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Are the big retailers such as Amazon, Ebay, Netflx, and Redbox ruining the economy? They are convincing people to stop going to stores and buy online. Then, large corporations from the 60s and earlier such as Sears, JCPenny, and Blockbuster are going bye-bye soon. Is the online shopping causing the economic problems?
Are the big retailers such as Amazon, Ebay, Netflx, and Redbox ruining the economy? They are convincing people to stop going to stores and buy online. Then, large corporations from the 60s and earlier such as Sears, JCPenny, and Blockbuster are going bye-bye soon. Is the online shopping causing the economic problems?
Does it really make a difference whether we spend our money online or in a brick and mortar store? It's all still going into the economy. It might mean that stores will need fewer employees but I doubt it would make that much difference. And from what I see, here where I live, none of the stores are in any danger of going out of business...except maybe JC Penny and Sears. Blockbuster is already gone.
I haven't been in a Sears, JC Penny or Blockbuster in, literally, years. We have a JC Penny here but I never see anyone in it. Our Sears store only sells appliances and the bigger ones are an hour away.
The net has allowed the world to change in many ways and retail is just one of the changes. Look around and see education, social interaction, most business, some health care, and many other things in a state of change. Things will be different, some better, some not so much.
Much of eBay is still individuals selling their winter boots, waffle irons, handbags, etc. As with Etsy, I like my money going to regular individuals, as opposed to chain stores.
I don't want to see brick-and-mortar stores die out. They are some of the few places left where I can actually see another live human being outside my family. They also are important to the "vibe" of a community. This is especially true with local stores, but even for chain stores, each one is different and unique in the same way. Unlike sitting behind a computer screen (or worse) a mobile phone screen, it is an immersive environment. Call me old-fashioned, but I do not want to see that disappear.
On the other hand, I often find that I cannot get the right equipment locally. Best Buy and other vendors, for example, seems to have resorted to selling cheap, easily-broken brands for their accessories. I buy a car bracket for a mobile phone, or a (way-overpriced) charger for my laptop, only to have it crap out on me a week or two later. Best Buy also does not sell any Panasonic camera gear.
Small Businesses are able to sell their goods to a much wider audience because of online shopping. Big box stores like Sears, Blockbuster needs to adapt themselves or perish. This is CAPITALISM. Walmart online shopping is doing well. Its all about choices in front of customers. One needs to be innovative. I dont think that it is ruining. Rather American online retailers like Amazon are doing great business in other countries and bringing the profits home to the US.
There are times when I either want it NOW (like when I bought a backgammon game for 25% more to get it NOW at Barns & Noble vs online - Amazon), or the time I was looking for a certain coffee maker (when mine broke) and went to 5 stores - found it! (And, it was on sale!)
But there are other times when say the vitamin store doesn't have quite what I wanted, or the brand I wanted, or when I like a product offered in Wisconsin -- and, I live in California.
Ruining the economy? Um, no, I'm still buying, spending. And maybe the mailman is a little busier too!
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