"Browse Here and Buy Online" Book Stores
One often comes across pleas like "don't go into a book store to check a product out and then come out and order from some online store - it does the physical store no good while you aim for that 5% discount."
Sadly, if 'check out a physical product and buy later online' is what consumers want, then that's what they will do; you cannot fight that. So let's imagine a store that lets people do exactly what they want. Imagine a store that has rack after rack of books - for display. Instead of a physical shopping cart you pick up a hand-held (with a bar code scanner) at the entrance. The hand held can give you complete access to the online information about a product (like amazon reviews, book website etc.). You browse (physically + info on the net) a book/item, and if you like it, you can 'add to shopping cart' electronically. Once you are done you check out - at 'internet rates', and your selections will be delivered by post to your address.
Think of this as a new retail format that market makers like Amazon can use. 'internet rates' should be possible because there is no inventory management at all in the store (expensive real estate). Perhaps a significant fraction of the cost can be recovered from the brands / companies whose products are being displayed.
Hm... anyone got Jeff Bezos' personal email address? Do you think he'll cough up some cash for some thoughts on this idea? :=)
Sadly, if 'check out a physical product and buy later online' is what consumers want, then that's what they will do; you cannot fight that. So let's imagine a store that lets people do exactly what they want. Imagine a store that has rack after rack of books - for display. Instead of a physical shopping cart you pick up a hand-held (with a bar code scanner) at the entrance. The hand held can give you complete access to the online information about a product (like amazon reviews, book website etc.). You browse (physically + info on the net) a book/item, and if you like it, you can 'add to shopping cart' electronically. Once you are done you check out - at 'internet rates', and your selections will be delivered by post to your address.
Think of this as a new retail format that market makers like Amazon can use. 'internet rates' should be possible because there is no inventory management at all in the store (expensive real estate). Perhaps a significant fraction of the cost can be recovered from the brands / companies whose products are being displayed.
Hm... anyone got Jeff Bezos' personal email address? Do you think he'll cough up some cash for some thoughts on this idea? :=)