Editor’s Note: Amazon’s swift current
Don’t think for a second that Amazon is above the fray when it comes to retailing at the end of the second decade of the 21st century.
Quite to the contrary, the giant digital company, which desperately is trying to become a brick-and-mortar play at the same time, is feeling the pain of changing consumer shopping patterns. The company announced earlier this year that it was closing its domestic pop-up store operation in favor of concentrating on other aspects of retail, specifically a cashless convenience store format and, possibly, gift stores.
And, as we speak, the company’s venture into traditional supermarket retailing, with the acquisition of Whole Foods Market several years ago, does not yet seem to be paying the dividends that many expected.
Welcome to retailing today. Get used to it and get ready to change — fast.
While Amazon and a few other digital companies are greatly responsible for the change in consumer shopping habits, these companies cannot take all the credit for how shoppers go to market. In fact, some may argue that traditional retailing was dramatically changing well before the digital players arrived. Consumers, they said, were simply getting smarter and more fickle with their shopping decisions, and those retailers that failed to stay on their toes were doomed to extinction.
I can name quite a few of these merchants that started to fail way before the digital era exploded on them. Those names include Sears, Kmart, JCPenny and even Macy’s.
As I have stated numerous times before in this space, the retailers that survive will be the ones that can develop quick changes in strategy and implement them in a New York minute. Walmart leads the way in this regard as officials at the giant operation seem to understand that staying in one spot makes for an easy target. Target, though starting slowly, also has caught on to this trend. CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, also slow out of the gate, have made very good progress in developing new programs that will embrace shoppers and save them time, money and, most importantly, a level of stress when discussing health-related issues.
But, far and away, the one operation that is fastest to the draw when it comes to experimentation and changing is Amazon. The company is not afraid to try new things and it is not afraid to fail. As it has shown time and time again, failing is a sometimes expected result of sticking your neck out.
Of course, it also could lead to success. Think about that for a few moments.
Quite to the contrary, the giant digital company, which desperately is trying to become a brick-and-mortar play at the same time, is feeling the pain of changing consumer shopping patterns. The company announced earlier this year that it was closing its domestic pop-up store operation in favor of concentrating on other aspects of retail, specifically a cashless convenience store format and, possibly, gift stores.
And, as we speak, the company’s venture into traditional supermarket retailing, with the acquisition of Whole Foods Market several years ago, does not yet seem to be paying the dividends that many expected.
Welcome to retailing today. Get used to it and get ready to change — fast.
While Amazon and a few other digital companies are greatly responsible for the change in consumer shopping habits, these companies cannot take all the credit for how shoppers go to market. In fact, some may argue that traditional retailing was dramatically changing well before the digital players arrived. Consumers, they said, were simply getting smarter and more fickle with their shopping decisions, and those retailers that failed to stay on their toes were doomed to extinction.
I can name quite a few of these merchants that started to fail way before the digital era exploded on them. Those names include Sears, Kmart, JCPenny and even Macy’s.
As I have stated numerous times before in this space, the retailers that survive will be the ones that can develop quick changes in strategy and implement them in a New York minute. Walmart leads the way in this regard as officials at the giant operation seem to understand that staying in one spot makes for an easy target. Target, though starting slowly, also has caught on to this trend. CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, also slow out of the gate, have made very good progress in developing new programs that will embrace shoppers and save them time, money and, most importantly, a level of stress when discussing health-related issues.
But, far and away, the one operation that is fastest to the draw when it comes to experimentation and changing is Amazon. The company is not afraid to try new things and it is not afraid to fail. As it has shown time and time again, failing is a sometimes expected result of sticking your neck out.
Of course, it also could lead to success. Think about that for a few moments.