I just can’t sleep. I’m a bit riled. I’m not sure if that’s all of it. Maybe it’s because I ate too much chocolate ice cream. Maybe it’s because Predator 2 is on. Maybe it’s because Orion is feeling affectionate and I just can’t resist the charms of our remaining cat. But I think a lot of it is cause I’m riled.
And it’s a stupid reason tonight. It’s not politics. It’s not any sort of existential dread.
It’s Amazon and it’s showrooming promotion.
I’ve only ever actually seen it happen once or twice at House of Musical Traditions, but I know it happens more often. Every once in a while some asshole is uncouth enough to say that they’re doing it. They wanted to check an item out in person before purchasing it online… the people who really don’t care will buy the item online on their phone while they’re still in the store. Or you’ll offer to order an item and they’ll say “oh, I can do that too”.
And I’ve been reading online and people have a lot to say on the subject. People have a right to the cheapest price. People have the right to be informed consumers. And I’d LIKE to think I’d still have this perspective if I’d never held a retail job – but frankly, if you want a showroom, support the showroom. If you don’t care, then stay in your house and order online.
And it’s an increasing problem for brick and mortar stores, but people totally have the right to vote with their wallets. I just wish people understood what they were doing.
I hate the fact that Takoma Park can’t support a bookstore. I’ve heard some of the locals lament about how they don’t have one… and they gripe about driving to Silver Spring or to wherever else… but over the years two or three bookstores have failed in the area because people WERE more willing to drive to Silver Spring than to support something local.
People come into the shop and gripe about how we don’t carry enough that’s American-made. And invariably those same people balk at the cost of buying American-made products when they are made available.
I’m babbling. Mostly because it’s 2.30am and I’m typing because I can’t sleep. Why can’t I sleep? Oh yeah – because I’m riled about Amazon.
So – IN this environment Amazon is running a promotion. Scan an item in a store with your phone and then buy it in online and you’ll receive a discount.
I.e. – people are being encouraged to go into a shop, ask information about a product, try out a product, put wear-and-tear ON the product… and then fuck the store out of the sale. You should be embarrassed to do that.
I was reading that this has become a huge problem in bookstores. That a recent survey showed that at least 25% of people buying a book online had first checked the book out in a bookstore. (Interestingly enough, books are NOT being allowed under this promotion – presumably because there’s been so much uproar about it, or because I’ve ALSO read that Amazon actually generally sells books at a loss – also interesting, and I’m assuming that this shows a bias of reporting on the part of the newspaper articles I’ve been reading, that detail is omitted from most versions of this story). The promotion itself probably can’t be too much of an issue at a shop like HMT because djembes that are handmade in Ghana generally aren’t barcoded. I hope to convince the management to remove barcodes from any items that DO have them… just as the big boxstores are doing – Best Buy is replacing their barcodes with QR codes that direct people to the item on bestbuy.com.
Meh. I believe heartily in consumerism and capitalism but I also believe in making intelligent decisions. If you believe in buying American and supporting locally made items, be ready to pay a little extra, and don’t gripe. And if you want help with something, it’s just like tipping, pay a little extra and buy it from a real store.
I can’t, in good conscience, purchase through them again. They’re actively fucking other businesses over. On purpose. It’s a dirty move and they are enticing unthinking people to trick brick and mortar stores into acting as showrooms for them.
And my business is just a drop in the bucket. And my outcry will mean nothing. Relying on corporations to be moral in their dealings is useless. I hope the Main Street Fairness Act passes. But I’m too tired to get further into THAT.
In the meantime, I’ve just got to figure out how to find… lots of things… without the assistance of Amazon.com.
