On 23 Jul 2004 at 18:57, Jerry Todd wrote: > That's because consumers want to shop for the lowest price at any cost to > the community. Unless one supports local businesses, those businesses will > disappear. Have you ever noticed the number of people who complain about the > demise of their local (hardware, photo, stationery, drug) store, but continue to > shop at these big box stores run by out of state corporations. Numerous times I > have seen customers in the local photo shops getting product information and > hands on experience for different items only to see them buy the same items on > line or at WalMart or some other such place. > > I see it on this list, too. There have been numerous times that I've read > of people getting their processing done at WalMart or Costco to save a few > pennies, or buying their cameras and peripherals at on line stores, and > then have followed discussions about how local camera stores are > disappearing. Yours is another of many similar comments. So, to what to > we attribute the demise of camera stores? Digital cameras and technology > or people who refuse to support their local small businesses? Perhaps a > bit of both?
Before you go blaming the shoppers/the thrifty/the list members etc do a little investigation as to where your savings/super are invested and have a think about what is driving the folio mangers to place the money where they do. Globalization and amalgamation will swallow up all small business at some stage. It's the behaviour the society we have created promotes and we have to deal with its consequences. Shopping at some little camera store isn't going to delay the inevitable appreciably. Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/ Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998

