Friday, February 08, 2013

1919 Primarily Showroomed

As you probably know by now, I'm fascinated by words. Both old and new. In the last year we've had a couple of brand new doozies.
They call the process new word "coinage." Coining a word always seemed weird to me, as no forges or mints were involved. But I suppose it's the right expression to use, as words do start to circulate in the currency of language.
One word so circulating last year was the word "primary" used as a verb. As in, he was from a conservative district and he worried he would be primaried. Being primaried means that a big bucks special interest would come into a small district and bankroll an opponent from your party to run against you.
As primaries are affairs where traditionally an incumbent candidate can save money and effort, an outside big-bankrolled opponent is something to fear indeed. So like a senate filibuster, the mere threat of being primaried kept many more middle of the road candidates treading the line, for fear the rich extremist wingnuts of the party would strike them in their soft primary underbelly.
Another new word was showrooming. Showrooming is the practice of physically exploring, experimenting with, and handling a product in a brick and mortar store and then ordering it for less online.
The online retailers have less labor overheard, since they don't have to hire expert knowledgeable employees, and the store with the showroom is nearly bankrupt because all their sales are going to the lowest pricer.
Obviously an unsustainable business model. And why many degree holding experts are picking shelves at Amazon.
And why when you get swept into a cellphone sales kiosk at the mall you can't get out alive. Unless you have a new phone.
With an unlockable primary carrier of course.
America, ya gotta love it.

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