shack. You've got questions, We've got blank stares...

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Xyrus ( 755017 )

      For minimum wage? Yeah good luck with that. There are no incentives to work retail for anyone. People do that job because they have no other prospects and need to put food on the table. Until that changes, retail stores are going to continue to lose to Amazon.

    • Perhaps stores could do a deal with amazon to provide showrooms for products. Commissions on sales etc. this is not a particularly different business model for them.

    • I put Walmart very high up on the list of what's wrong here. They deliberately cut prices when the move into a small town, and the competition dries up fast. Meanwhile they're often not paying taxes or paying low taxes because they promised the town lots of "jobs" in exchange for a tax break.

      As for Amazon, that's just for urbanites too busy to shop, what we used to call yuppies.

      • Meanwhile they're often not paying taxes or paying low taxes because they promised the town lots of "jobs" in exchange for a tax break.

        Bullcrap. I doubt very much if you can cite even a single example of this happening.

        • I won't name specific cities, but it has happened a few times in the central valley of California. The one in my home town was built exactly outside of the town borders because no agreement was reached regarding incentives. I can see several links on the net about opposition to city council plans to provide tax breaks to Walmart and some other big box retailers, but I'm not linking them here.

          Here are links which are somewhat political about this issue. There is a Walmart rebuttal to this, but it's on For

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Megane ( 129182 )

        I blame Wal-Mart for the death of Radio Shack. In second and third place I blame Radio Shack, then maybe Amazon. If you go down the aisles of the electronics department in Wal-Mart these days, you find it to have pretty much everything that average people would go to Radio Shack for. (Average people didn't want resistors and transistors.) Low price, and right away, it's hard to beat that. I use Amazon for stuff that's too weird for normal retailers to stock.

        I blame RS themselves in second place because the

    • Agreed! Also, brick & mortar failed to develop a set of differentiators, especially that you can browse the store and take stuff home the same day. Beats 2 day delivery even when it is free. Sadly, when I go to department stores these days the choices especially for tech gear are slim, often there is no choice because only one type is sold. What is interesting in all this: Amazon now bought brick & mortar and opens up new stores. Another attraction for local stores is customer service. I used to be

  • Amazon is into prostitution now? (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Oh sorry, I read that as "Investors in Europe are worried that it is now spreading a broad."

  • Amazon: ready to sell you down the river (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    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.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Not one local retailer stocks what I want nor do they have an ordering infrastructure that isn't a minimum 3 week wait.

      Shopping online caters to my taste, is quick to deliver and is cheaper. It's simply not possible to compete with that in any way

    • 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.

    • Re:Amazon: ready to sell you down the river (Score:4, Interesting)

      by ShanghaiBill ( 739463 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:28PM (#55272791)

      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?

      • Retail jobs are unproductive

        No. Unskilled retail jobs are unproductive. The skilled and knowledgeable who can readily offer the best advice improve your efficiency which is productive.

        good for the economy

        Scratch that. The idiots who just recommend the product with the highest margins are good for the economy because they'll recommend something that doesn't suit your needs and then you need to go shopping a second time.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by r0kk3rz ( 825106 )

        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.

        The problem is the education critical mass for productive work is increasing, you simply need to know a lot more stuff to be able to contribute to society.

        Take away retail jobs (unproductive), and the now unemployed people (still unproductive) are going to need further education (also unproductive) and probably some kind of welfare so they can continue to live whilst retraining to do something useful.

        In the long term this will probably be a good thing, but we need to stump up on education now and be prepare

      • You don't know how the production to market chain works. The production to only one seller makes the seller set the price. This lead to abuse.

  • Re: (Score:3)

    by kurkosdr ( 2378710 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @05:42PM (#55272435)
    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

    • 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.

    • Yeah Amazon continues to get shittier and shittier. I buy a lot of fixed-price shit (like video games) at Best Buy. I used to buy primarily from Amazon, but they fucked me with delayed shipping, fucked me with canceled orders, and fucked me with damaged boxes and items (of collectors editions, Amiibo, etc.). So fuck Amazon.

      Best Buy charges $30 for 2 years of their Gamer's Club Unlocked thing, which gets you the same 20% off new titles that Amazon Prime gives you, but it has fewer exceptions and applies t

      • They have Amazon fresh in Dallas now. The music streaming I use on my TV as a sort of radio, prime video is useful for the random stuff that isn't on Netflix. If all you care about is getting video games on their release date then yeah you're going to hate it. Personally I don't have the time to go shopping but once every two weeks; Amazon being price competitive with brick and mortar, I just order through Amazon unless I need fresh produce or it's an emergency.

        • The main thing I care about is free 2 day shipping. But they keep moving more items to the "add-on item" category, delaying shipments, etc.

          • I just add items to my cart throughout the week and when I hit $35-75 hot "buy" unless I'm running low on paper towels or something. My average order price is around $55 and I make 1-2 orders a week so add on items doesn't impact me a whole lot

  • 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

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by JohnFen ( 1641097 )

      even giants like BestBuy are struggling

      Well, in all fairness, Best Buy is one of the worst and has deserved to go out of business for years.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Megane ( 129182 )
        Circuit City deserved it more, and has been out of business for years. So sometimes things do work out right. I've barely stepped in a Best Buy in years, anyhow, but that was because I lived near a Fry's. I've since moved to the next big city over, but there's also Tar-jay, and they're slightly easier to get to from where I live. I just don't buy as much new stuff in general.

  • ...I have Amazon stock!

  • I wasn't aware the "recession" had a date associated with it. Perhaps the writer meant the depression.

  • Amp experience (Score:5, Funny)

    by citylivin ( 1250770 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:15PM (#55272687)

    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.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by swb ( 14022 )

      They price matched to gain the sale, and then sought out a supplier $50 cheaper than their usual supplier or some other kind of discount (maybe holding off until they ordered something else to cut shipping, etc).

      Your better compromise was probably to have eaten the $50 and negotiated away the shipping charges, but that's only if you really care about the local AV guys. If they don't matter to you at all, then why bother with them in the first place?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Megane ( 129182 )
        I think a big problem is when a local place treats a customer like that, who doesn't complain loudly, but simply doesn't come back. Especially when the customer does say something, just without yelling their ears off. I know I've gotten tired of complaining about things like that, it's just not worth it when they won't care anyhow.

  • The "retail apocalypse" isn't Amazon's fault (Score:5, Insightful)

    by JohnFen ( 1641097 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:28PM (#55272795)

    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 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.

      I understand what you're saying, however I think those small proprietorships have an advantage because they tend to focus on a particular set of merchandise. Consider best buy vs. a local Stereo shop. The local shop won't also stock washers and dryers and god knows what else. So they tend to know what they are selling very, very well.

      I would say that the Apple Store tends to give that same sort of experience; they are focused on a very small set of products, have them on hand and know them well. (I know I'l

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Major retail stores have been giving a horrible experience and value proposition for longer than Amazon has existed

      Mod parent up. "Value proposition" is the key here.

      - Walmart has HORRIBLE customer service, everybody knows this, yet they are doing well. Their value proposition is low prices.
      - Whole Foods / EarthFare / etc. organic food stores are doing well. Their value proposition is the type/quality of their goods.
      - Amazon.com is doing well. Their value proposition is the convenience + rating system.
      - My local craft beer store is doing well. Their value proposition is the socialization and mutual interest in

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by havana9 ( 101033 )

      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.

      Fist of all small shops that are having problematic owners tend to go out of business quicker than large retail chains, even simply because a small shop down town can be sold and rented more easily than a mall in the middle of nowhere at the motorway exit. So the better managed could survive easily.
      There are also smaller shops that are in a chain I think for instance Carrefour or Auchan/Simply and from what I could see the smaller shops compensates their higher costs with the easiness of access: if I need

  • Sell Me What I WANT! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by darkain ( 749283 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @06:29PM (#55272801) Homepage

    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!

    • A lot of people would suggest calling the store first before traveling any distance, but that's useless. Use the phone and call, and you get one of two answers. Either you get "Derp! I dunno!", or you get, "Sure, we got it! Come on down!" and then when you get there you find they don't have it, because the hump who answered the phone never bothered to go and look on the shelf.
      • Seriously, I went to best buy to get something after their website said it was in stock at that particular store. Turns out they don't even carry the thing. Even their website is full of shit.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Jeremi ( 14640 )

      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.

      This is absolutely a problem; it's just not one that a small-to-medium-sized retail outlet can easily solve. In order to guarantee that (whatever you are looking for on a given day) will be in stock on that day, they need to keep a large inventory at their store -- inventory which costs a lot of money to procure and takes up a lot of expensive retail space to store on-site. Then they either have to pass those costs on to you as higher prices, or eat the loss and eventually go out of business. So they eit

      • I don't see any way for retail to win here

        I do. You can't compete with Amazon (or big box retailers) on selection, and it's clearly suicidal to try.

        However, small mom-and-pop retailers do have advantages that Amazon can't even hope to have: namely, to provide real customer service.

        For example, I can't tell you the number of times I've gone into a small shop looking for something to solve a problem I have, but not knowing what would be best. The shop owner, who knows the related product space, then gives me honest advice -- even if the advice is to

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Xyrus ( 755017 )

      True. Even in home improvement stores like Lowe's. You go to their website and you see a wide variety of products, styles, etc. Then you filter on what's available local to you and it's maybe a couple of products, and usually the crappier ones. And if I'm going to be ordering online anyway, I'm probably going to head over to Amazon to see what they 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... [google.co.jp]

  • Waiting for Amazon used. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by WolfgangVL ( 3494585 ) on Thursday September 28, 2017 @08:37PM (#55273499)

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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