Q&A
Impact of e-commerce and Amazon on local businesses
1:13:25
ยท
122 sec
Council Member Feliz raises questions about the impact of e-commerce, specifically Amazon, on local businesses. Commissioner Gross discusses the prevalence of deliveries in NYC and the challenges faced by local businesses.
- A high percentage of NYC households receive weekly deliveries, impacting street congestion
- The growth of the transportation and logistics industry provides new business opportunities
- Amazon claims to engage small business owners through their platform
- SBS is focused on investing in small business resilience to help them adapt to changing market conditions
Oswald Feliz
1:13:25
Good.
1:13:26
Good.
1:13:28
To what just curious.
1:13:29
So about a month ago, I was shopping, looking online what's available, including at Home Depot, doing some stuff in my apartment.
1:13:37
And then I was able to get a large item that I would have otherwise have gone to Home Depot to pick up and then have to carry and then have to deliver.
1:13:44
My car is not large enough for the item.
1:13:47
Amazon was able to deliver it within 12 hours.
UNKNOWN
1:13:49
Mhmm.
Oswald Feliz
1:13:50
So just curious.
1:13:51
To what extent is companies like Amazon playing a role?
1:13:56
Again, imagine a large item that you'll have to pay for delivery or carry yourself, have to, number 1, go to Home Depot or travel versus being able to have it.
1:14:04
You order it at 8 PM the day before.
1:14:07
10 AM, it's in front of your door.
1:14:09
That's
Dynishal Gross
1:14:10
So our Department of Transportation did a study and they put out a stat on the percentage of New York City households that receive a delivery every week.
1:14:21
And I always say it wrong, but it's enormous.
1:14:25
Right?
1:14:26
I'll I'll we'll circle back to you with the specific stat.
1:14:28
I mean, we we see it.
1:14:30
We see the trucks on our streets.
1:14:32
Right?
1:14:32
It's part of the congestion we experience in our city.
1:14:37
You know, I'm I'm not sure that there's a right or wrong there.
1:14:40
We also have a growing set of business owners that participate in the transportation and logistics industry.
1:14:47
They do some of our hiring through workforce 1.
1:14:50
Those are important aspects of business growth as well.
1:14:54
So, it's definitely a challenge for for local businesses that have to compete in that way.
1:15:01
I think the story Amazon would tell is that they also, engage small business owners, so that they're able to sell through their platforms.
1:15:11
How can we understand the aggregate impact?
1:15:13
I think it's something that we watch over time.
1:15:16
And it's we also need to invest in small business resilience to help those businesses that want to pivot, you know, figure out ways to use the expertise that they've developed