Do you think they should ban on-line shopping?

I agree entirely !
So many great stores have been strangled by poor economic management of the economy both local and nationally.

Not much retail businesses could do re: covid.
Didn't help that our respective governments were so clueless about what they needed to do; and so slow in implementing it the ending of it is taking far too long and high streets are still becoming ghost towns weekly.

But without choice on the high street you're left with the pirates online.
All jazzy imagery and bumpf yet no idea of the quality (or lack thereof) until you get it.

Oh and let's not forget the con of postage and packaging !
Charging twice or more the post office delivery price only to have it delivered by the post office anyway !

I guess the thing is, it puts vehicles on the road to have everything delivered
but it also puts vehicles on the road if people are gonna go out and buy from a store

I guess we need to look at the statistics.

Train has already left the station.

My heart says yes.

My head (and my pocket) says no.

No. There have been things I need to replace older items in the house, and other items needed for DIY that were only available online. For instance, I needed a specific sized rubber strip for an entry storm door to seal the bottom sweep. I found something that would work from Amazon, and it was perfect for what I needed.

It used to be, maybe 30 years back, that some of the local hardware stores would carry some of this stuff. My first house was built in the 40's, and had an unusual tub/shower fixture. Believe it or not the local place had an exact replacement. Also, replacement for the hvac registers. Those types of places are long gone.

Great in principle but several times recently I've gone to local independents for something and they've said, "Nah! Try Amazon"

To staff those brick and mortar stores with employees that make what's now considered a livable wage means the overhead would be awfully high. Which means their prices would be high. There's no point bringing back all those stores so people can't afford to shop in them. Not to mention they can't offer anywhere near the selection on limited shelf space. The pluses for the consumer are few and far between.

I must to using it occasionally, but only for special items in my hobbies, and not available over the counter. Some of my orders are over the 'phone, using the Internet only for the catalogue and contact details.

I do not use the Internet for everyday things like food. I far prefer real shops, banks and post-offices.

So screw the disabled who can’t leave their homes? Or people who live in rural areas who don’t have easy access to stores?

I love online shopping. I only buy groceries at a store now, and I have so much more time to do what I want to do. Never going back. Walmart is doing pretty good in the online business - others need to adapt.

Trouble is that the world has moved on, we don't need physical stores like we used to. This is like what happened when the industrial revolution took industries like cloth making and automated them. Sure you could ban automatic looms and create work for people to weave by hand but that puts your people at a disadvantage against people who embrace automation and the enhanced productivity.

In person stores probably won't disappear but there will be far fewer of them. Also when these 15 min neighbourhoods come in you won't be able to visit many stores in person anyway (at least without paying) or being able to cycle or use public transport - which depending on the goods being purchased might not be suitable.

no they shouldn't ban it, not everyone can physically get to a 'physical store' as you put it. so online shopping is essential for many people nowadays.

It might just about work in large urban centres but in small provincial towns like the one where I live it would be very restricting.

The problem is that it’s increasingly inconvenient to visit town centres.

At least here in the UK, public transport is expensive/unreliable, ULEZ charges disincentivise driving, stores are closing and not being replaced, and theft is on the rise.

It makes online more appeasing. Councils needs to re-inject life into town centres and ensure reliable transport if they want foot traffic to increase.

Sorry to tell you, but they are not coming back. Private businesses are being terminated by global corporations, and will be replaced by government stores that are really owned by corporations like Black Rock. They are already talking about opening a government grocery store in Chicago. It’s the New World.

Big no. It's so much smoother to just have a warehouse and send parcels then running a physical store. It's more smooth for the buyers too. Especially us who don't have a car or live far away from the city.

No, but I think some online retailers should be taxed so as to level the playing field between them and traditional bricks-and-mortar stores.

No, taking away people’s choices is rarely a good move.
It might be beneficial for brick & mortar stores to find promotions with incentives for people to come in, special sales on their products, extras like coffee or treats to the first 100 customers, etc.

@HumanEarth see you are right during the time of covid on line shopping became very handy rather than go out shopping and contract covid . but unfortunately this has made people lazy and they have continued do so supermarkets and other retailers have felt the pinch so hitting there business hard forcing stores to close

No.. I like not being around lots of people

I hope the hell not! I was at Old Navy recently to buy some sleepwear and the selection was horrible as far as the pants only found 1 I liked in my size so I bought 2 other pairs on eBay.

Yes

Nah.

Many of us need to import stuff because we live in developing nations and online shopping has made life easier for us.

I live in a small town, I wouldn't be able to do my work or have okay internet and electricity if it wasn't for online shopping.

Plus, if you buy quality products from reputable brands, the odds are the items would be fine. Just takes research.

I live in a small town and I am so thankful for online shopping. It should not be banned.

I often watch several youtube reviews on products before I purchase them online, as well as go by legitimate purchaser reviews, they must have a minimum of 2,000 four star and above to make sure they're not shills, and not come directly from China. I must admit I do mourn the loss of malls like everyone of our generation is, however, due to my terminal cardiopulmonary issues I cannot go out as much as I like, I have become 24/7 dependent on assisted oxygen amd get exhaused and short of breath quickly. To many online shopping has been a life saver, I should also add that catalog shopping had been around since when Sears introduced it in the late 1800's, which in reality was no different.