Is Amazon Destroying The High Street? (And online shopping in general)

reply to post by schuyler



Much like the OP actually I couldn't give two hoots about which stores close or how many close, I shop almost entirely online, except groceries.
I agree with a lot of what you're saying actually (my point about waffle was all the 'state tax' stuff, it's irrelevant to a UK discussion as that doesn't happen in the UK, VAT is already in the price) and yes, ultimately we pay the taxes, all money essentially comes from us whether business loans from banks, taxes, bailouts or whatever, it's all paid for by us.
And you're probably right about the cost of goods going up if the taxes were higher, but then many high street companies do pay the full amount of corporation tax.
Starbucks have paid a ridiculously low amount of corporationt tax in the last few years yet their rivals Costa Coffee have paid the 'proper amount'.

You're right, people just want 'cheap' and they're not going to pay more for the privilege of having a place to view the goods. The days of physical shops is certainly nearing its end.

reply to post by blupblup


The big corporations and the need for cheap prices are doing more to ruin Main Street IMHO.
People want the latest fad clothes, the cheapest pair of shoes, the newest version of TV dinners.
Choices in stores continually narrow for many items.

Many times, to continue to buy the products we have become accustomed to, you need to shop online.
I don't think you can level the playing field...we're talking apples and oranges.

Now, I will buy what I can in stores.
Bread, groceries, meats, toothpaste and such.
But, more and more I am forced to buy online as the stores do not carry brands or products I prefer.

This is just the freemarket taking control.
If company A can provide a better product at a better price then company B needs to get their act together.

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
reply to post by blupblup

 

The big corporations and the need for cheap prices are doing more to ruin Main Street IMHO.
People want the latest fad clothes, the cheapest pair of shoes, the newest version of TV dinners.

Indeed, globalisation of the high-street is absolutely killing off retail really... some would argue that it's just the free market and capitalism at work and survival of the fittest... but I'm not sure.
As I pointed out, many of these huge corporations don't pay their share of taxes and this obviously saves them millions every year. This obviously has an impact on sales and on the rivals that are paying their share of Corporation tax.

Also it's an issue of competition... if all of the other stores fail and all that is left is the 3-4 companies, one company for clothes, one for electrical goods, one for food shopping etc, etc.... then what happens?
The only reason that prices are really competitive is just that, competition... well that coupled with, often, tax issues.... but really, all that will be left in city centres and shopping areas will be megastores.

Wall-Mart (USA)
Tesco (UK)
Best Buy (USA)
PC World (UK)
Argos (UK)
Target (USA)
Primark (UK)
Costco (USA)


Plus you'll obviously have the choice eating establishments like


McDonalds
Subway
Wendys
KFC
Taco Bell

Smaller diners and cafes cannot compete really.

I know there's somewhat of a "resistance movement" going on amongst people to shun these corporations and support the local guys and buy from companies who pay tax and eat healthily and so on.... but it's not huge and most people are happy to shop at 2-3 stores and eat at these places.

We are absolutely seeing the eradication of the social city/town hubs and shopping areas and while I may not be really affected regarding purchasing goods, I think we will all lose out in the long run.


The online issue and tax issue are two separate issues really, but when you have a company like Amazon, who is actually involved in both issues, then I think they're a good example.
They don't pay their share of tax and then because of this, they are able to undercut every single company/store that does pay Tax.

Like HMV in my OP, they are a (primarily)Music & Games store, but when Amazon is able to undercut them by 10-15% on every title, every release and have everything delivered to your door free of charge, then obviously HMV will struggle.
Obviously online shopping is convenient and we all do it, it's fantastic, I couldn't imagine buying Video games or DVDs or Technology from a shop any more, but should these companies be able to "immorally" undercut their "physical store" rivals by not paying the same tax that they do?

Many times, to continue to buy the products we have become accustomed to, you need to shop online.
I don't think you can level the playing field...we're talking apples and oranges.

Now, I will buy what I can in stores.
Bread, groceries, meats, toothpaste and such.
But, more and more I am forced to buy online as the stores do not carry brands or products I prefer.

See I haven't actually noticed that in the UK really?
What kind of products do you mean? Which brands and goods have disappeared?

reply to post by blupblup

Home & Furniture shops/stores, Electrical & TV shops/stores

These are well active in my neighbourhood of course they also have the option to buy online.

I will not spend anything over 500 bucks on something Online. i will need to see it physically before i buy it.. things like $3,000 TV, Fridges or a king bed. ( probably because i worked in a electronics/furniture place part-time during my high school.. i know all the tricks and hints).

The face of high-street is changing, you're right.

I believe there will always be certain kinds of shops, Mainly the type that sell clothes. Many more coffee-house's have opened up despite "recession" Supermarkets seem to be popping up all over as well, More gyms are opening up in city centre's, Fast food places, offices (many sitting empty at the minuet)

How the future will pan out though i couldn't say. But the internet wont replace the high street imo.

In a way, I am glad all these big businesses are falling. Yes, I feel for the workers who will become unemployed, but.... take my town for instance, now HMV is (maybe) going, a few folk are wanting to open up the good old fashioned local record stores again.

I may be old fashioned in this sense, but I would rather pay an extra couple of quid and buy something from a local dealer, than my money go to some big franchise.

What the UK needs is more industry. We need what that cow in the 80's stripped from us.

We need our mines, our car/bus/train factories, all that kind of stuff.

Here in Workington, British steel is gone, they were the major suppliers of WWII steel, so much so Hitler even mentioned us himself, granted it was to send a couple of u-boats/Messerschmidt/V-1/2's our way.....but the fame was nice

As much as I hate Sellafield and nuclear, it provides much employment in the area, even that is on its way out now.

We need more made in Britain, that's where the employment should be.

Sickening really.

reply to post by blupblup

Originally posted by blupblup

See I haven't actually noticed that in the UK really?
What kind of products do you mean? Which brands and goods have disappeared?

Hanes
FruitoftheLoom

are two examples.
The quality of the store items has decreased...to keep the prices down..I assume.

So, the stores like KMart, Target, WalMart still carry them but either the quality is shot or the style is the lesser quality.
So, I go online to either buy a brand not available in local stores. Or a "Classic" version of the brand not in stores.

I've also noticed these lesser quality products are sized very oddly....either you need a 2XX instead of a Medium...or the Large is big enough for a giant.

reply to post by blupblup


I hat amazon

It's a 50000 pe stock

It would have to put everyone out if biz to justify itself

Wall st full of crooks supporting it too

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
reply to post by blupblup

 

Hanes
FruitoftheLoom

are two examples.
The quality of the store items has decreased...to keep the prices down..I assume.

So, the stores like KMart, Target, WalMart still carry them but either the quality is shot or the style is the lesser quality.
So, I go online to either buy a brand not available in local stores. Or a "Classic" version of the brand not in stores.

I've also noticed these lesser quality products are sized very oddly....either you need a 2XX instead of a Medium...or the Large is big enough for a giant.

Indeed, if you've also noticed, almost all of the "logo/print" T-Shirts online at ebay, amazon etc etc all say "Fruit of the Loom" in the description and some of these T-shirts are like 3-4 pounds/dollars... dirt cheap, like Fruit of the Loom is now the cheapest brand or something.... where at one time, they were good quality.
The quality really has diminished and if you buy these T-Shirts, you're lucky to get a year out of them.

Totally agree on sizes too... Medium is not Medium.... To get a Large you need at LEAST an XL or 2XL.

It's just insane.

reply to post by woogleuk



Totally agree mate, we have no manufacturing at all.... Thatcher ruined this country.


*sigh*


The thing is now, why would people Pay UK wages to build their cars/cranes/planes/computer chips or whatever, when you can outsource to China for a fifth of the cost.

The world is a very different place now.

Here in Australia we have several leading retailers and their associations bleating about how online purchases need to be taxed or the GST import threshold reduced from A$1000 to A$100 or whatever "rig the game" solutions they like to bandy about.

Thing is, I buy a lot off Amazon.com. Were I to buy Item 1 from Amazon it might cost me a total of A$129.99 including airmail shipping with a tracking number. Were I to purchase the same item in a bricks and mortar store in Australia, I'd be looking at A$179.99. The Australian retail sector has been living on easy street since the time of the tall ships. Due to the distances involved to ship Product A from Cupertino in California to Melbourne in Australia the customer has usually accepted the massive markups Australian retailers (or the middleman distributors) have put on various products. They have accepted the pricing structure without a whimper. Then of course, they go to Amazon.com and may find the same product for a deep 25-30% discount (including shipping) and they see the emperor is wearing no clothes and his arse is showing. The days of gouging the customer are over.

It's a brave new world and I for one refuse to pay an extra 30% for high value items for the privilege of buying them in a store. I'll ALWAYS buy them online and wait out the shipping time. Hell, if we're talking brand name shoes, boots, clothes, etc. I'll try them on in a bricks and mortar store to get the correct sizing and then I'll buy the same item in the correct size online. It's a smaller world now and distance is no excuse to gouge your customers. If bricks and mortar businesses don't adapt they will go under. No bailouts, no "aid". get with the times or get out of the way. In hard times, businesses will always screw over their employees first. That is THEIR lookout as employers, not mine as a consumer. My conscience is clear.