Covid-19 Didn't Kill Your Business. You Did.

Many if not all of us have seen the dire predictions of scores of businesses that will shutter their doors forever because of Covid-19. As I scanned the list it read like a who’s who of really poorly operated businesses. From chain restaurants that I wouldn’t frequent on a bet to once-mighty retailers that are a shadow of their former glory. The presupposition of the article was that Covid-19 was killing these businesses. I disagree. While it’s true that the Covid-19 crisis might have dealt the coup de grâce and expedited these establishment’s demise, these businesses were coughing up blood for years, sometimes decades before the virus hastened their death rattles.

Witthaya Prasongsin | Getty Images

For example, being a lazy man who genuinely hates going to brick and mortar stores I was an early adopter of online shopping. I still remember the pitiful website of a monster catalog company. I eagerly went to their web page and began shopping, it was easy—see something you like you put it into your cart. Well, it was easy up to that point; when I went to check out I was told that they would contact me in 3–5 business days with a shipping cost. What? I was incredulous. Doesn’t it stand to reason that if your printed catalog has a price for shipping that your website would too? It turns out no, no they don’t.