Is There Any Way for Department Stores to Beat Amazon?
百货公司们有办法打败亚马逊吗？
--------From YLYK 每日外刊精读专辑
① Competing with Amazon has never been a fair fight.
与亚马逊的竞争从来就不是一场公平的战斗。
② After years when it seemed as if Amazon was swallowing the industry, many large old-school chains like Kohl’s and Macy’s have largely stabilized their lagging sales.
多年以来，亚马逊似乎在不断吞并这个行业，不过许多类似科尔士百货和梅西百货这样的大型老牌连锁店，已在很大程度上稳住了它们不景气的销售。
③ But those victories may be short-lived because retailers are caught up in a seemingly never-ending race against Amazon. The more they spend to compete, the more their profits are sapped. And even when they succeed in attracting customers, Amazon responds with new ways of delivering inexpensive items as quickly and conveniently as possible.
然而这些胜利可能是短暂的，因为零售商们陷入的这场对抗亚马逊的竞争看起来永无尽头。它们在竞争上的花费越多，折损的利润也越多；即便它们成功吸引到了顾客，亚马逊又会回以新招，全力以赴地为顾客快速、便捷地配送廉价的商品。
④ The costs are weighing on many retailers who are trying everything they can to keep up with Amazon. Macy’s offers same-day delivery and in-store returns for online purchases. Black Friday deals are already starting at Kohl’s. And craft cocktails are served in the women’s shoe department at Nordstrom.
许多竭尽全力追赶亚马逊的零售商都在为成本而发愁。梅西百货提供“当日达”配送和网购商品线下退换服务；科尔士百货的黑五大促已经开始；诺德斯特龙百货的女鞋区也备好了手工鸡尾酒。
⑤ Just when they seem caught up, Amazon raises the bar again.
它们好不容易看起来赶上了，亚马逊却再次提高了门槛。
⑥ Retailers are pouring money into their e-commerce operations at the same time their stores are bringing in fewer sales. While Amazon is building out its own fleet of airplanes, delivery trucks and couriers, other retailers must contend with rising rates to ship through FedEx and UPS.
零售商们大把砸钱到自己的电商业务的同时，它们的实体店销量却在不断缩水。正当亚马逊开始组建自己的飞机、送货卡车和快递员队伍时，其它零售商却不得不就上涨的配送费率同联邦快递、UPS快递讨价还价。
⑦ “It just continues this vicious cycle that retailers find themselves in,” said Kimberly Greenberger, a retail analyst at Morgan Stanley.
摩根士丹利零售分析师金伯利•格林伯格表示：“零售商们发现自己陷入了一个无休无止的恶性循环。”
生词好句
Is there any way for sb. to do sth.? 有……的方法吗？
近义表达：How can sb. do sth.?
Is there any way for me to get the new information?
= How can I get the information?
有什么让我获得新信息的方法吗？
Department Store 百货商店
department n. 门类
beat UK /biːt/ US /biːt/ vt. 击败（defeat）
fair UK /feə/ US /fer/ adj. 公平的（just/square）
fair and square 光明正大地
We won the match fair and square.
我们光明正大地赢得了这个比赛。
fair fight = fair play 公平竞争
stabilize UK /ˈsteɪbəlaɪz/ US /ˈsteɪbəlaɪz/ vt. 使稳定
stable adj. 稳定的
after years when… 多年以来……（引出背景）
it seems as if 似乎好像（弱化语气）
He was not happy.
他不开心。
It seems he was not happy.
他似乎不开心。
It seems as if he was not happy.
他似乎好像不是很开心。
swallow UK /ˈswɒləʊ/ US /ˈswɑːloʊ/ vt. 吞咽；引申为占领，夺取（take over）
old-school UK /ˈəʊld-skuːl/ US /ˈoʊld-skuːl/ adj. 老派的，经典的（一般相当于classic，中性偏褒义的）
old-school rock and roll 摇滚老炮
old-fashioned adj. 因循守旧的
lagging UK /ˈlæɡɪŋ/ US /ˈlæɡɪŋ/ adj. 疲软的
lagging economy 疲软的经济
short-lived UK /ˌʃɔːtˈlɪvd/ US /ˌʃɔːrtˈlɪvd, ˌʃɔːrtˈlaɪvd/ adj. 短暂的（temporary）
never-ending UK /ˌnevəˈrendɪŋ/ US /ˌnevərˈrendɪŋ/ adj. 无穷无尽的；永恒的
近义表达：incessant，constant，perpetual，permanent
the + adj. 比较级, the + adj. 比较级 越……越……
The more, the better.
多多益善。
sap UK /sæp/ US /sæp/ vt. 榨取；削弱（drain） n. 树汁
inexpensive UK /ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/ US /ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/ adj. 不昂贵的，便宜的
weigh on 对……施以重压
weigh vt. 仔细考虑；权衡
weight n. 重量
I’m weighing the benefits against the risks.
我在思考收益和风险之间的关系。
to weigh on sb.’s conscience 使某人的良心感到重压
keep up with sb. 跟某人并驾齐驱
craft cocktail 手调鸡尾酒
craft n. 手工制作
craftsman n. 手艺人
craft beer 自酿啤酒；精酿啤酒
cocktail n. 鸡尾酒
catch up 赶上
raise the bar 提高门槛；提高标准（raise the standard）
bar n. 棍子
pour money into 砸钱，投资，投钱（inject capital into/ invest heavily into）
at the same time 与此同时（while/in the meantime/meanwhile）
fleet UK /fli:t/ US /flit/ n. 舰队；运输队
e-commerce operations 电商运营
contend with... 与……竞争（compete with）
vicious cycle 恶性循环（vicious circle）