RE: UKNM: Toys R US - site, outdated - who does it???

[Paul Durrant]

Peter Shankman wrote

>>Exactly, Ian. Would YOU want to be the web shop that says "Well, we can do

>>a great site for you, be prepared to see your floor traffic drop 25% as a

>>result." :)


Agreed in principle but is 25% likely and if so when?  That's what the

store owners and consultants slighted earlier in this thread have to

weigh up.  It's very easy for us, who make their living touting this

infant medium, to be so sneering about the "old" stores and us

consultants who have to deal with them.


Yes the stores should be on the Web to retain custom and there's no

excuse for bad service on the web or instore.  But some realism please.


25% and way more is feasible for software and electronically

distributable information and maybe  for books and such like that can

fit through your letterbox.  But I seriously question the level for

"physical" goods.


At the end of the day shopping through the Web for hard goods, has all

the same pain that other forms of remote shopping have.  Can't really

see or feel what you're actually buying, can't try it on, two weeks 'til

it's delivered, you're out when it arrives, got to go to the mail depot

to collect it (or make telephone arrangements with some unreliable

courier company), when you get it it's not what you expected, hassel of

repacking it, few Web traders will collect it, so you trot off to the

local post office (which is always closed when you can get to it), then

you find it costs £7.50 to post it, if you're lucky you get credited

for the original amount. And it goes on....


Mail delivered shopping by all the other order channels never shifted

more than 5% of hard goods, I believe its very dangerous thinking to

believe the Web is so very different, even though it integrates

browsing, price comparison and ordering - it doesn't integrate reality. 

And the "old" stores have a lot of profits to make and shareholders to 

keep pleased between now and when?

----------

Paul Durrant

Tarnlough Ltd.

Interactive Business Communications Consultants

00 353 61 455 187

e-mail:

pdurrantindigo [dot] ie

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