The High Street's Revenge: Why Clicks Need Bricks
For years, we’ve been fed the same dreary story. The internet, a relentless digital tsunami, was destined to wash away every last high street shop, leaving behind a ghost town of boarded-up windows. Amazon was the villain, and traditional retail was the damsel in distress, tied to the tracks. It was a compelling narrative. The only problem is, it turned out to be wrong.
To me, the evidence is now overwhelming. The future isn’t purely digital. It’s a messy, clever, and far more interesting hybrid. Just look at Costco. Whilst many online-only darlings are burning through cash to find new customers, the old warehouse giant saw its digital sales leap by over 26 percent. How? By using its physical stores not as a liability, but as a secret weapon.