More On Amazon And Inexpensive Products

Take a look here, folks. An SD card loaded up with maps, for $299. Same price online as in store. Free shipping to home or store (the pundits love this stuff). All sorts of wonderful social media integration.

#Omnichannel!

On Amazon, the item cost me $189, no sales tax, free shipping via Prime, arriving in just two days.

What, dear #omnichannel experts, is the customer supposed to do? I know, I know, I get it - you hate Amazon, a company closing in on $100,000,000,000 in annual sales without a retail presence. You love your retail stores. And if your retail stores go under, the whole thing goes under. I get it.

But please be honest. Why should a customer buy this item from a West Marine store (or online at West Marine) when Amazon can hook me up with a vendor willing to sell it for $110 less?

Discuss.