Devoted to online marketing, viral marketing, and web marketing

According to a report released this week by Deloitte, there will be a "cash crunch" for retailers, not only this year, but for years to come, because in a large part to the Internet.

The major problems for the retailers, according to Deloitte, are online commerce, increased ability to access product information and viral PR problems that can be spread rapidly.

"In some ways," the report says, "consumers have reached a level of information parity with retailers," making comparison shopping and product quality research easier. This, in turn, will further reduce "the value of, and need for retail workers who actually try to sell the consumer something."
 
This is an odd report to me in that these ramifications have been known for quite a long time. It's almost like somebody discovered what's been happening for several years and is now suddenly panicking about it.

As far as retailers go, from the moment that you could compare prices online, a revolution in retail began and downward pressures on prices have been the result.

The comment that retail workers trying to sell something to the consumer is no longer valued is only partially true. I think among certain demographics more than others. What that comment is really talking about is people are much more informed now than ever and take that information with them when they buy in an offline retail environment.

Other studies have shown though that while many people do research online, there is still a large amount that then go to a physical store to buy the item. But when you think of it, if a retailer doesn't have an online presence getting their share of the market, they probably don't deserve to continue operating as it is.

To me this study seems a little behind the times and something that could have been put out about two years ago. Still, the results are true in that retailers must understand the pressures that are upon them in connection to the Internet.