Amazon is dictating the rules of the game that other retailers have to play by. In the view of Jim Tompkins, president of Tompkins International and one of the sharpest observers of our industry, its going to have a profound impact on retail distribution and retailers in general.
“Retail is at a crossroads,” Tompkins says. “The reality is that Amazon is so big that they are now mandating what the customer satisfaction requirements are for everyone, even if you don’t think that you compete with Amazon.”
Tompkins has been blogging about the Amazon effect in recent months. As examples of how Amazon is redefining the retail game, he points out that most shoppers expect free shipping. They expect free returns. And unless you live in the plains of North Dakota, you expect your order to show up in a day or two. Or faster.
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