Online retailing up tenfold: Wrong fight?

In a world of relentless and seemingly accelerating change, it is sometimes difficult to know if the battles you choose to fight are still relevant, if the issues in play are yesterday’s or if they might still have relevance in a few years.

The Polish 18th Pomeranian Uhlans calvary sent to confront German forces at the Tuchola Forest on September 1, 1939, was taught this lesson around relevance in a profound way.

The Visa consumer spending index for April records a huge change in how we interact with retailers.

It found that online consumer spending — or e-commerce — is growing at 10 times the rate of traditional person-to-person retailing.

The April figures showed consumer spending rose 3.8% year-on-year. This was the 14th consecutive month of growth.

There is an ongoing debate about traffic access to Cork’s St Patrick’s Street.

Some retailers oppose the development believing it will damage their businesses.

The Visa figures suggest that even though they believe they are fighting the good fight, they may well be defeated by unstoppable change.

Just like the unfortunate Uhlans all those years ago.