Editor’s Note: The video and article by Epic Economist does a good job of focusing on the economic challenges companies like Amazon are facing, but we cannot dismiss the sentiment of many American consumers regarding “wokeness.” This isn’t just about a bad economy or inflation. More Americans are rightly turning to companies both local and larger that have not embraced ESG ideology or DEI policies. This trend needs to continue. It needs to grow. With that said, here’s the Epic Economist…
The nightmare in the retail sector never seems to end, and now Amazon, the second largest online and physical retailer in the world, is giving up on its brick-and-mortar operations, according to a new report and warnings issued by the company’s CEO Andy Jassy.
Its stores continue to disappear amid the most dramatic shift the industry has ever experienced, and the problems faced by the retail giant are scaring the living daylights out of its rivals, which have a smaller market share and bigger liabilities that could rapidly throw them over the edge.
At this point, some of America’s largest brands have already started taking extreme measures to protect their businesses as they get ready for a perfect storm that is threatening to spark the most devastating wave of bankruptcies recorded since 2017. For many of our beloved retailers, this is the beginning of the end.
Amazon recently published an annual letter to its shareholders saying that its service division, a huge part of its business that generates roughly $62 billion in revenue every year, is facing a series of headwinds that are forcing the company to cut costs on other divisions, including brick-and-mortar retail, in order to focus on profitability as executives prepare for a prolonged recession.
Since Jassy took over as CEO, Amazon’s stock crashed by 44%. On Friday, the company’s shares fell again wiping out gains from the previous week after the gloomy forecast about future growth and tighter spending was shared by the executive.
He launched one of the deepest austerity plans the retailer has ever known, ending several projects, killing certain services and products, and on top of all else, cutting almost 30,000 jobs in just a few months. According to a report by The Street, Amazon is now giving up on the majority of its brick-and-mortar businesses after years of trying to expand its physical operations across the country and the world.
With the exception of Whole Foods stores, all of its grocery stores are in the process of being shut down in 2023, a trend that started last year, with the closure of several underperforming Fresh and Go stores.
Although these cuts may help Amazon’s bottom line in the next few quarters, the overall financial losses caused by the shutdowns will ultimately hurt the retailer in the long run. In addition, all of its remaining physical bookstores, gadget, and electronic stores are being shuttered, not only in America, but all over the globe, including 68 locations in the U.K.
The demise of Amazon’s physical stores comes at a time when other major retailers are coping with lagging sales, changing consumer habits, and rolling out their recession playbook to weather the perfect storm that is on the horizon.
Deteriorating conditions for businesses mean that even some of the biggest players out there are endangered. Sadly, we may lose our favorite stores and we may have to say goodbye to several of the brands that stayed with us for decades. This is just the start of a much bigger crisis that will force more and more retailers to rethink their entire operations. And by the end of this process, America’s retail landscape will be vastly different than what it looks like right now.
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
They are getting out of the food business, since very soon there won’t be much.