The rapid growth of e-commerce has had a significant impact on brick-and-mortar stores. Unfortunately, this is also true for the cities where these businesses are located. The following blog post will explore how online shopping has affected city economies, both positively and negatively.
E-commerce on the urban landscape
The retail industry has been steadily changing for decades. As larger retailers have continued to expand their footprint nationally, they have also expanded their presence internationally. This has had a profound impact on the economies of cities that are home to these national stores. For example, many American cities are now experiencing vacancies as traditional department stores are closed, and e-commerce becomes more popular. One of the most recent examples is Macy’s, which announced an 8% reduction in its workforce nationwide last week due to its poor performance over the past few years coupled with competition from Amazon and other online retailers who offer lower prices than what can be found at brick-and-mortar locations.
The Impact of Online Shopping and E-commerce on City Economies is a topic that has been the subject of much debate in recent years. There is no denying that online shopping and e-commerce have impacted city economies, but what’s not so clear is how big of an impact this new wave has made. It seems like everyone has their own opinion about whether or not this trend spells doom for brick and mortar stores, but many believe it will increase foot traffic to local businesses. So which side do you think carries more weight?
E-commerce and urban planning
Online shopping and e-commerce have changed the way people purchase goods. This has had a significant impact on city economies, with many retailers closing their brick-and-mortar stores in favor of online sales. While this may be good for some cities, it is bad for others where there are no other options for employment.
If you’re a modern person, the chances are that the majority of your clothing is purchased online and shipped to you. It’s not just men who buy clothes online—but they make up the lion’s share.
E-commerce has had a major impact on retail jobs in our country, with big box stores like Macy’s, Sears, and JCPenney closing down over 100 stores each this year alone. There used to be an assumption that if someone lost their job at one of these stores, they could find work at another nearby store, but now we know that often isn’t possible because most retailers have also been reducing the number of stores.
