How will the Internet affect Shopping as we know it?

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How will the Internet affect Shopping as we know it?

Let's consider the question: How will the Internet affect Shopping as we know it?

What it comes down to, is whether the internet will change the economics of shopping. In reality, the Internet has very low marginal cost. Already, the benefits of having a computer at home far outweigh the cost. Hence, for the sake of this consideration, we can consider the MARGINAL financial cost of having the internet for 'shopping' is zero.

We, at ULTIMATE FARMERS MARKET, do not think that merely grafting an 'internet ordering' facility onto the existing 'shopping model', will be effective. Some RETAILERS are already doing this. However, retail shops are not necessary to 'shop online'. The same product, from the same producer, is available from countless outlets. This is extremely inefficient. So, will the present 'shopping model' persist? The PRODUCER to CONSUMER route and method, will be determined by economics, and is really about the most effective method of TRANSPORTATION OF THE PRODUCT. Money does not now need to be transported. The Internet has made money a mere 'intangible'. Hence, since there is no 'real product' to be 'transported' on the stock exchange, and money is now just an 'intangible', the STOCK EXCHANGE does not now need a geographical presence, and hence, exchange costs and commissions are much lower.

Shops and 'Supermarkets' and shopping centres, with their massive carparks, and acres of floorspace, are mere markets, but they come at a great cost. Markets serve the role of division of the large volumes of consumer goods, as and when produced, into consumer quantities. It will soon be shown that this role can be performed in a much more efficient way than at present, and the Internet will largely determine how this evolves.

We believe that our ULTIMATE FARMERS MARKET model, will be the outcome.