# Industries Ripe for Disruption **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859 "2021-04-12T17:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/41 "2021-04-13T15:42:20Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > > [@xizor](#): > > > > Movie theater concession stands are horribly inefficient. > > Many theater chains have moved to a cafeteria line style for concessions. I don’t think that’s really a disruption, but a better model to serve. > > But it seems that movie theaters may have been partially disrupted by COVID and direct to streaming. > > Other disruptions that are ripe (to use the OP’s term) are wine and liquor sales. Every state (much like auto dealerships) have many varying laws about the sale and distribution of alcohol. Most of these antiquated laws are still in place due to liquor store lobbying groups in each state. You should be able to go into any grocery store or big box store in the US and buy wine, beer and liquor with your grocery purchases. But that ain’t the case. A terrible idea. It would mean that it would be impossible to get most wines and liquors. Liquor stores can always carry a wider selection than a grocery store, and a grocery store would only stock best-selling brands and certainly no high end liquors or wines. But the cheaper stuff keeps liquor stores in business, so they’d fail and most people would be stuck with Gallo Wine and the ilk. Single-malt scotch would be impossible to find. It would also hurt wineries and distilleries. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/42 "2021-04-13T15:49:35Z")
Many states do have beer & wine in Supermarkets. They still have successful liquor stores. I’m not sure your post holds up well to reality, but maybe I’m missing something. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/43 "2021-04-13T15:56:17Z")
Re: booze, don’t at least some of the restrictions/taxes ostensibly reflect societal costs related to alcohol consumption, and a desire to control distribution - such as to minors? (Not saying those efforts are terribly successful, but not indefensible goals IMO.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/44 "2021-04-13T16:02:21Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > If I had a billion dollars and wanted to make a long-term investment, I would buy out one of the smaller failing chains — Regal, say. I’d dramatically shrink its holdings, dumping at least half of its facilities. Then I’d massively remodel what remains, looking ahead to the probable future situation, gutting the 18-plexes and replacing them with four or five oversized spaces per site. (And, yes, a cafeteria-style concessions lobby, plus even better food options for in-seat delivery.) This means the whole operation would be closed for probably two years after acquisition before re-opening. It would look a lot like the Alamo Drafthouse model, except it would launch nationally instead of slowly growing region by region, it would be heavily focused on tentpole spectacle to attract an audience beyond the habitual repeat viewer, and it wouldn’t have a toxic dipshit at the top, enabling a culture of sexual harassment. With those changes, it’s a good indication of where the exhibition experience is likely to evolve. You may already be aware, but Alamo Drafthouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization last year and just yesterday ArcLight theaters closed, in case you really do have that billion dollars sitting around. And I remember hearing even before the pandemic that AMC theaters were in financial trouble. I thought there was interest from Amazon in taking them over, which might be interesting; imagine special film presentations that require an Amazon Prime membership to attend. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/45 "2021-04-13T16:26:18Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Re: booze, don’t at least some of the restrictions/taxes ostensibly reflect societal costs related to alcohol consumption, and a desire to control distribution - such as to minors? > > (Not saying those efforts are terribly successful, but not indefensible goals IMO.) I think dividing beer/wine to grocery stores and liquor in liquor stores is a good compromise. One reason I don’t support liquor in grocery stores is that it seems like it would make it harder for alcoholics to stay sober. Certainly they can still get drunk on beer/wine, but it’s not going to be as easy as picking up a 5th of vodka at every corner quickie-mart. I was in New Mexico a while back and noticed they had liquor in convenience stores. Behind every convenience store cashier is a wall of liquor bottles. For someone who is struggling with alcohol consumption, that kind of availability seems like it would present a lot of temptation when doing something benign like paying for gas. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/46 "2021-04-13T16:37:23Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I definitely think that the auto dealership model needs to be disrupted – most people abhor shopping for a car, because the process (at most dealers) is built around haggling for a price. While there are some car buyers who are comfortable doing so (and feel a sense of accomplishment when they get “a good deal”), they’re likely a small minority – for most people, haggling, and dealing with the dealership’s sales tactics, makes them very uncomfortable, as does the worry that they may wind up paying more than they should. Something that could be classed as disruption of the car dealership market here in the UK, is an online company called ‘carwow’, which allows you to specify the precise spec of car you want, and the app then contacts hundreds of car dealers nationwide for you. They basically pitch a price to you, and you just pick the price you want - no haggling. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/47 "2021-04-13T16:39:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > But the cheaper stuff keeps liquor stores in business, so they’d fail and most people would be stuck with Gallo Wine and the ilk. Single-malt scotch would be impossible to find. It would also hurt wineries and distilleries. Doesn’t seem to be a problem anywhere in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/48 "2021-04-13T16:50:36Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Something that could be classed as disruption of the car dealership market here in the UK, is an online company called ‘carwow’, which allows you to specify the precise spec of car you want, and the app then contacts hundreds of car dealers nationwide for you. They basically pitch a price to you, and you just pick the price you want - no haggling. In the US we can do something similar, but it may be done manually. About a decade ago we purchased a car by emailing the local dealers’ “Internet Sales Dept” with the specifics of what we wanted and how much we wanted to pay. The first one that got back to us got the sale. We did have to go to the dealer, but since the deal was already done there was none of the usual bullshit and no haggling. The internet sales manager was not a turd and even thru in a cargo mat and the mud guards at no additional charge. Things have probably evolved a bit since then. Does carwow charge a fee? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/49 "2021-04-13T16:52:16Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > …but it’s not going to be as easy as picking up a 5th of vodka at every corner quickie-mart. Never really thought much about limiting access, but on occasion it has stricken me as odd when I pull off the expressway on a road trip to get gas in the middle of nowhere, and there are coolers/shelves stocked w/ beer/wine/booze. Sure, I know SOMEONE lives even in the middle of nowhere, but seems perfectly suited to encourage drinking and driving. Of course, I’ve heard of places that have drive thrus where you can buy mixed drinks… 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/50 "2021-04-13T17:09:29Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I guarantee that at a state level, these people would completely lose their shit if someone suggested we be able to mail order booze, or buy it in a mere grocery store, despite the evidence of other states and nations. I routinely get mail-order wine, and never thought about getting booze that way, but checking a couple of online stores, it looks like Texas _does_ allow it. I went through to the checkout screen to test it just in case they would not process the order because of my Texas address. The only problem was the cost. A bottle of cheap brandy(I have one in my pantry with a price sticker on it so I could compare) cost the same $12.99 that I paid last November, but with the cheapest shipping(don’t need booze fast! 🙂 ) it came to $31.00. Free shipping was offered only for purchases over $150, IIRC. I think that might be why it’s not more well known. People routinely buy wine by the case, but unless they’re planning one hell of a New Year’s eve party very few buy a whole case of liquor. When I moved from Maryland to Texas I was pleasantly surprised that beer and wine were sold in grocery and convenience stores. In Maryland (unless it has changed since the early '90s), even beer was only available in liquor stores. But I agree with _ **RealityChuck** _ that keeping the hard stuff in liquor stores allows for the continued availability of a greater variety. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/51 "2021-04-13T17:16:57Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Of course, I’ve heard of places that have drive thrus where you can buy mixed drinks… Years ago when Pennsylvania had legislation working that would eventually allow growler sales of beer, a friend of mine told me he’d be selling minigrowlers. I stopped by his place where he sold mixed six packs and had two taps, but no actual bar. He initially had little plastic jugs (quart iced tea jugs) that he would fill with beer, then seal with a cap. He had guys lined up to buy these take-out quarts of beer after work. I couldn’t see the attraction, since by the time you got home the beer would be warm. Then I saw what was up. Sitting in his parking lot I watched guys leaving with their quarts. Every single one of them glanced around after getting into their vehicle, then opened the lid. Aha! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/52 "2021-04-13T17:37:08Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > For someone who is struggling with alcohol consumption, that kind of availability seems like it would present a lot of temptation You make it sound like temptation was something evil. Living in Europe, where you can buy alcohol in every shop (well, not in Sweden and really not in Iceland, I admit, but in most countries) people are not drinking all the time, especially not before driving. Alcohol in a shop is not a temptation, it is an offer most people refuse. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/53 "2021-04-13T17:41:48Z")
A disruption I would root for: Religion. Bring one on without the guilt and without the remorse of conscience. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/54 "2021-04-13T17:55:43Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Never really thought much about limiting access, but on occasion it has stricken me as odd when I pull off the expressway on a road trip to get gas in the middle of nowhere, and there are coolers/shelves stocked w/ beer/wine/booze. Sure, I know SOMEONE lives even in the middle of nowhere, but seems perfectly suited to encourage drinking and driving. Could be, but I’d think it’s either that the county you’re in currently is a wet one surrounded by dry ones. Or, someone on a road trip grabs a bottle for whenever they get to their motel for the evening ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/55 "2021-04-13T17:58:21Z")
Really? Most sites I’ve gone to won’t let me do it. Looks like maybe IF a winery has a specific sort of Texas permit, they can ship directly to consumers, but distilleries, breweries, and out-of-state liquor retailers can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/56 "2021-04-13T18:11:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > A terrible idea. It would mean that it would be impossible to get most wines and liquors. Liquor stores can always carry a wider selection than a grocery store, and a grocery store would only stock best-selling brands and certainly no high end liquors or wines. > > But the cheaper stuff keeps liquor stores in business, so they’d fail and most people would be stuck with Gallo Wine and the ilk. Single-malt scotch would be impossible to find. It would also hurt wineries and distilleries. I totally disagree. Sorta. The grocery stores around here have quite a large selection of single malts, for example. Much larger (and cheaper) than any of the non-warehouse liquor stores at least. Pretty good wine selections, too. The only place that has a better selection is 10 times the size of the stand-alone liquor store. Bevmo and Liquorama are monsters. Your average independent liquor store isn’t going to stock a wider variety because they have very limited room for stock. So they will devote massive space to shit that sells. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/57 "2021-04-13T18:43:56Z")
The first time I did this it worked out pretty well. They tried to add a documentation fee to the price we agreed on, but the email clearly said that the price included the documentation fee. They took it off and we were all set. The second and third times, each lowest price dealer we went into with an e-mail from the internet sales department wanted to tack on stuff. Just a couple of hundred dollars, but I was pissed and refused to talk at all. We had to go with the second lowest price quoted in each case who actually honored the prices quoted. In one case we would have actually paid less at the first dealer, but I was not going to reward them for playing games. I’ve also gotten some amazingly abusive emails from dealers who refused to quote prices on email. I was tempted to post them on social media, but decided that not buying from them was enough. Basically accusing me of trying to take food out of the mouths of their children by breaking a business model that has served customers well for a hundred years. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/58 "2021-04-13T19:02:03Z")
Manufacturing, especially small scale and bespoke manufacturing. It is possible now to design, build, and test prototypes in your own home for next to nothing. You can send your files to services to have your parts printed in many different metals and other materials. This is already impacting collectors and restorers. Where an aftermarket hood badge for a rare car could set you back hundreds of dollars before, you can design one now in a 3D cad program, print a prototype in plastic to check fit and finish, then send out for a stainless or chrome metal version. My wife has a rare car, and we needed a suspension piece that is no longer available. Our auto shop made a call, and we had a new manufactured part in hand in a few days for surprisingly cheap. That could never have happened 10 years ago. This is slowly going to be extended into full distributed supply chains. Add in Chinese manufacturing in bulk, and you can be the designer and seller of a new product from your home. The market is already flooding with such products. One industry where this is happening fast is in prosthetics. I have 3D printed a prosthetic hand, and with 30 bucks in parts I can turn it into a muscle-controlled functional hand - something that would have cost many thousands of dollars not long ago. All of these technologies are getting better rapidly. I now have two 3D printers, a desktop CNC mill with a 5W laser cutter/engraver, and the total cost is well under $1000. Fusion 360 is a full featured CAD/CAM package, and it’s free until you are actually profitable, then it’s very reasonably priced. The amount of engineering power an individual can now have is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/59 "2021-04-13T19:27:36Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > Thanks for the excellent explanation. > > Agree! @Cervaise, great info in your posts regarding an industry I know very little about. Thank you! Yes, a great explanation. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859/60 "2021-04-13T19:32:30Z")
And there are many more that sell beer & wine in groceries as well as liquor stores, and they STILL stock the high end and low end stuff. To the point that in some areas, there are specific beer & wine stores, even though groceries sell beer and wine already. Adding liquor to that would just mean that you would buy your Cuervo Gold at the grocery, while you’d buy your Don Julio 1942 at the liquor store, because grocery stores aren’t going to carry that. Stuff in the middle would probably depend on what the grocery stores carry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/industries-ripe-for-disruption/939859.md?page=4)