Investing.com - This week Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) officially closed its online store that carried coffee blends, teas, mugs, and espresso machines. Instead, Starbucks will focus exclusively on their brick-and-mortar locations.The news comes as a surprise for many, as brick-and-mortar retail has been crashing – all over the world, and especially in America. Bankruptcies are on the rise and stores are closing in astonishing numbers. In large part, this trend is due to the rise of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and e-commerce in general. Many consumers find it easier to price compare and shop online. Confronting this harsh reality, many retailers have recently invested tremendously in boosting their online presence. Starbucks is going the other way around.Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz already said back in April that “every retailer that is going to win in this new environment must become an experiential destination. Your product and services, for the most part, cannot be available online.”Now, he’s putting his money where his mouth is, betting heavily that customers want an immersive, in-store Starbucks experience. Time will tell if going against the grain will pay off for Starbucks.
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