another firm goes under

[Workingman]

Blockbuster, another crash waiting to happen, and it will not be the last... the Amazon business model killed it.

The reality is that even supermarkets will not need to be the behemoths they are today... once home delivery really takes off.

I wonder how Mary Portas is doing with her High St regeneration ideas?

[Aggers]

It seems to me that what we have seen happening to the High Streets is only the start
of the shopping revolution that is being caused by the Internet.

The Internet has a lot to answer for in all aspects of our lives (and the lives of our children).

[Kaz]

It does Aggers, but we wouldn't be on here without it

[miasmum]

What I want to know is how on earth does WHSmith keep going?

[meriad]

I think they've scaled down quite a bit and they probably do need to worry, but what they have done is kept a very niche market - most larger rail stations all have a WHSmith inside them and they are always busy... same for airports; they all have a WHSmith. And also, they sell all sorts of things from books, stationery, confectionery, newspapers, magazines, gift cards.

not to mention that it also seems that a few of the stores have sub-let space to the post office; again making revenue

[Workingman]

And W H Smiths, with Menzies, is one of the biggest print distributors in the country. It does not rely on shops.

[TheOstrich]

That's very true about WH Smiths - mega player in newspaper distribution.

But how long will it be before we see a newspaper go under thanks to the internet?

[JoM]

And also, they sell all sorts of things from books, stationery...

They stock these things but whenever I go into my local one they never seem to be selling much in the way of them, probably because they're so expensive and yet again they're things you can find online much cheaper. Like Frank said though, newspaper and magazine distribution is where they make their money.

Anyone know how Rymans are doing? We've one in town but it's rare to see more than a customer or two in there, and they seem quite expensive.

[Workingman]

Rymans Jo. Another old name.

When I was at college it was the shop for folios, sketch pads, pencils, pens.... you name it.

Now those things can be bought anywhere. The old specialism no longer applies. They are in the area of another set of outlets that will die.

[JoM]

It'd be a big shame to see them go, when the boys were younger we'd always go there for the fancy pencil cases for school and everything under the sun to fill them.