

First Look at Uber’s Co-Founder’s Shopping Concierge “Operator” - carlchenet
http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/22/the-request-network/

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nostrademons
It's funny how shopping has come full circle since the 1850s.

Back then, you went to the corner general store, you told the shopkeeper what
you wanted, he went behind the counter, assembled all your items, and handed
them to you. Then department stores came out in the late 1800s; they were
revolutionary at the time in letting the customer do their own shopping and
only offering assistance if you specifically asked. Department stores begat
catalog retail, where there was no human, you just placed an order by mail and
it was shipped to you. Catalog retail begat e-commerce, where the catalogs
were placed online and the retailers dispensed with stores entirely.
E-commerce begat the sharing economy, where _in specific verticals_ you could
just plug your search into your phone and a delivery person would appear with
your items. Now the sharing economy has generated concierge services, where
you tell the shopkeeper what you want, he goes behind the (virtual) counter,
assembles your items, and he (or rather some abstracted, unnamed delivery
person) hands them to you. All over your mobile phone network, of course.

