Amazon Is Crushing Main Street and Threatening the Vitality of Our Communities

[Adrahil]

8. You can't order the tide to not come in.

Online retailers have better selection, often better prices, and these days the wait is quite short. Brick and mortars are just not going to compete with that without offering something extra.

Some local book ships manage to survive by not so much selling books, but being event destinations (for readings, book groups, etc). Offer some coffee and pastry and maybe sell the occasional book. A local jewelry place remains viable by doing more than just reselling mass-produced items. They custom designed jewelry, on-site repairs, and genuine expertise (as opposed to the Zales sales clerk who went through a one-day training session).

In other words, local shops will have to survive by offering something online retailers can't... Service, and a unique experience.

Otherwise, the only retailers to survive will be food stores, clothing and shoe stars, and other places where the online stores can't yet offer a satisfactory experience.