The end of the big box store, is Best Buy dying?

[duper]

I can't even imagine buying a book through Amazon. I can't say why, I just can't imagine doing it. I can say why digital books don't appeal to me. I like the feel of a book, and that just can't be replaced, and something seriously bothers me about an electric book.

As for the difference between analog and digital music, it is just a fact that analog recording and reproduction equipment more faithfully reproduces some sounds. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people who are seriously into classical music still listen only to media that were both recorded and reproduced on analog equipment. Of course, most modern music is created on digital equipment, so that isn't so much a problem. And although I am aware that digital recording is inferior, my ears are nowhere near well-enough trained to pick up the difference.

JJAK, I'm a bit surprised by what you said, but I guess living in (or near) Anchorage would be the difference. Online was by far the cheapest and fastest way for me to get anything in Alaska, but most of that was because I didn't live in town, so for most things online was the only way to buy it. (Buying groceries online took some getting used to.)

[Brenthoven]

But book stores have been blown away by Amazon. I don't see this as a bad thing as I have pretty much canned hard copy in favor of Kindle. But what to do with my 100's of books??

What I said to Gurt. I am picky with books, as my reading tastes are limited (actually, any purchase I make in audio/visual are limited; it has to be great). For example, I find Uncle John's Bathroom Reader books to be awesome, but I've only bought one. That's a Kindle purchase from now on. But something like "The Game" by Dryden? That's a hard copy buy.

[FlagDUDE08]

At one time, one could tell the difference between analog and digital just by listening (we did one of those experiments by playing either vinyl or CD through the same system, and the group of listeners could tell pretty well which was which).

Weird to think that there are "holes" in digital music, yet somehow you can hear them. Where it's most noticeable is with a violin, where the violinist plays a warbling note (because a violin doesn't have frets).

Records are much nicer than digitally mastered CD's with the older music. Even the scratches on the guitar strings are part of the song. With music today, they just edit that out.

Now that most music is digital, I have turned to eurobeat.

[MUhawks628]

I have turned to eurobeat.

Sounds like some hipster **** to me.

[FlagDUDE08]

Sounds like some hipster **** to me.

Hipster, eh?

[Gurtholfin]

If we ever have a chance to meet up at a hockey event, I'd probably be interested in some of your CDs. I like the artwork, the liner notes (sometimes), etc. I can't explain it any more than the album purists can explain why they prefer to have albums over Laserdiscs/CDs (besides the obvious quirks in sound quality).

I agree about the artwork to some degree. It's why I have several hundred LPs on a shelf that never get played. Some albums I actually have an LP of, a CD and now have it on a hard drive for my iTunes.

As far as getting rid of my CDs, I'm reasonably sure that they will have to sit unused for a minimum of 10 years before I feel safe getting rid of them. Just like everything else in the house...

[Priceless]

I went into Best Buy to see if they had an HDMI switch so I can plug multiple HDMI devices into my TV. They had two models in stock. One for $152 and another for "only" $102. I left the store, came home, went to Amazon.com and bought it for $10. Is it any wonder Best Buy is dying?

[Brenthoven]

I went into Best Buy to see if they had an HDMI switch so I can plug multiple HDMI devices into my TV. They had two models in stock. One for $152 and another for "only" $102. I left the store, came home, went to Amazon.com and bought it for $10. Is it any wonder Best Buy is dying?

Yeah, the accessories are always a ripoff. They sell the big stuff as a loss leader (or close to it) and make their money on add-ons. After the big backlash on extended warranties (which they pushed until no tomorrow, notsomuch anymore), they had to make their money on something.

I've always been asked about extended warranties, and now only one "not interested" ends that discussion. It wasn't always that way. Accessories, on the other hand, usually takes 2-3 "not interested" answers to end the discussion.

[RaceBoarder]

I went into Best Buy to see if they had an HDMI switch so I can plug multiple HDMI devices into my TV. They had two models in stock. One for $152 and another for "only" $102. I left the store, came home, went to Amazon.com and bought it for $10. Is it any wonder Best Buy is dying?

I wonder how they overcome the objection to someone wanting to go online to save 90% on the item...

[FlagDUDE08]

I wonder how they overcome the objection to someone wanting to go online to save 90% on the item...

They'll tell the sheeple "you'll be sure ours works, you don't know if the online one works". Of course, only the octogenarians would buy that.

[aparch]

I wonder how they overcome the objection to someone wanting to go online to save 90% on the item...

For $10, I'd risk it being a chinese knockoff. Even if it didn't work, and you "splurge" and buy a better one for $40 or $50 later on Amazon, you've still saved 50 to 75% over Best Buy.

[Kepler]

I wonder how they overcome the objection to someone wanting to go online to save 90% on the item...

I heard a story on the Beeb this morning that by 2020 Amazon may have overtaken WalMart as the world's largest retailer.

In that environment entities like Best Buy are dead. They can't even root for oil prices to spike, since transport costs hurt them as much as they hurt anybody else (worse, if they have more links in their supply chain).

[5mn_Major]

I went into Best Buy to see if they had an HDMI switch so I can plug multiple HDMI devices into my TV. They had two models in stock. One for $152 and another for "only" $102. I left the store, came home, went to Amazon.com and bought it for $10. Is it any wonder Best Buy is dying?

I know all about that. Right idea...horrible pricing execution.

I heard a story on the Beeb this morning that by 2020 Amazon may have overtaken WalMart as the world's largest retailer.

In that environment entities like Best Buy are dead. They can't even root for oil prices to spike, since transport costs hurt them as much as they hurt anybody else (worse, if they have more links in their supply chain).

There is only one retailer that has survived in the top 10 over the last 40 years (Kroger). Change in the retail landscape is unique in America's business environment and today's pace is unprecidented...and Amazon is absolutely on its way to the top. (disclosure: 5mn owns stock in Amazon)