Will the Internet penetrate through brick and mortar companies? We take a look at some of the things that could happen
The internet can do great things for retail stores. Beside making ordering products easier, it can directly enhance the customers experience. Anyone who has worked at a retail store knows that customers often spend alot of time asking employees where a certain item is located at. And, this is very tough for an employee to do when the store has over 60,000 items and a customers wants to find a specific item. Most stores have computers setup for use by managers only. The manager can usually look to see if they have a certain item in stock, but that doesn't help the customer find the item. Employees can help customers find products sometimes, but many employees are new and don't know where the items are located at. And, even if he/she did, he would have to be available. Many employees may be in the back of the store or may be busy working on something when they are interupted by customers. So, I'm not sure how much money is lost in retail from people not being able to find what they want, but it is in the billions most likely. Setting up computer terminals in retail stores such as Wal-Mart and drug stores and allowing the customers to search for what they want and then having it give back a result would be great. So, if someone types in Bayer asprin it might come back with A1 shelf #5. Then the customer gets a printout and goes to A1 shelf 5 to find the item. The computer terminal is like having an employee that knows where everything is at and is there in one spot all the time. Also, small LCD electronic price markers could replace paper or plastic ads that have to be put up by hand. So, the idea is when a store runs a new ad, the prices will automatically be updated in the database and the prices in the LCD screens will change. These things will have major implications to retail stores. Wal-Mart, one of the world's largest retailers is one of the largest employers in the U.S. This isn't good because many of these jobs could be replaced by computers. People shouldn't have to work doing monotinous, low-thinking level jobs. The internet and technology are helping to get rid of these jobs and make the economy more efficient. These things may happen if companies stay open to new ideas and act on them. They also need to look at things from a new perspective. Many that have been in the business aren't going to look at things the same way as the person who sets foot in the business who has never been in the business before. In many ways, the new person has the edge because he/she will complain or see the innefficiencies in the store whereas the veterans will overlook them. It will definately happen, though.
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