One thing no one has mentioned is that Amazon INCREASES competition amongst manufacturers. When you go to a brick and mortar to buy a widget, you will see very few widgets on the shelf. You have no idea if any are well made or worth the money. There’s little competition there. And the stores you visit might not have what you need in stock.
I recently wanted to buy an oven thermometer. On my usual trip to Publix, I wasted 15 minutes looking for one. I finally asked for help and wasted 5 more as the assistant looked in the same places I looked. We finally found ONE empty hook with a price tag. I was told some should arrive soon. I checked that spot the next few trips with no joy. I even went to Winn Dixie and they had none. I finally broke down and not only found many options, I also learned that the liquid type are more accurate than the metal spring type and I spent less time than I spent wandering the stores.
When you look for a widget on Amazon, you will find many widgets of all shapes, sizes, and colors—each one vying for your business. This brings prices down. It encourages manufacturers to offer more options for their product.
Yes, this is destroying small stores. That’s sad, but it’s life. Technology has always been disruptive. Automation has destroyed many jobs, but would anyone want to go back to the days of blacksmiths and buggy-whip makers?
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