The Bigger Economic Meaning Of Amazon Prime Day

PolicyThe Bigger Economic Meaning Of Amazon Prime DayByJohn Tamny, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

More coaster. (Photo by Antonio RIBEIRO/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images In addition to the two directly connected to Bloomington, MN’s Mall of America, over fifty hotels are within a 10-minute radius of what some describe as the “Megamall. ” The abundance of hotels near what is a globally minent shopping center is no coincidence

In truth, it’s evidence of how many patrons of the Mall of America don’t reside nearby

The Megamall is a shopping destination, including for those who drive long distances and even fly to visit its myriad stores, rides, restaurants, and so much more

What does the Mall of America have to do with a column Amazon Prime Day

Realistically very little, but also quite a lot

To see why, it’s useful to remember that the Mall of America wasn’t the only shopping locale created for consumers well beyond the metro area in which it was located

Which is where Amazon Prime Day enters the picture

Stop and think how foundly Amazon has changed the shopping experience

While a resident of Stillwater, OK once had to drive almost five hours for the greatly expanded variety of Dallas shops and malls, and New Orleanians formerly had to drive over five hours for Houston’s far more expansive shelves, now citizens of small towns and smaller cities a can fulfill nearly every consumptive desire from the comfort of

For the longest time “just ship it” was what rich people said to salespeople

Call shipping a former luxury that few could afford

Mail order of pretty much anything included many weeks of waiting…Which is the beauty of fit-motivated gress, or one of many beauties

The fit motivated make common what used to be a luxury

Amazon looms large here

MORE FOR YOU Nowadays Amazon Prime members don’t even need to bother with “just ship it. ” They know from their Prime membership that whatever they order will arrive within two days, but frequently one day or even less

Considering Prime Day itself, it’s now defined in days, with 96 hours of shopping discounts on almost literally “everything” from the everything store

Which is quite the change

Families used to take shopping trips that could be measured in days, while now they just tap on their phone throughout the day, and as needs come up

No driving, gasoline, meal stops, hotels, or flying required

Not only do would-be shoppers no longer have to endure the expense of travel to shopping locales that never offered even a fraction of what can be had on Amazon with a mouse click, it’s worth adding that “the getting” on Amazon is quite a bit cheaper than it was back in the days of traveling or flying long distances to shop

Precisely because Amazon is buying for enormous numbers of shoppers in the U. , and for that matter the world, it can command the lowest of prices from ducers willing to substantially shrink their margins in return for the abundance of buyers brought together by Amazon

Has Amazon and its Prime Day put The Mall of America and others it out of

This, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos never expected to replace brick and mortar in the first place

Instead, Amazon has made the Megamall and others much better, which is what competition always does

As you’re reading this, Amazon Prime Day is in full swing

And it’s worth thinking for reasons beyond low prices

What a different shopping experience it is thanks to Amazon and its Prime Day

What a better one too

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