dinopello wrote:I had a friend who had a really popular women's shoe store (ShoeFly). It was really busy and popular because she was really into women's shoes and would refresh her lineup with the latest fashions, offer advice on what goes with what, etc. But, she wasn't selling and determined that the young women that would use her store for advice and fit would then go buy the shoes at Zappos at a discount. Well, now they have nowhere to go to try on the shoes because she is out of business.
This sort of thing is very unfortunate. For the businesses offering extra value and service for a (reasonable) price differential, those businesses had value and (some of) their customers really appreciated it.
I ran into this with various electronic things like (in their day) portable CD players. I found I couldn't buy them at a small store with personal service (and good product knowledge), because they didn't carry them any more. Apparently people would get the advice on what unit to buy, and then go buy one cheaper at some big box electronics place. So people like me who are HAPPY to pay a higher price for much better service have no choice. (This was well before the internet, where now you can have Amazon's service and detailed customer reviews AND get a great price and convenience).
Don't people care about service anymore? I needed a new lawnmower last week, and dreaded it, given how much I hated the experience at Home Depot, even trying to look at lawnmowers, much less get someone to help me.
Then I remembered my small city of 300,000ish had ONE good hardware store left, with real personal service and folks who are there to help, and know what they're doing. At the small store I got the lawnmower I wanted after comparing several with help from two employees. They gassed it up (no boxes, all their lawnmowers are sold completely assembled) and started it to test it and helped me load it in the car. They told me where to take it for warranty service, if needed. They told me to call the store if I had questions. Pretty much the OPPOSITE of the Home Depot experience, and from what I could see, for a small price differential.
(Too bad I can't buy my washer/dryer there. At Home Depot I practically had to tackle someone to get ANY help, after multiple visits/tries). It's as if they don't want my money.
I wonder if people just assume bad service at a brick and mortar retailer is the norm now.
Given the track record of the perma-doomer blogs, I wouldn't bet a fast crash doomer's money on their predictions.