Posted on 06/19/2017 10:34:06 AM PDT by drewh
So the question of the moment is what does this corporate signal of the Amazon/Whole Foods deal mean?
First, it says that the so-called front office does not matter. As price competition beats down all players, what matters is timely and flawless execution by the back office, in this case a warehousing and distribution system enabled by real time IT. Insight about quality for some products also becomes irrelevant. For example, there would be no point in handling fabric to feel its quality or in interacting with a sales representative or butcher who may be an accomplished adviser or long-standing friend. Commerce therefore becomes cold and clinical — like an electron traveling at high speed.
Second, it also means that size doesn’t matter. A woman may need to buy anywhere from a size two to a size eight dress, depending upon the design. But via Amazon, any drape shape will do. There is no need to try anything on — just throw on a muumuu for a picnic, church service, or elegant dinner party. One size fits all indeed.
Third, it means that food like everything else is becoming a commodity. There is no need to view or touch splendidly displayed fruits, vegetables, and other produce. And there is no need to talk to an expert on Californian and European cheeses, since cheese may be just cheese — about as bland as whey or farina.
Even the word “gourmet” may disappear from the English language entirely, as hordes of eaters requisition their grub while safely ensconced on old corduroy sofas, their thumbs tapping digital devices furiously.
Thinking satirically, the endgame could be the slurping up of the Fortune 500 as we know it, such that there is only one company or conglomerate left standing. Imagine a corporate monopolistic colossus of “Amazon Alphabet Apple Facebook.” It would be like Argus Panoptes of ancient Greece, the imposing giant with many eyes. And after the requiem for retail, it could eupeptically ingest America — and maybe planet Earth. But ironically, Argus was put to sleep and slain by the messenger of Zeus, Hermes, whose name is an elite French luxury brand.
Europe and Asia may be slower to adopt the Amazon worldview. There, fresh food and its preparation are a way of life, a medium for social and familial interaction — and part of the culture, unlike for some devotees of Amazon who may see food as a biological need. For example, in Tuscany one can view a stuffed wild boar while talking to a venerated town butcher about cinghiale in umido.
The threat to organized commercial structures is just beginning, and there is no way or knowing where commoditization, distribution, and digital technology will take us.
I love TJ’s. That snack aisle alone makes them the best (cheaper than the name brands, taste better than the name brands, not as unhealthy as the name brands). My only real beef is they seem to retire everything I truly love. I still miss the tritip salad, though I have learned to replicate it (with tritip I buy there, so I think they’re coming out ahead on that one).
But, messing with my 'get-in-the-car-to-run-up-to-Whole Foods' every couple of weeks just bugs the crap out of me.
Life is change. Adapt or die. And really in the end you’ll probably find it more convenient... except for the bagging, I still haven’t figured out how that’s supposed to work.
A hundred years ago it was Sears Roebucks. Twenty years ago it was Walmart. Amazon will grow as long as they maintain a viable business model that fits the wants and desires of the public.
amazon has done a good job at becoming that. They started selling books online, and there went the bookstore.
“Then if I had a robot to cook my favorite dishes and clean up afterwards, I’d be happy.”
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I half agree with you———I’d like a robot to cook for me but I NEVER minded the clean up.
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Guess what...Amazon prices are going up. I have AMZ Prime, was buying a lot of stuff there, but have almost stopped.
I miss local, independent bookstores. I even miss the large chain bookstores. But no bookstore ever had the selection that Amazon does, or could offer such ease in browsing/researching related books.
Typical, dare I say it, liberal hyperventilation complete with a one size fits all view of the world. And let’s face it: liberal snobs hate it when the hoi polloi get access to their luxuries.
I’m no fan of bezos, but lets look at what positives this allows:
-People who are homebound have choices and a whole new universe of foods and products delivered right to their door. Same for folks in rural areas or those living in so called food deserts.
-Those of us who are foodies will have all sorts of new options that aren’t locally available.
-Stores that are inefficiently run or overpriced will be forced to compete or perish.
-Less traffic for people just going to the store to buy routine groceries.
-Lower overheads for food businesses.
and the fact you can download it in an instant.
If you like TJ’s, you wil LOVE LIDL.
I remember when I was a kid those house robots were promised by the eighties. Yet here I am, still cooking and cleaning.
We would make good roommates because I’m the opposite.:-)
Only reason you don’t have one is it doesn’t make economic sense. Yet.
“amazon has done a good job at becoming that. They started selling books online, and there went the bookstore.”
Most local bookstores in N, California were (operative word) owned by left wing zealots, with a high % of arrogant and hostile lesbos and gays in the stores.
Close to two decades ago, I posted on FR how even the name brand book stores refused to carry conservative books like Rush’s books.
One local store refused to carry Fishing books and magazines as fly fishers damaged the environment as well any conservative book.
The same store refused to order books for my wife’s bible study group.
Now, I can get a conservative book for my Kindles in less than a minute. I can order regular books for my wife, DIL and grandkids and have them sent to their homes or to my home for gifts from PaPa!
The one surviving bookstore is operating out what used to be part of a Whole Paycheck store.,
I enjoyed sending them, copies of the receipts of books ordered on line or electronically. On each copy, in large cursive, I wrote, “When will you close your liberals store?”
Yes; and now Audible books, too.
We love TJ’s. Good food, good prices and good people.
TJ’s two buck chuck (good wine for $2/bottle) put some faux elite wine bottlers out of business. Forced the good wine makers to come out with good wine buys and special brands for those of us who are not the elite.
The Bell System was the system of companies, led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by AT&T, which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly.
On December 31, 1983, the system was broken up into independent companies by a U.S. Justice Department mandate. (Source: Wikipedia)
4chan has a story about Amazon and PornHub
https://mobile.twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/876837945654865921/photo/1
ha, when did they close it?
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