Posted on 01/09/2018 7:45:06 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Those who fear Amazon is on the verge of becoming a monopoly that eats all competitors and locks up the retail market should take note of an announcement last week by Sears Holdings: The company will be closing another 100 stores this year.
Some will see Sears’ downward trajectory as proof that Amazon is on the verge of assuming near-monopolistic dominance of the retail market. In fact, it proves the opposite: No one can blithely assume that kind of power, at least not for long. Just look at Sears’ history: Back in the 1960s, many feared the Sears chain would mow down all that stood before it, with sales revenue that equaled 1 percent of U.S. GDP – more than Amazon’s sales do today.
Sears’ fate – after closing another 400 stores last year – illustrates the fact that yesterday’s economic tiger could become tomorrow’s economic pussycat. That’s true in all industries, including (perhaps especially) retail.
Many argue that Amazon is eliminating jobs and diminishing once-thriving shopping districts by drawing customers and revenue away from bricks and mortar institutions. But appeals to community loyalty will not undermine consumers seeking the most efficient shopping experience they can get. Cursing the rise of ecommerce is really nothing more than cursing the proliferation of consumer choice and convenience.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearmarkets.com ...
Amazon is slowly losing its credibility. I’m seeing more reports of sales of Chinese knockoffs, and fake products. There are many products where, when negative reviews ruled, they remove the product for a short time, then reintroduce it to start from scratch.
In the early 80s, some lib judge decided that Sears had too many white managers. He took over promotions for Sears and started promoting blacks. Regardless of how poor they were. Things started downhill after that.
All’s it will take is a federal tax on internet purchases.
Buy Wal-Mart Stock. Stores are busy all open hours. They will take on Amazon and stay competitive with Amazon.
Is it time to sell Montgomery Wards stock?
Ali Baba is looking to make inroads into the States. They are the Amazon of Asia, and pushing hard into Europe.
I just wish they were not Chinese.
In CA we’ve been paying Amazon tax for years and years.
You can’t beat the selection, ease of shopping and free shipping. And all the other perks of Amazon Prime. Every once in awhile I even use the same day delivery.
My neighbors, friends and I use it constantly. No complaints.
Never underestimate the power of management to screw up a good thing.
Sear's management just wasn't farsighted enough to see the importance of that segment of their business and follow through.
And any teenage boy who is honest enough to admit it knows why!
I hate Amazon for the reasons cited.
I think deep in the female soul, and maybe the male one, is a need to see, touch, smell, feel texture and wieght and balance and with clothing to try it on.
I think the mistake brick and mortar retailers have made is reducing and cheapening inventory.
You can walk into Macy’s and find nothing of quality to buy, yet they have gobs of junk.
Years ago congress had hearings on the monopoly of A&P - Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. I think that there are only a few stores still existing.
Maybe much less.
Amazon is beginning to tick people off with their political views. I want to buy a pair of socks, not be preached at.
I have quit buying from them. I do not pretend that I am in the majority. I am not.
But every time Bezos opens his mouth he does not help the bottom line.
“Sears and Amazon are too very different marketing systems.”
Remember the Sears catalog ordering system? Occupied a big space in the old Sears stores. I’m not sure Sears even does that anymore although they have a big website. (Having a Sears Tool Catalog was almost as good as having the tools themselves.)
Their website is lousy. Every time I’ve visited their site, it seems to bog down, their searches seem to go in circles. Sears could’ve been a major Amazon competitor, but they got lost somewhere along the line.
Can’t remember the last time I bought something at a Sears.
I don’t think so, for one, Eddie Lampert is a moron and a kook.
Example, if I'm looking for ‘Egyptian cotton sheets’ I should NOT have most results be scammers who use the word ‘Egyptian’ in the description as in “Egyptian quality’ when it's some bamboo crap...
And Sears?
They should sell on Amazon as a trusted ‘source’ for delivering what they promise.Firebox wouldn't have had to change their platform if they had presented a way of donating on Amazon. Many of us do NOT want to put our credit card numbers in to hundreds of places on the Internet. Need to raise money? Put the plea on Amazon.
Sears threw away their number one selling point(IMO). Customer Service, The customer is always right.
Remember in gold lettering on every door of their stores,?
'Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back'.
Now their customer service is no better than Target, sucks.
I worked for them back in the golden age , world's largest retailer. Sad to see how the national management destroyed the company.
I have 3 major sources of purchases outside groceries: Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. Gets me what I need when I need it. Also provides competition and a way for little guys to operate against the big guys.
There are other channels I look at as well depending on the product: Etsy, Facebook live auctions, Craig’s List, traditional Yard Sales, and such.
My wife and daughters won’t buy clothes online and most groceries my wife is too picky to trust anyone else to do the selection. So those continue to be brick and mortar.
Sears is vulnerable...because of a lack of vision from those in power.
You can’t beat the selection, ease of shopping and free shipping. And all the other perks of Amazon Prime. Every once in awhile I even use the same day delivery.
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As a disabled, elderly person living alone, I make use of Amazon Prime for many grocery items. Amazon will display on a page items I previously ordered, with price, and ask if I want to order again.
Upon selecting that item I find the new price is more than double my previous purchase price. Mandarin oranges is one example.
I am suspicious Amazon has algorithms that deliberately set that trap for the unsuspecting who will click and go.
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