Retail stores become shipping hubs to battle Amazon

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Fascinating – just as it appeared that Amazon had outgunned traditional retailers in the war for shoppers, with its cheaper prices and greater selection, retailers have begun the counterattack, using the one advantage they still have: geographical locations. Where previously high street stores were considered a disadvantage against the online-only retailer, if you transform their function from shops to mini-distribution centres and compare the logistics per shipment with Amazon’s main hub system, a very different picture unfolds. “Amazon has already beaten most retailers on price and selection. The third battleground is location, and the smart retailers are not conceding that.”