I think there should be a good balance of online and local shops. It is a pain in the butt to return or exchange online. Also for those of us who like to touch and get a sense of a product first hand, going to a store is much more feasible. I bought a BladeTech OWB holster for IDPA because a shop had a large selection and they let me put it on to try it out. Fit great, bought it.
It also depends on the products. Even though groceries can be bought online, I much prefer to pick them out myself. Ever order bread and then have them delivered only to find the guy that picked them out didnt notice they expire that same day
. From the ball and chain's stand point, she likes seeing items online but prefers buy in store to try them on. Seeing how something looks on her versus on an image online makes a huge difference sometimes.
The rental/lease costs for space some of these places like Radio Shack pays is high, adding other costs of doing business (labor, utilities, shipping, etc), they still seem to be doing ok. How long they will still be open
