Today, we're seeing a shift from visiting the traditional brick-and-mortar shop to ordering merchandise online. This trend is spreading like wildfire and has lately forced many businesses to rethink their modus operandi. Many larger organizations are starting to close down some retail locations due to a lack of customers. This is not necessarily a sign of the crisis, but a sign of new technologies influencing the private sector. Here, we lift the curtain on Windstream, a telecom provider that has decided to get rid of some of its stores in 11 states in lieu of the rise of online purchases.

As its in-store purchases have started declining, its Web traffic has been holding the brunt of its orders within these places. Windstream's closing spree will hit a grand total of 30 of its retail locations in Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Windstream plans to finish this process by the end of this month.

Along with the stores, 60 employees will no longer work in those locations. In these places, customers paid their bills, initiated Internet, telephony and digital TV services, or bought products offered by Windstream. They will continue to have this ability through Windstream's Internet portal.

As people continue to make more online purchases, expect this trend to continue rising. The Internet is becoming the new business frontier, presenting a highly competitive market based on merit and brand awareness rather than convenient location. Behind a desk, everything is set at a convenient location: On the screen in front of you. Traditional stores might still survive, but they will be (and, in some cases, are) fewer in number than online venues where people can purchase anything they want at prices that are very accessible.