Quote:
Originally Posted by pwalker8
Online shopping is a god send for rural areas. It's the same situation as catalog shopping pre-internet. The same dynamic for broadband internet services and for that matter cell phones. It's a totally different market.
|
The problem for retailers in general is that online shopping is not a totally different market. Catalog shopping is far different to shopping on Amazon, particularly for a Prime member. Catalog shopping here and I understand in the US complemented the business of those retailers offering it. It was before my time, but I understand that at least in NSW the catalog business was dominated by Marcus Clark, a now long defunct Department Store. I believe Sears dominated the trade in the US. You can of course regard, say, Amazon's website as a glorifed catalog if you like. But if so, todays "catalog" sales are direct and often vicious competitors, in Amazon's case taking a large chunk of the market. The appeal of the convenience, sheer variety, discounted prices and the quick and cheap or "free" delivery does not just appeal to rural customers.