It’s universally recognized that 2020 was a perfectly dreadful year for practically everyone. Unless you’re Jeff Bezos. On Tuesday, his company, Amazon, reported US$7.2 billion ($9.23 billion) in net income in the fourth quarter on US$125.5 billion in sales, marking the first time its quarterly sales have topped $100 billion.
These numbers are sure to add fuel to the growing backlash against the company that saw its sales rise by 37 per cent in 2020, as many other retailers were driven out of business. But it’s hard to feel sorry for businesses that still haven’t figured out how to provide a decent online shopping experience.
Even before the pandemic, Canadians were turning to online shopping in increasing numbers. Between 2016 and 2019, the proportion of online sales rose from 2.4 to four per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Retailers with an established online presence, like Amazon, did really well, while others were caught off guard. And while it’s understandable that many mom-and-pop shops didn’t have an online presence before the pandemic, it’s amazing how many large, established retailers have not figured out the basics of e-commerce.
No comments:
Post a Comment