Yep. Get online or get got. And I for one am so thankful for this. Why? Because it’s better not to have to go to into a bank, or camera store, or even bookstore, to do the mundane business of every day life. Wait, did I say it’s better not to go into a bookstore? Yes. Most of the time it is. Don’t get mad at me for saying this, let me explain.
Yes, it’s better to get your books from Amazon, rather than schlep down to B&N, hope they have the book, stand in line, waste gas, etc. But does this mean I hate bookstores? No! I love them. But, only if they do more for me than simply let me buy a book. Does this mean it’s good that the mom & pop bookstores are going to suffer? Well, maybe if we end up with more bookstores that are fun places to be. Think Kramerbooks, in DC. Is Kramerbooks threatened by the Internet? I doubt it. Just look at their web site. If they’re worried about the Internet, they’re not trying too hard to “join em.”
But that only happens in a big city, like DC, right? Well, not always. In my little city of Norfolk, there’s an example of a company in an industry that’s suffering the most, that’s actually doing quite well.
Relative Theory Records, really deserves any Google Juice I can throw their way. They’re such a great example of something done right. Great web site. Great place to go. Great community. A model for how business, especially those being threatened by the big bad Internet, can thrive. It’s all about the community, and they’ve seemed to tap into it.
Someday, the brick and mortar Barnes & Nobles, Blockbusters and Tower Records of the world will die or at least change, giving way to online commerce. In fact, Blockbuster seems to me to be throwing hail mary’s these days, in an effort to squeeze every dollar out of their dying brick and mortar business model, with their no-late fee policy. They see the writing on the wall. Now, of course these big business will find new ways to get us into their stores, and everyone’s going to work harder, making the real-world experience better, otherwise, we’ll just do it from our living rooms. Sounds good to me. Everyone wins!
-Brendan