If your store didn't get bombed you would think it very effective.

It's like IT spending for companies that have nothing to do with technology (think about a paper supplier): You have to do it because everyone else is doing it, and if you're the only one NOT doing it, bad things will happen to you.

But once everyone is doing it, everyone is no better off (earningwise) than where they were before.

You have to keep running to stay in the same place.