Amazon Scores Another Point Against Bookstores

Slate writer Farhad Manjoo, known for a now-infamous story against local bookstores, has written another report on Amazon's expanding empire. Apparently, the company is attempting to offer same-day delivery, which Manjoo thinks will kill bookstores for good:

Now that it has agreed to collect sales taxes, [Amazon] can legally set up warehouses right inside some of the largest metropolitan areas in the nation. Why would it want to do that? Because Amazon’s new goal is to get stuff to you immediately—as soon as a few hours after you hit Buy.

...It’s hard to overstate how thoroughly this move will shake up the retail industry. Same-day delivery has long been the holy grail of Internet retailers, something that dozens of startups have tried and failed to accomplish. (Remember Kozmo.com?) But Amazon is investing billions to make next-day delivery standard, and same-day delivery an option for lots of customers. If it can pull that off, the company will permanently alter how we shop. To put it more bluntly: Physical retailers will be hosed.

Ugh. If you can stomach it, read the full article here.