Powell’s, a beloved bookstore chain in Portland, Ore., laid off more than 300 people in mid-March, temporarily closed its five storefronts and issued a dire warning for the years to come. “When we do open our stores again, we expect the landscape of Oregon, and all of our abilities to spend money on books and gifts, will have changed dramatically,” wrote Powell’s chief executive, Emily Powell. “We see the path ahead more clearly: it is dark and scary.”

While millions of Americans shelter at home, stores have been forced to close and lay off or furlough employees. The most vulnerable companies are those that failed to prepare for a future dominated by e-commerce.

Unfortunately, the federal $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package does little to mitigate retailers’ woes, despite their executives’ pleas for relief, though the Federal Reserve is working to ensure that larger companies have continued access to credit markets. The aid plan gives tax relief for prior property improvements, and it establishes a $350 billion fund for small-business loans that could help those firms maintain payroll and rent, but little else.

Though the cracks in bricks-and-mortar retail began forming years ago, the widening coronavirus outbreak stands to hasten physical retail’s decline and strengthen the monopoly hold of Amazon and other online giants. Such a consolidation of power among just a few retailers threatens to leave consumers with higher prices and less choice.