The Second Machine Age: 5 Things Our Kids’ Kids Won’t Know about Retail Shopping

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  1. What it was like to purchase goods and take them with you
  2. That Walmart once employed nearly as many people as the U.S. Armed Forces
  3. What “Black Friday” was
  4. What a store credit card was
  5. What it was like to be shopping pack horses at holiday sales

After reading my post on the emergence of The Second Machine Age and what it holds for the world of transportation, my boss responded, “I still prefer a clutch and a gear stick!”

And if the comments I received from many of you are any indication, you may feel similarly. However, you also told me you are excited about the changes that lie ahead, not just for transportation, but also for other industries. This made me think about retail and healthcare, and how these industries are transforming as we speak.

In this blog, I’m focused on the impact of the Second Machine Age on retail, and am saving healthcare for a future post. Fascinating? You bet!

In the world of retail, while we’re already feeling the effects of the transformation from “bricks-to-clicks,” let’s fast forward a few chapters and see where we’re headed.

It’s fair to say that if Amazon isn’t the largest retailer, it’s pretty close. Click here to read the full post on our sister site Reflections.

About the Author: Guy Churchward