With the sales tax now applied to onlne sales, customers now have to pay the tax plus the shipping and have to wait for the item to be delivered, which puts Internet sellers at a disadvantage.
Amazon is opening two huge distribution centers South of Richmond, VA. I’m told their long term goal is next-day delivery for the major portion of their markets and SAME-day delivery if you’re willing to pay a small fee. If there’s a substantial difference in price I expect folks will go to Amazon.
If it arrives damaged, then there's more hassle. No thanks, I'd rather go to a brick and mortar and hold the actual product.
And yet bricks & motor book stores (to say nothing of video stores) are going broke. Borders is now “Boarded Up”.