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I absolutely agree that local shops closing is a bad thing, but for a lot of niche goods companies like Amazon are a good thing. Delivery by one vehicle is far more efficient than everyone driving their own vehicle to whatever niche shop has your stuff. Don't get me wrong, Amazon is 100% a big evil corporation with huge problems... but the fact that they deliver goods to your house is not the problem lol. Doubly so since you can designate a day for them to deliver and just be in on that day!
Recently needed to buy a KVM switch to swap between my work computer and my personal computer on the same monitor. Not a single brick and mortar store in my entire area stocked them.
I've had this same issue working as an independent electronic repair business. Literally no one in all of america sells 90% of the tools, parts or hardware needed. i have to constantly rail Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Etsy...
thank the gods for Klein tools still showing up every once in awhile with what i need.
Radio Shack was a joke. it lacked the depth and scope required to supply the parts needed. it died because they tried to do cell phones and market Steel, vs Gold, vs Nickel plated parts which didn't mean anything to anyone for almost anything except the one off chance that someone actually requires the benefits of those differing materials.
my wish is that someone comes through and makes a Home Depot equivalent for electronic parts. but the scope of that fantasy is near impossible. My understanding of logistics and operations knows America won't see anything like Japanese parts stores for a very very long time. if ever again.
electronics is getting to be like hunting down parts for rare classic cars, you have to slough through hundreds of websites, find swap meets, check and check again for items out of stock to be in. or find that one person who chose today to sell you that one off capacitor or transistor.
i hate how seemingly gate kept electronics is. its not, but damn its hard to get the things you need
That's exactly the kind of niche goods that it makes sense to stock primarily in warehouses and ship out by post. Most people don't even know what a KVM switch is lol, I didn't when I first read this and I own one!
Niche shops are great, but fuck Amazon. The majority of what they sell is available directly from the companies that supply them.