I don’t particularly romanticize brick and mortar retailers. There were/are good ones but there are also terrible ones. The best create a shopping experience th

I don’t particularly romanticize brick and mortar retailers. There were/are good ones but there are also terrible ones. The best create a shopping experience that makes going in an enjoyable experience in and of itself or consistently provide expertise beyond what I can find on my own. What I do prioritize is immediacy and support. If a retailer has something in stock I'll often go get it there to not wait 2 days and to be able to get a replacement quickly if something is wrong. Similarly, when looking for a bigger ticket item I prefer in person retail because I can (sonetimes literally) kick the tires and in some cases I can have a support relationship with the store. If I showroom an item at the store I will try to buy it from them, although I absolutely will ask them to price match the internet. You asked "how do you calculate that from an economic perspective." I look at how much I'd had to pay at the brick and mortar store or the alternative, subtract out how much the cost is at Amazon, add back an estimate of the opportunity cost to go to the physical store/shop an alternative site, and then decide if the number is worth what I'd willing give for the shopping / support/ satisfaction of knowing I didn't support Amazon.