[darryl]

Even the title of this thread is misleading. A thriving retail industry still exists. The industry itself is not at all under threat. What has happened is that progress has changed the industry. In particular the Internet has allowed a significant part of the industry to offer their goods online, with Amazon in particular leading this development. The industry has not been destroyed. It has been changed. And, as usual, those badly affected by the change are screaming long and loud. Those who cannot compete on the basis of price and convenience scream long and loud and often ask for government intervention to save their outdated and unwanted businesses. In doing so they often exaggerate and place significant value on aspects of their business which the new market shows many just don't care about. Take for instance the personal experience of dealing with a real knowledgeable human being in a book shop. Firstly, many neither want or value this. When I used to visit and purchase from book shops, I simply wanted to be left alone to browse in peace. When discount department stores started stocking books I would rush to buy from them, often at prices $4 or $5 cheaper than the book store directly opposite. And let's face it, even if you did value the knowledgeable human element, it would more often than not come in the form of a pimply faced kid on minimum wage with little idea of anything beyond a few favourites and the latest best sellers, or sometimes obnoxious literary pretentiousness unbecoming of their years and experience. People now have a wider choice and are voting with their feet. Give me Amazon online any day.

The situation is very simple. If enough people value and patronise independent book stores and other brick and mortar retail stores some will survive.