People put up with the impersonal experience of massive marketplaces like Amazon for the discounts, the ability to deliver within 24 hours, and other “super powers that compensate for the lack of authenticity,” Perry said. What sets small business owners apart is that they care about the purchase, the conversation, and who you are.
While bots offer small business owners greater efficiency that allows them to compete with the Amazons of the world, Perry said he doesn’t know if the potential loss of human “authenticity” is going to take away their edge. “That is my biggest fear,” he said, “I talk to my wife about this. I lose sleep over this.”
