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Strategies & Market Trends : Rande Is . . . HOME -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jon Stept who wrote (13757)	10/20/1999 3:54:00 PM
From: Rande Is	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 57584

isn't this just progress? I say, Technology often gets in the way of progress. . . We may have at one time believed that we would be better served by making one stop and having all our needs taken care of. . . which gave birth to the Super Wal-Mart. . . .but in fact, the service is marginal and the quality suffers. . .so there becomes a disparity between convenience and value. You asked about where the Main Street America shop owners went. Well, there is no question that Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Staples and Kroger has jeopardized their existence. Yes, the consumer has chosen price over service. . .but that does not mean that the consumer is happier. . . and I know that many have wished they could go back to the small business owners, but alas, it is too late. I seek out the small businesses whenever I need a service, such as those you mentioned. . . preferring the Main Street shops whenever possible. . . however. . .the damage has been done. . .the sons and daughters are no longer inheriting the businesses. I still have passbook savings accounts. . .where the tellers write in what you have. And explained to tellers at Bank of America how ridiculous it was of them to hand me a piece of paper with the tellers personal social security number on it. . .which entitles me to an entry to win $10,000 if I make my deposit by the ATM, instead of by the teller. I was appalled. For the tellers. . . I complained to the management that the promotional offended me. . . and violated the privacy of the tellers. [Sometimes I understand how Ralph Nader feels.] So, yes there are some things that are inevitable. . .but that does not make it better. And by the time we realize our mistakes, it is too late to go back. Yes, I am dead serious that retail buyers will cut off suppliers that dis' them. . . .even if it is a supplier that they can make money from . . . I have seen it happen many many times. And when the manufacturer comes to its senses and reverses its decision, they find themselves with considerably less market share than they enjoyed prior to the blunder. Once more. . ."technology often gets in the way of progress". . . and in the same manner, where consumers are concerned. . . convenience can get in the way of sense. . . and where IBM is concerned, "projections can sometimes eclipse prudence." Rande Is Rande Is

To: Jon Stept who wrote (13757)	10/20/1999 8:31:00 PM
From: Tradelite	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 57584

Enjoying the discussion on this thread about etailing/e-commerce.... Have adjusted my thinking on the vast importance of this subject after glancing through so many of the federal government-oriented, information technology magazines that my spouse brings home. E-commerce is a real buzzword in the government and a big focus of technology investment, with every federal agency engaged in e-commerce somehow. Doesn't necessarily mean they are selling items to other agencies or businesses or individuals, but merely maintaining websites that enable visitors to search for appropriate offices, reports, information or services. You could call the IRS website, where you download tax forms, to be e-commerce. So even if the retailers go bust in their online sales endeavors, e-commerce and all the software and hardware it requires are here to stay. Believe I also read recently in Investors Business Daily that 10 percent of all retail sales would be transacted online within the next year or two.