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Southern Sally's avatar

There are some things you shop for that you really want a kinetic experience … trying on shoes, or swimming togs ( for ladies anyway). I think shops that provide real in-person service with fitting and advice for these sorts of things will still have something to offer that the online shops don’t. This is why wedding dress shops charge for a personal fitting session … then you can still go buy a similar dress online ( if you think the risk is worth the saving) but the kinetic shop has still been paid for the service they offer. A local craft supplies shop seems to thrive by offering lesson classes and chat-and- sew groups. People will always need people, so the physical shops that want to survive will have to offer more than just shelves of items to be scanned at the self- checkout.

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Ruaridh or Roderick's avatar

“For those of my generation there may be something lost in the socialisation experience that accompanies kinetic shopping but for younger generations the online acquisition of goods and many services has become the norm.”

It has certainly become the norm for me : and I cannot claim to belong any longer to the “younger generations” - not with a straight face anyway!

On my count, Ballantynes in Christchurch must be about to become the “last man standing” of New Zealand’s once much patronised by the “better one ” buyers to whom where you bought an item was as important as what you bought.

I think Ballantynes survives (so far at least) because Christchurch (whence I come) remains the “And where did you go to school?” city and Ballantynes management has been astute enough to to play on that.

As to books, I’ve had my fill of the electronic variety and have gone back (cost not withstanding) to paper. For me there’s nothing quite like a real book in the hand and the relief it provides from computer screens.

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