The paradigm is shifting again and as usual, nobody is noticing very much.
Having spent my time in the high tech world and spent half the 90s in silicon valley, I observed a number of folks who were changing the world.
When I was asked , usually at some bar in Oakland, or Pleasanton or San Mateo for my take on who was changing things the most, who was causing the most disruption, I would always pick my go to disruptor- Mr Bezos and Amazon.
He has really changed the daily lives of people, changed the nature of retail, created untold startup opportunities and it continues. Windows and the Iphone were just progressions of tech, but Amazon really changed things.
Now we have the new stuff.

Today, in my office I have company. I have Cortana on the desktop, Alexa on the Echo and OK Google and Cortana on the smartphone. ( Google did not personalize their voice, I predict it will be a major blunder).
Cortana is great for tracking my to dos, calendar. Alexa buys things, gives me a decent news summary and keeps a good groceries list. OK Google is new, but seems to be learning fast to make the phone a better device. It makes calls, reminds me of key events and gives me a written news summary.
All do weather and tell jokes. All play music. All sing songs.
Google created an assistant for Android. Microsoft created an assistant for Windows.
Amazon created a consumer product to deliver services via voice. It delivers audiobooks, news, music and now your friends and family on audio and video. It shops for you.
While Apple, Google and Microsoft were building churches, Amazon was the place where their parishioners all stopped by after the sermons.
Yes, the Cloud now speaks. It will be like going from silent films to talkies. Get ready for your close up, Norma.




As a retailer, I must say that there is no end for my respect for Steve Jobs.
This is why and I use a quote from Walter Isaacson’s biography:
“We don’t give customers what they think they want. We educate them and tell them what they didn’t know they wanted.”
I just loved this guy; bipolar disorder and all.
He was a true revolutionary.
TKC, who is that guy with the cardboard sign saying the end is near and I created the Internet? He tells everyone that he should have been president in 2000 before his wife left him.
Whenever I think of Amazon I know think of this:
https://xkcd.com/1807/
*now….dang it where is the edit button
There is no edit button! But why are you asking for one? I thought your comment was perfectly legit.
*
Amazon is an interesting company. They started out just focused on books then expanded. They understand the business and know how to deliver. Smart retailers know it is the product that you sell but the service. The good brick and mortar stores sold well lit, clean, friendly structures with helpful but not pushy employees. They put information on the shelves for quick comparisons. They knew that the product could be bought across the street for cheaper but with an experience that was inferior. They built trust with the 100% Satisfaction guarantee.
Apple removed the physical keyboard and Amazon is eliminating the virtual keyboard with Alexa. The Star Trek computer has come to life.
Seattle companies have changed things. Boeing, UPS, Starbucks, and Amazon are part of our daily lives now. Mars candy started in the area before failing and then started again in Minnesota.
what many folks do not grasp is the real underpinning of the retail revolution. Retailers, as they grew and consolidated had incredible power in charging for their shelf space, forcing a barrier to entry that froze out many small entrepreneurs. What Amazon did was remove the shelf space scarcity, opening up a retail channel for millions of small businesses at the worlds largest shopping mall.
It has done more for small business than anything since the transcontinental railroad.
Yes, now we have a huge “super store” with space for almost anything. It still amazes me how convenient the service is. I can order from anywhere and have it delivered to my door. It is a great time saver.
I am sure Amazon is playing “games” with its customers like the retail chains. Like the retail chains it is done subtly and effectively. It is a form of mild manipulation.
Many years back, I had a client who was in negotiations with Walmart.
I take a bit of schadenfreude in Walmart’s potential demise.
I have sat across from buyers at Wal Mart, Kmart Costco and all the major Grocery Chains and department stores and major drug. It is a less than thrilling and rewarding experience.
(BTW, Costco has the best buying organization)
Costco started in Seattle so that makes sense. (I knew I was forgetting a company.) Costco is interesting for they sell memberships then product. They have their costs covered that way. They also have the least variety of items.
Still looking to disagree with you TKC …
Your analysis is positively correct here because of one thing:
Amazon never misses a sale because they’re always in stock. I don’t even shop at my favorite stores anymore because it’s too annoying to find something I like and my size is unavailable because I am a size 2 dress and a 6 and 1/2 shoe.
I shop on the internet now because I like a very basic NYC black/white tailored look and one site provides it all for me. Simple, easy, clean. No color. No bizarre looks, but I like to buy minis, crisp white blouses, little black dresses and tailored tanks/tees. I will go to Saks for my Seven jeans and my infamous Prada shoes.
I don’t care to venture too far because I know what looks good on me.
With said, I do run retail sports stores and we dig deep within each league: 2-3 great jerseys; 4-6 cool caps and a total assortment of teams (you can buy Toronto Blue Jays in my CA store) but we own in depth and rarely have to turn away a customer for lack of size.
One of the coolest compliments I’ve ever received was from former Twin Rod Carew who also worked as an advisor to the Angels yet shopped in my store frequently.
You picked the survivable retail model, niche, and apparel, which is a high touch purchase.
Good choice.
Have you opened a storefront on Amazon yet?
My vendors wouldn’t sell me if I had a presence on Amazon; it would cheapen their product.
And they (vendors) have been everything to me. They analyze the content of my store as closely as I do and are more than content to replace the content when necessary.
Favorite comment ever from my most productive salesman?
“You’re sitting on this and it isn’t selling? Send it back and we’ll replace it with ****.
I am very fond of this particular company; they helped me grow a $25K at cost business to a $450K at cost business in a NY minute. We do more business in MLB/NHL in one store than Nordstrom’s does in ten.
We make THE statement.
Liz, people still want the shopping experience especially for clothes. A great vendor grows as their customers grow. They realize that repeat increase sells is where it is at. You only get to burn people a limited amount of times.
I agree and we have reaped the benefits of the unique, niche approach.
Not to brag or anything… but Jeter, Pettitte, Carew, Gwynn have been regulars for years!
Still waiting for Tom Brady because we carry his Michigan jersey and the fans love it!
Go Seahawks!
There’s always that one guy …
:)
;-)