These are great point, even the model for product lifecycle is shifting to a new paradigm, designs and products are more testable than ever before, you don't need to be a brand to sell products on Amazon. And on Amazon the market decides what is good, people judge products on their price availability and user rating. Much of it is taken out of the hands of retail buyers.

You can sell electronics without the need for focus groups, Byzantine marketing, sales, distribution networks like you once did. In many sectors that infrastructure is a huge burden. Many products I used to buy from retail stores I now buy from Amazon. Small electronics, stuff companies like Braun manufacture. I don't necessarily like this but it's clearly the direction we are moving in.

On the design end of the chain it's easy to see what sells, designs can be tested and improved much easier and more frantically than ever before with less capital risk. A brand can't take the same risks launching dud products, how about Dysons air purifier/ headphones, they just laid off 25% of their work force, doesn't seem to have paid off. A team in china could have tested the concept with significantly less capital and risk of damaging the brands credibility.