Today, the idea of has returned—but with a twist. Now, the consumer is the distributor.
But by the mid-1990s, the model collapsed. Big-box stores like Walmart and Costco offered lower prices without the wait, and e-commerce was beginning to whisper its promise of "infinite aisle, delivered to your door." consumers distributing
In an age of supply chain fragility and climate urgency, the most radical act might be to take distribution back into our own hands—not as exploited gig workers, but as organized communities. The catalog has been replaced by a group chat. The warehouse is your neighbor's garage. And the checkout line? There isn't one. Today, the idea of has returned—but with a twist
We face a fork in the road. One path leads to platform dependence : consumers as unpaid last-mile labor for giant corporations, absorbing delivery costs and risks. The other path—seen in mutual aid networks, repair cafes, and local food co-ops—points toward democratic distribution , where communities own and operate their own logistics. Big-box stores like Walmart and Costco offered lower