President Trump can drop his “War on Amazon” anytime now. He’s decided to go another round with Jeff Bezos and the on-line retailer this week claiming that Amazon steals tax revenue from local and state governments by allowing people to avoid having to buy pretty much anything at local brick and mortar stores. Perhaps the President was upset that Toys R Us is shutting down–as Amazon made every toy sold there available for purchase on-line without having to put up with other people’s screaming children and long lines at the registers.
The taxes to which the President must be referring are property taxes and payroll taxes–because Amazon does collect sales taxes–although that took lawsuits and changes to laws by a number of states to happen. And Amazon is literally the only thing keeping the United States Postal Service afloat–as package delivery far exceeds regular mail volume now–although that did not prevent the USPS from losing 200-million dollars last year.
I would think that President Trump would be a “give the people what they want” kind of guy–being a “populist” and all. And Amazon is what people want. They don’t want to get off the couch or away from their screens to do anything anymore. That’s why every major retailer is pouring more resources into their on-line selling platforms than they are into stores and displays. That’s why there are hundreds of grocery delivery services now–including those like Blue Apron that not only deliver food, but have it pre-packaged for quick preparation in your home.
Amazon and its myriad of copy-cat sites aren’t “destroying retail”. The people that order from Amazon and any other on-line site are doing it. Internet companies are just the vehicles they are using to do it. Americans are voting with their pocketbooks–and they want to shop from home now. And if President Trump wants to bash them via Twitter he will end up looking like those crackpots of old that got mad at Henry Ford for putting horse-carriage makers and blacksmiths out of business. If Henry Ford owned a newspaper that detailed the daily disasters taking place inside the White House. Can’t forget about that angle to the story.
