They usually don't save any money because of the discounts airlines give travel agents, but it is a lot more convenient than going to a travel agency and spending 20 minutes waiting for someone to help you. Small appliance retailers, for instance, are being driven out of business by superstores and other large merchants. The big stores can offer lower prices and, usually, a larger selection, so customers naturally gravitate to them. It's true that the small retailer can offer better service, but service is less important than price in buying a major appliance these days. Service consists of delivering and installing the appliance and hauling the old one away.
Repairs are uncommon.
Our last washing machine lasted 15 years and when it finally broke, we simply replaced it rather than trying to have it fixed. For an extreme example, consider the value added by conventional car salespeople. Essentially they add value for the dealer by selling cars. The value they add for the customer is essentially nil in the conventional business model and dealing with car salespeople is so unpleasant a lot of people dread buying a car. Guess who's ripe for elimination.