What a sad world we now live in.......

Lowrider.

Nope been here in the USA since 2000 my friend.

I escaped the UK!

Actually they are probably as happy about it as I am.... lol. 

But that is a good point as to differing mentalities in different countries, including buying habits and listening habits.

Heck I know one of my old friends back in the UK still watches VHS movies as he had a huge collection of them and bought 3 or 4 top quality decks to keep playing them on.

I do not even see VHS movies for sale on flea markets here any longer!

In Econ 101 you will be told that the great advantage of capitalism is competition , in fact you need only to look around you to see it abhors same .More is owned by fewer and fewer and that will continue as long as the earth lasts .

I do all my CD and LP shopping on EBay.   I usually buy used. Thousands of titles available! Most any music one wants can be found via a smartphone! And often with free shipping! No need to travel to a store and look through a limited stock. This is the 21th Century!

The only thing a store can offer over the 'Net is instant gratification - if what music one desires is on the shelf/bin! And of course, the matter of sales tax!

It would be interesting to do a blind test playing the same song on a CD player Vs on Tidal.  Wonder if some would pick Tidal over a CD.  Then run a placebo test.