America and The Online Store

Today I want to discuss the digitalization of stores due to a post by author Warren Ellis. Mr.(Sir? Please don't beat me to death..Sir)Ellis blogged about LongBox, a pioneer in the comic trade which sells individual issues digitally for $.99 and up. People are now afraid for the comic store, which made me think about what the consequences of a mostly-online market would resemble.

The following is after a bit of brainstorming, and is neither a thesis nor outline which I will defend to the death(though of course, it's still mine. Please don't steal!).


Pros:
1.)They are more easily searchable

2.) More environmentally friendly
-People driving less
-MUCH Less urban sprawl

3.) More Mom-and-Pop friendly than renting/buying a storefront, etc

4.) Easier to track trends. Is this an upside or a downside in more general terms? I am unsure,
but it's good for marketing.

5.)People tend to monitor feedback for online sellers and take action against them, which could
inspire greater consumer consciousness.

6.)Online stores simply have a wider market. Goods could potentially circulate across the
country with much more regularity, bringing revenue to less well-off places provided that
creative stores open there.

7.)Takes advantage away from huge megamarts and could potentially keep more money in the
country due to greater circulation of American-made products.

Downsides:
1.)You have to pay shipping, though this is usually offset by the lower costs online

2.) Hackers can get into anything and everything. It would be interesting to see a comparison of
in-store robberies vrs hackers hacking online marketplaces to see if a switch might spark a
rise in crime.

3.)Merchandise cannot be exchanged instantly, or why the storefront will most likely never truly die
unless even faster shipping methods are implemented/discovered(Beam me up, box of
diapers).

4.)People can't spend an afternoon in an online store hanging out together(this does not apply to
me, unless it's a bookstore) and randomly buying merchandise. It would be nice, of course, if
the centers of culture and socialization could be something besides shops, which a switch to
digitalized shops would facilitate.

5.)Would put a LOT of people out of work before it could take place, even more than are out of work at the moment. The switch would create a lot more technical jobs(I
can't find where the cd drive is, but I have this great cupholder). The market would shift but
it would be a stressful time for a lot of people unless it followed a government-sponsored plan
or something, and that's not a guarantee of stability.

6.)There is no way to see the product in person before purchase.

7.) Greater potential for scam artists. The only way to prevent this is a crackdown on the
webmarket, which is not something that anyone wants. Until space travel becomes feasible,
the internet is the last wild west. Perhaps various search engines which certify that a
businessis legitimate could be developed?

Notice that many of these apply to online shopping right now, too, and are simply taken to an extreme.

Imagine a world where the only sprawl involved schools, museums, furniture stores, food shops, businesses and attractions. Perhaps a few overstock/thrift and pet stores are also still scattered around. Suddenly, America would be using a lot less space.