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I don't buy all of my books on Amazon, but that's where I begin. I started with Amazon when they billed it as simply the world's largest books store. However, I'm one of the 10% of people who read for pleasure.
I started buying online from Amazon late last summer, primarily for items I can't find at brick & mortar stores. I think their prices are, overall, great.
That being said, I wonder how this increasing popularity of online shopping will affect brick & mortar stores - earlier this year (or maybe it was last year) I read that all of the Target stores in Canada went out of business.
I think grocery stores will always be around, since very few of us would want to shop for food online.
Stores like Wal-mart, Target, electronic stores, etc. may not be around forever, however....Well, maybe Wal-mart will - almost everytime I go there it's packed, no matter the time of day...
They destroy local businesses, trigger a race to the bottom, wreck the book industry, have terrible employee policies, etc.
I worked for Amazon several years ago. I didn't feel that they had terrible employee policies. I felt they treated me well. Great pay, great benefits and above average perks (free dry cleaning, first-class upgrades on flights, free meals on campus, etc).
I don't see how they wrecked the book industry. Did you see the deal that Harper Collins just signed with them? If anything, Harper Collins is getting an excellent deal.
That being said, I wonder how this increasing popularity of online shopping will affect brick & mortar stores - earlier this year (or maybe it was last year) I read that all of the Target stores in Canada went out of business.
Target closing in Canada has nothing to do with online shopping. Targets were only in Canada for about 2 years. They closed because their products were priced higher than in the US Targets and they had problems with inventory and keeping their shelves stocked.
I don't drive and we are about 20 miles away from the nearest shopping center. So buying on-line is easiest for me since my "chauffeur" hates to shop. I spend more money on Amazon than I care to admit. Yes, I have Amazon Prime. I don't just buy on Amazon without doing research first. If I can find something cheaper, I will buy it someplace else. Sometimes I will find things at stores that are in town so the next time we go in, I will have my "chauffeur" stop.
I have bought things off of Craigslist, eBay, & (my favorite) our local auction house.
Like the OP, I don't think you can beat Amazon most of the time, especially with Prime. For groceries we use 3 stores mostly: Aldi's, SAms and our small local store. On rare occasssions I will stop at WalMart. Normally WalMart is used only if I have several dept to visit like the other day, I needed booze, a few groceries and some plants. It was just easier to buy everything at WalMart.
Target closing in Canada has nothing to do with online shopping. Targets were only in Canada for about 2 years. They closed because their products were priced higher than in the US Targets and they had problems with inventory and keeping their shelves stocked.
That being said, I will say that here in the U.S. - ever since the Target credit card data breach (December 2013) Target stores have a lot fewer shoppers. Not saying they're losing money & will close, just that less people seem to be shopping there than in the past - at least that's what I've noticed when I go.
Our local Sears & JCPenny both closed. We can still buy on-line.
Cat
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