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Makes sense but it reminds me of the argument people made against Amazon usurping clothing stores: people want to feel and try on clothes before buying them. Wh

Makes sense but it reminds me of the argument people made against Amazon usurping clothing stores: people want to feel and try on clothes before buying them. While I think it's true that this served as a buffer for a while, it seems to me that it was a temporary one and as long as there's money to be saved, consumers will eventually change their buying behaviors.

allenu 8y ago
Clothes is still a tricky thing because sizing differs so much between clothing manufacturers that you really do need to try things on to see if they fit you well. If you have the extra cash to tailor all your clothing, then it's not so bad, especially if you are buying high-end clothing that you can't find in stores. That said, there is a company called ZOZO that is playing with the idea of having people wear a dotted suit to automatically detect their measurements with a camera: https://zozo.com/us/en/info/suit https://zozo.com/us/en/info/suit
Bartweiss 8y ago
> people want to feel and try on clothes before buying them The "Amazon showroom" concept isn't really a joke, and it hasn't really been resolved. Some nontrivial amount of shopping, especially for fitted products like clothes, takes the form of trying things on in a store then checking Amazon for a lower price. It seems possible that this is sustainable, with immediate-purchase customers sustaining 'showrooms' for price-sensitive customers. It also seems possible that it will crumble in one of several ways. Amazon might raises prices in pursuit of profit far enough to end this pattern. It might drive out (some) clothing stores, creating a vacuum where consumers rely on 'free' returns to make up for a lack of showrooms. Or it might even drive new business models and branding changes. Levis are already widely discussed as a "don't buy online" product because they're weirdly high-variance; we could see products designed to be desirable but ineffective to buy online. The "Amazon store" model could gain ground, with Amazon offering low-inventory showrooms or cutting affiliate deals with brick and mortar stores. Or brands could offer online-only discounts to reduce carrying costs, while using showroom access as a selling point to fight Amazon's economies of scale. None of these seems guaranteed, and I won't be surprised if Amazon and physical stores simply coexist in the clothing market. But I do think it's important to note that Amazon's current model is partly enabled by their physical competitors.
- cestith 8y ago
  This showroom effect can work even for non-fitted items. I've repeatedly shopped in big box electronics stores then checked Amazon, NewEgg, and such on my phone from the store. It works out great, actually, because most of these stores match prices including the major online sites and have for years. If Best Buy, Fry's, or MicroCenter are cheaper than online, I win and they win. If they'll match then I win and they get a smaller win than if I paid their full asking price, but it's still a win. If for some reason they can't match and it's a small difference I might buy locally anyway, especially if I want the item faster than the shipping on that item at the particular online vendor. If the online retailer is far cheaper and can't be matched, they win.

allenu 8y ago

Clothes is still a tricky thing because sizing differs so much between clothing manufacturers that you really do need to try things on to see if they fit you well. If you have the extra cash to tailor all your clothing, then it's not so bad, especially if you are buying high-end clothing that you can't find in stores. That said, there is a company called ZOZO that is playing with the idea of having people wear a dotted suit to automatically detect their measurements with a camera: https://zozo.com/us/en/info/suit https://zozo.com/us/en/info/suit

Bartweiss 8y ago

> people want to feel and try on clothes before buying them The "Amazon showroom" concept isn't really a joke, and it hasn't really been resolved. Some nontrivial amount of shopping, especially for fitted products like clothes, takes the form of trying things on in a store then checking Amazon for a lower price. It seems possible that this is sustainable, with immediate-purchase customers sustaining 'showrooms' for price-sensitive customers. It also seems possible that it will crumble in one of several ways. Amazon might raises prices in pursuit of profit far enough to end this pattern. It might drive out (some) clothing stores, creating a vacuum where consumers rely on 'free' returns to make up for a lack of showrooms. Or it might even drive new business models and branding changes. Levis are already widely discussed as a "don't buy online" product because they're weirdly high-variance; we could see products designed to be desirable but ineffective to buy online. The "Amazon store" model could gain ground, with Amazon offering low-inventory showrooms or cutting affiliate deals with brick and mortar stores. Or brands could offer online-only discounts to reduce carrying costs, while using showroom access as a selling point to fight Amazon's economies of scale. None of these seems guaranteed, and I won't be surprised if Amazon and physical stores simply coexist in the clothing market. But I do think it's important to note that Amazon's current model is partly enabled by their physical competitors.

cestith 8y ago
This showroom effect can work even for non-fitted items. I've repeatedly shopped in big box electronics stores then checked Amazon, NewEgg, and such on my phone from the store. It works out great, actually, because most of these stores match prices including the major online sites and have for years. If Best Buy, Fry's, or MicroCenter are cheaper than online, I win and they win. If they'll match then I win and they get a smaller win than if I paid their full asking price, but it's still a win. If for some reason they can't match and it's a small difference I might buy locally anyway, especially if I want the item faster than the shipping on that item at the particular online vendor. If the online retailer is far cheaper and can't be matched, they win.