Going online and shopping the entire world, and getting exactly what you want at the lowest price, instead of driving to several stores, running around, not finding what you really want, and settling for something you don't want, at a high price, is the best thing since, well, Al Gore's Internet thing.
Regarding the relentless, nefarious effort to sell Prime, about three weeks ago I found exactly what I had been looking for, at the lowest price, on Amazon, and it said free 2-day shipping, no mention of Prime. When I went to my shopping cart, that free 2-day shipping was no longer an option. There were two options on Prime, then a line, then one non-Prime option. I chose the Non-Prime option, and ordered.
Whattya know, I immediately got a welcome to Prime email. I called and a nice lady who seemed to already know exactly what happened said she would set my Prime account so it would not automatically renew after the 30 day free period.
Then, later, DW said she would probably like all the free stuff on Prime. She looked, to see what she could get during the free period, and did not find anything.
I have always had great service from third-party Amazon vendors, including two laptops. Those vendors bend over backwards to stay on the good side of Amazon.
Speaking bricks and mortar, I look at Bass Pro, and how successful they are, and wonder if that will be the case in 20 years.