About time. The United States Military is embracing online shopping, extending the brick and motor tax free military base shopping (aka the Military PX or Commissary) to the online shopping site, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. This benefit will soon be available to all honorably discharged military veterans, for all military branches.
The driving reasons for the military's embrace of online shopping? (1) Necessity. And (2) Amazon. Yep, Amazon. According to
this Associated Press article in the New York Times:
"Adding 13 million potential new customers will give extra ammunition to the group that runs the stores on U.S. Army and Air Force bases worldwide as it fights Amazon and other retailers for veterans' online shopping dollars."
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Shopping at a United States Military Commissary, Date Unknown. |
The Benefit: It's Not Just About Tax Free
Brick and mortar Military Commissary stores sell goods to military personnel not only tax free, but at prices generally about 30% lower than local grocery and similar stores. Having this same purchase power for online shopping will be a wonderful financial benefit (not to mention the convenience) for our retired service men and women, particularly those who lack local access to a Military Commissary store.
Interesting how shopping has evolved simply due to Amazon's presence. Who would have thought an online book store would grow into the powerful, nearly invincible retail and shopping force Amazon is today?
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