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Let's look at a counter example : amazon. Is it using technology to help online sellers ? or is it using technology to kill retail businesses ? It may well be t

by hershel 13y ago

Let's look at a counter example : amazon. Is it using technology to help online sellers ? or is it using technology to kill retail businesses ? It may well be that the end goal of amazon is to own and automate all retail, and even if it remains as a 3rd party platform, it could have so much power that sellers would make almost nothing. In an automated economy, where businesses are easily scaled if you own capital, the amazon example could apply everywhere.

ZenoArrow 13y ago
hershel, I believe you may have misunderstood me. Amazon is an example of a company that has centralised a sizeable portion of online retail, my argument was that technology can evolve to the point of encouraging decentralisation. Imagine if setting up your own "Amazon" was barely any harder than setting up a Wordpress site. A small warehouse space to store products, automated picking and packing, an easy to setup and maintain web presence, elements of AI to help field basic customer queries. It's all possible.
- hershel 13y ago
  Say you set up you're "small" amazon. How can you compete with "big" amazon? They have faster delivery times - due to local warehouses. They have wider selection, better prices, better brand - due to their size. I don't see any advantage to "small" amazon.
  - ZenoArrow 13y ago
    Firstly, we're not talking about 1 small "Amazon", we're talking about a large number. Secondly, for such businesses to succeed, you do need a shift in culture. If consumers care about convenience above everything else, then larger businesses will always tend to dominate. However, if consumers hold other values in higher regard, then smaller businesses have a chance. The values that these customers hold will determine which approaches are successful. For example, companies that offer specialist knowledge, customisable products, a higher level of personal service, etc... could compete. Speaking personally, Amazon is my go to source when I don't know much about what I'm buying, and just want something half decent. The reviews and the speed of checkout are Amazon's strengths for me. They're not necessarily the best on price, and if I research further I tend to find better products elsewhere too. Whether we have this culture shift away from large retailers is up to us. We get what we deserve.

by hershel 13y ago

ZenoArrow 13y ago

hershel, I believe you may have misunderstood me. Amazon is an example of a company that has centralised a sizeable portion of online retail, my argument was that technology can evolve to the point of encouraging decentralisation. Imagine if setting up your own "Amazon" was barely any harder than setting up a Wordpress site. A small warehouse space to store products, automated picking and packing, an easy to setup and maintain web presence, elements of AI to help field basic customer queries. It's all possible.

hershel 13y ago
Say you set up you're "small" amazon. How can you compete with "big" amazon? They have faster delivery times - due to local warehouses. They have wider selection, better prices, better brand - due to their size. I don't see any advantage to "small" amazon.
- ZenoArrow 13y ago
  Firstly, we're not talking about 1 small "Amazon", we're talking about a large number. Secondly, for such businesses to succeed, you do need a shift in culture. If consumers care about convenience above everything else, then larger businesses will always tend to dominate. However, if consumers hold other values in higher regard, then smaller businesses have a chance. The values that these customers hold will determine which approaches are successful. For example, companies that offer specialist knowledge, customisable products, a higher level of personal service, etc... could compete. Speaking personally, Amazon is my go to source when I don't know much about what I'm buying, and just want something half decent. The reviews and the speed of checkout are Amazon's strengths for me. They're not necessarily the best on price, and if I research further I tend to find better products elsewhere too. Whether we have this culture shift away from large retailers is up to us. We get what we deserve.