Technology and the Home Improvement business

Has the Internet killed the retail outlets? Are any of us able to compete with firms selling boxes on the Internet at stupid profit margins? At a time when money is very important and people want to achieve the best value of money for the goods they purchase, the Internet and all its selling sites; Internet traders and sites like Ebay have their place and we will never be able to compete on a like for like basis. But do we want to compete? I do not want to work for silly margins and rely on quantity sales to reach my break even figures. I, like many retailers, provide a service, I provide a place where people can touch the goods, where they get free face to face advice and where they only part with money when the goods are known to be in stock.
So back to my original question can we compete with the Internet, on price the answer is always no, but on service always, hands down. Support your local retailers buy locally and buy a local service.

Bathroom colours over the last 20 years

Having traded since 1987 MBK has a history of bathroom design in the suites sold to clients over those years. In the late eighties and early nineties, people were ripping out suites in the glorious colours of Penthouse Red, Avocado, Bahamas Beige, Pampas and Primrose and replacing them with the pastel shades of Pink, Ivory, peach and whisper cream, white was only sold with traditional suites. In the late nineties and early 21st century we rarely see a coloured suite, all the colour is in the accessories, the tiles, the flooring and designer radiators, gone are gold taps and chrome and white rule the roost. But we are advised Black is the colour, not sure I agree on my past experience with dark colours they are so difficult to keep clean, when did you last see a dirty white car? We will see but white is the colour available and now the interest is centred on the taps and more money is spent on the brassware than in some cases the pottery.