11 March 2019

U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20230

 

Dear Mr. Wilbur Ross:

I am a student from the City College of New York, and I used to be a loyal customer of most of the online retailer especially Amazon but I was very disappointed with these online retailers during my experience. I am very aware that the U.S. Department of Commerce is one of the U.S. federal administrations and is committed to helping the American economy grow. And I am writing to you because I have discovered economy problems that arise with the diversification of the online retailer. Shopping is an activity in which people search the available goods with the purpose and buy suitable goods. Going shopping is something very important, and necessary for all people. With the increased use of the internet, more and more people towards online shopping. Online shopping has increased and changed the way people shop. Even though many people think online shopping is convenient, we should limit online shopping or even take down some of the large online retailers because it will cause social issues and affect people in a negative way.  

Online shopping has caused many social issues in the United States. Since online shopping becomes more and more popular, it also has an impact on people and society. According to the data, “An estimated 5,300 retail locations have closed through June 20, according to one estimate – nearly triple the rate from a year ago”(America’s). Online shopping caused 5,300 stores to close in 2017 and this figure is three times that of a year ago. In today’s Internet age, if online shopping is not controlled, this data will continue to rise and cause unpredictable consequences. And E-commerce has attracted more shoppers away from traditional stores. With the development of online shopping, more and more people choose shopping online. This has led to many stores unattended sales and the sales decline, which means they can not continue to operate and have to close. Moreover, “The retail sector shed 6,100 positions in June this year alone, according to the Labor Department. Since 2001, employment at department stores like Sears and JCPenney has declined 46 percent.”(America’s). Actually, work is the main way people sustain their lives. The lower unemployment rate is also a manifestation of a country’s economy. And I also understand that the job creation is the fundamental mission to U.S. Department of Commerce, allowing American workers to develop freely, using broadband or Internet to create economic opportunities and making entrepreneurs not burdened by excessive regulation. Online shopping, however, has a serious impact on people’s employment opportunities and I don’t think that what the Department of Commerce done has reached its mission. Because many stores are closed due to online shopping or online retailers and it causes people to lose their jobs. Some of the online retailers may provide people with jobs, but these jobs most are based on computer technologies that they need to know. Most middle-aged people who have not yet reached retirement age and even young people don’t understand online shopping and technologies of the computer. In other words, the online retailer failed to make up the jobs for those who lost their jobs because the store closed.  

Online shopping is increasing people’s health problems. As the upsurge Internet and online shopping, more and more people choose online shopping and stay at home for a long time. Unquestionable online shipping “may offer the convenience of not having to carry heavy bags home from the shops, but that is ruining our muscles,” (Downey). As we all know, online shopping can help us avoid long lines and be more convenient, but it also forces people into inactivity. According to the article, Charter Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) says that people need at least two exercises a week to help us keep our muscles and bones strong, but many people don’t have the awareness or even don’t exercise for a long time. Although online shopping becomes popular, it also lets people become more and lazier and this results in muscle weakness. The diversified development of online retailers has intensified people’s health problems. People who take the mall-walking to achieve fitness says, “the advantages of mall-walking include the fact that shopping malls are traffic free, weather resistant and safe. It can also get you reasonably fit. A 30-minute speed walk incorporating some stair climbing and lunges can burn around 200 calories”(Bee). Walking is a kind of exercise that can maintain a healthy weight and strengthen our bones or muscles. Mall shopping as mall-walking is a benefit for people health. It also helps people burn calories. Compared with the gym that needs to pay membership fees, many people are more willing to go to the big mall to walk as their own exercise. Online shopping, however, makes people no longer care about mall-walking. Many women also said, “they feel safe in the mall–security guards are walking around, too, albeit not as fast–and they like the fact that it’s climate-controlled” (Hofmann). In fact, there are many places around us that we can walk as exercise. Such as park and the side road. But as we know, these places are not necessarily safe and suitable for us. Yet, the mall is a good place to walk on it and solve the problem of the lack of exercise due to online shopping. The long-term economic growth of the United States has generally improved the living conditions of human beings, which is basically no doubt. But in the short term, we cannot ignore people’s health problems due to economic development. If future generations have physical health problems because of the convenience brought about by economic development, who will strive for the future development of the country, and who can enjoy the benefits of economic growth? Although online shopping is more convenient for us,  online shopping will weakness our muscle and affect our health.

Here, I also have to mention you that the American e-commerce giant, Amazon, Amazon’s aggressive expansion of its new business has expanded the scope of its influence. US President Trump has also criticized Amazon that they do not pay taxes to the state and use the postal system which caused significant losses to the entire United States. Amazon’s radical career growth also hurting its competitors and seem to take down Amazon. According to the article, Amazon’s career expansion has affected and hurt eight major industries, including food delivery businesses, shoe stores, grocery stores, consumer staples, department stores, upscale retailers, bookstores and healthcare companies. These industries affected by Amazon have to close down after gradually losing market share and consumers, and Amazon will monopolize the market and continue to grow its dominance in the market(Taylor). Under the absolute monopoly, Amazon will be the only one company to supply, and the company is fully able to control the output of such goods so that the supply of goods are always in short supply. In order can maintain rich profits, the company will keep the price high so that the product cannot be popular and many people can not enjoy this product.  

Many people believe online shopping is more convenient, however, they have this knowledge because they don’t have enough experience on online retailers. Also, online shopping will cause problems for people during shipping and goods. People who support online shopping say, “The convenience is the biggest perk…There are no lines to wait in or shop assistants to wait on to help you with your purchases, and you can do your shopping in minutes.”(Nyxone). Many consumers see convenience as one of the reasons they turn to online shopping. This is easy to refuse because we can not promise the product will be good and suitable. Even though online shopping is a conventional technology for all people, all the goods are not guaranteed. For example, the size of the cloths does not fits, and even some of the goods will have defects and people cannot use. On this basis, consumers need to make complaints and returns to the merchant. Is such online shopping really convenient? This adds another kind of trouble for our life. “Price comparisons. Comparing and researching products and their prices is so much easier online”(Nyxone). This is wrong because people cannot get the product now. All the product has through the shipping, therefore, give to the consumers, and the problem is come out in the shipping. As we all know, shipping isn’t stable and the courier also cannot guarantee it. Sometime the product will send to a wrong place and consumers cannot get it. Finally, the goods will be taken away or disappeared which the money we save after the price comparison is not worth mentioning. Many people and online retailers also claim that “[we] can send gifts more easily. Sending gifts to relatives and friends is easy, no matter where they are. Now, there is no need to make distance an excuse for not sending a gift on occasions”(Nyxone). I know that most online retailers like Amazon have the option to send the goods as gifts but I believe gifts are very meaningful things to our friends and relatives. And if we can send by our own hands this meaningful thing will become more sincere. Also as mentioned above, we cannot promise the product is good and with no defects. If we just through the online shopping to send gifts to any friends and family member, sometime could cause misunderstanding on the gifts and make the relationship become contradictory. Although people believe online shopping is more convenient, it also will have many problems with the product and the shipping of people.

The impact of online shopping on society and people are becoming more and more. As the U.S. Department of Commerce, the department should help the business to have a positive impact on the United States and even the world, but not negative and battered. As a result, the department of commerce should limit the use of online shopping. And we need to look for the best way to shop in the future. I know that many online retailers are building their own physical store, and I hope this behavior can be expanded in America and other countries because it will save those who lost their jobs because the store is closed which can achieve the mission of enhancing job creation. As well as we can help the United States develop the economy and solve the health problem that comes from shopping. Now, it is time for the department to make efforts to make people have a good shopping experience, economic growth and have a better life. Thank you very much for taking the time to look at my letter and I hope to hear from you soon.

 

Sincerely

Jinfu Peng

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Work Cited

“America’s Stores Are Closing. Why Isn’t That Raising a Jobs Alarm?” The Christian Science Monitor, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2017,www.csmonitor.com/Business/2017/0804/America-s-stores-are-closing.-Why-isn-t-that-raising-a-jobs-alarm.

Taylor, Kate. “These 8 Industries Have Been Threatened by Amazon’s Domination.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 31 Mar. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-amazon-is-killing-businesses-2018-3#upscale-retailers-6.

Downey, Andrea. “Online Shopping Is Making Our Bodies Weak.” New York Post, New York Post, 29 Sept.2017,nypost.com/2017/09/29/online-shopping-is-making-our-bodies-weak/.

Bee, Peta. “Forget the Gym. Head for the Shopping Centre.” The Guardian, Guardian News and1 Media, 28 Apr.2008,www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/apr/29/healthandwellbeing.fitness.

Hofmann, Jan. “Having a Ball Walking Tall in the Mall.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 1990, articles.latimes.com/1990-06-14/news/li-458_1_walking-program.

Nyxone. “Importance of E-Commerce and Online Shopping and Why to Sell Online.” Medium.com, Medium, 13 Apr. 2017, medium.com/@nyxonedigital/importance-of-e-commerce-and-online-shopping-and-why-to-sell-online-5a3fd8e6f416.

 

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