By R.C. Seely
THE MEDIA HAS REPORTED that “malls across the country are dying off.” The supposed culprit for their demise is the internet and its impact on the business models. I don’t think so. The internet simply demonstrated the vulnerability of big business, they over extended themselves.
At times of excess before the great recession of 2008, the biggest retail organizations in the United States just kept building while ignoring the looming change in business. The internet did what mail order did and gave the customer more options; in areas with few brick and mortar stores, this proved to be a saving grace; in areas with more stores losses were inevitable.
And with both additions to the market, the “big boys” complained about the competition, but ignored the fact they were responsible for the damage by not adapting when they should have. So, they had to perform massive scaling back measures closing many stores and cutting the jobs. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that the internet has made it easier for the little guys to fill the niches. Online commerce has proven to be the leveler of the market that had been distorted by big corporations, all thanks to the minimal regulations and restrictions on the “information superhighway.” The internet is mostly tax-free on products, and fees for advertising and selling are minimal, making it ideal for growth.
The internet was sent up in the 1980s, and started showing the signs of the coming changes in the nineties. By the early 2000s if you didn’t have an email address for your business you were behind the curb, the big companies least affected by the web already designed a solid online infrastructure. Target, Walmart and Home Depot, didn’t lose as many stores as the other large corporations. They welcomed the new manner in doing business and fewer local economies were hurt.
The damage done wasn’t due to the internet but short-sightedness on the part of the large companies who foolishly believed the internet was simply a fad–a similar sentiment about mail order, I’m sure. It’s a fairly effective way to avoid culpability for your failures, and make the other guy look bad for doing so.
Many of us do business almost entirely online thanks to Amazon. All my books couldn’t be possible without the services of Createspace, one of Amazon’s subsidiaries. That doesn’t mean I agree with everything the company does, but they perform services along with selling discounted products that benefit the consumer and that can’t be denied.
Amazon has also given another point of consideration, while many are shutting down their brick and mortar stores, this retail giant recently opened its first one. Clearly, they don’t see this as the end of malls and they have been pretty accurate in their predictions so far.
R.C. Seely is the founder of americanuslibertae.com and ALTV. He has also written books on pop culture the most recent Victims of White Male: How Victim Culture Victimizes Society is available at Amazon.
TRUMPONOMICS AT WORK
Posted: January 22, 2020 in Social CommentaryTags: americanus libertae, China, donald trump, economics, rc seely, tariffs, trade, trumponomics, trumponomics at work
By R.C. Seely
FROM THE MOMENT I heard the president was going to introduce tariffs into his economic plan, I have waited for the impact of that decision. The inevitable collision of increase prices on consumer goods and services. Yesterday was that day.
Across the country, major retail outlets have now been hit with the plague that has been infesting smaller select industries in the age of Trump. Price increases by $10 or more in retail stores and this is only with the first wave of tariffs.
The sad thing is this didn’t have to happen. The blame for this is on both Trump supporters and his haters.
For quite a while economists have warned Trump to not implement the tariffs, that it would increase prices. And this is not only the Never -Trumpers, it was right wing economists as well. Some who probably even voted for Trump. But no, his supporters stood behind him against any all criticism. He can’t do wrong, apparently he can.
Judging from my personal discussions with adamant Trump supports online, this unyielding devotion to the talking Cheeto is common. Another concern is with this for me, is there no end to this devotion? Will they stand up for Trump even if doing so violates every single one of their principles? What if he takes this to the next level and takes over American businesses? At that point these “small government” conservatives might as well join Hugh Hewitt and just put a Bernie 2020 sign on their lawn.
To be fair, it was the Democrats, “Need to Impeach” movement that put his supporters on the defense. Rather than take on the president and attempt to neutralize this questionable tactic, they went all out for impeachment or nothing. Going from one scandal to another to get him removed from office, all being dubious as far as the end result of removal. Impeachment, yes; removal, no. And a lesson for all you eager to get in a new president, impeachment is far from removal from office.
Both subsidies and tariffs are economic policies that free market supporters despise and for good reason. These are not in line with small government principles and it doesn’t matter which party implements them. They are a distortion of consumer interests and are not in the best interest of the general public. Everytime you inhibit a choice from the consumer you make economic chaos.