One thing that maybe hasn't gotten quite enough attention in this discussion is that big online retailers like Amazon are a great boon to people who are infirm (e.g.: advanced elderly or living in very rural areas).
I'm in my 50's. When I was a kid in a very rural area (e.g.: dirt road, surrounded by forest, armadillo dug ruts in the yard), we were about 20 miles from the main city (50 or 60 something thousand?). Mail order (other than Sears or J.C. Penny) wasn't common, trusted or fast (think 6 to 8 weeks?). Many specialty hobby products were a dream unless I could get a parent to drive around 1-1/2 hours to the big city. These days there are more Staples, Office-Max and Office Depot type stores, but I remember when rural equaled far less access to specialty products. Now my old Dad even further out in the boonies, in poor health and not getting out much, can have specialty products off Amazon brought by UPS. The biggest concern is making sure the elderly (like older than dirt) chihuahua who hates the UPS driver is in the house when she comes.
Handicapped people, the elderly, people too young to drive whose parents don't care to chaperone them around, and don't live in places with convenient public transpiration even if they can get out, benefit heavily from online ordering. Much of the U.S. is car-dependent, and not everyone can drive.
That is a very good, necessary and fair point.
The relative size of the US (particularly when compared to/contrasted with much of western Europe) - and the vast rural areas (whereas much of western Europe is both smaller geographically, and much more intensely urbanised) do bring a somewhat different perspective to discussion of this question.
And yes, for people who are infirm, or not otherwise mobile, of course online retailers are a terrific boon (I would never attempt to argue otherwise), and offer convenience and variety of choice that cannot be obtained anywhere else.
What's more, online retailers make it easy to send gifts and such. When Christmas rolls around, and the Black Friday and Cyber Monday species are on, I have the option to buy online and have something sent right to him.
Also true.
The U.S. is largely car culture oriented; a cell phone is handy in case someone breaks down.
Fair point (whereas, in Europe, public transport, for the most part, tends to be pretty good, - safe, reliable, frequent, and affordable - and distances, are perhaps, a lot less than you would find in the US).
We're always used to being able to reach each other most of the time by text, etc...
In my professional life, yes, I accept those restrictions; but not - any longer - in my personal life.
Going out for hours when your kids can't reach you, etc..., isn't appealing...never mind the risk of being stuck in line waiting without our pocket entertainment system.
I hear you, but - when at home, (working when I am deployed abroad is different, for obvious reasons), and, now that my mother (for whom I was responsible) has passed away, and I no longer need to be contactable at all times, I very rarely carry a phone when I am out and about.
It is wonderful to no longer need to be tethered to such a thing.
And patience - plus actually paying some heed to your surroundings - are also habits worth cultivating, to my mind.
Asking questions of store staff can be informative, but they have a conflict of interest in pushing their store's stock.
Not if you are questioning them about the merits of a number of different brands that have manufactured a specific product, - I may wish to purchase a fridge, or a washing machine, but I am very keen to know what they think of the qualities of the respective brands, and, moreover, I will have done some reading and research in advance - and not if you visit several stores (as I am wont to do).
However, my world is broadly urban, and I do have access to bricks'n'mortar stores, and would profoundly regret their absence if they no longer existed.
