How do they do it?

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I recently placed an Amazon prime order that consisted of..

1. Anti-itch spray for my dog.
2. A gas primer bulb for my Lawnboy push mower.
3. Two Dickies work shirts.

It all arrived in my mailbox two days later in one box.
 
Robots.

In another few years it will be delivered by drone.

They are the new WalMart...in fact, Amazon is now attempting to attract WM customers with the monthly Amazon Prime membership. Its geared towards people who cannot afford to pay a full year in advance.

But WM still has the best price on motor oil.
 
Because it's Prime, you pay for 2 day shipping.

I order a lot from Amazon rather than going into a store. Much easier that way ah and good prices.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Because it's Prime, you pay for 2 day shipping.

I order a lot from Amazon rather than going into a store. Much easier that way ah and good prices.


Amazon Prime is free shipping if it's fulfilled by Amazon. In our neighborhood, free Prime shipping sometimes arrives the next day. Amazon does act as a facilitator for some merchants and these orders may have a shipping charge, but it's always disclosed before you place the order.
 
Amazing, isn't it?

Even WM is shaking in its boots. They put many out-of-business a few decades ago. Now an even bigger dog has showed up and regularly marking all of WM's trees, fence posts and flower pots.

They don't like that...at all.
 
Amazon is the future of online shopping, especially with their drones making deliveries in 30 minutes.

As a consumer why bother going to 3 different retail stores to buy the 3 items you wanted ?



Originally Posted By: Ausfahrt
I recently placed an Amazon prime order that consisted of..

1. Anti-itch spray for my dog.
2. A gas primer bulb for my Lawnboy push mower.
3. Two Dickies work shirts.

It all arrived in my mailbox two days later in one box.
 
I just ordered some Cat 7 cable with a guaranteed delivery of this afternoon. Its 9:48AM here and it is being delivered to the Amazon Locker in Isla Vista.
 
I ordered four tires from Amazon earlier in the week. They just arrived this morning and this was with regular shipping. I wasn't in a hurry to get them. Delivered via ups. The target date for arrival was Monday. Best part about it was price, $45/tire for Nokian eNTYRES. 700 utqg, A traction, A temperature. Tire prices change daily. 205/55r16.

It seems the more you keep checking tire prices the more they keep dropping. Then all of a sudden they disappear. Not just one tire, but three different models that you were considering. Then a few weeks later it happens again. So be patient. I was going to get some used ones on CL till this came up.

Buy new, cry once; buy used, buy again.
smile.gif
 
On one or two occasions, I have used Amazon to make a purchase on behalf of someone else. For myself, I think it was one time only. And I don't need all of my digits to count the total online purchases I have made in my lifetime. My normal travels take me past all of the brick-and-mortar stores I need to supply me with whatever I want and if they don't have it, I don't need it. And even though we have lost a few retailers recently, I am not suffering from a lack of places to spend what little disposable cash I have. Nine times out of ten, what I might save by buying online is canceled out by the fact that I have to wait for delivery...and hope it won't be stolen, misdelivered, damaged in transit or find out that the wrong merchandise was sent. I know online shopping works for many and it's good to have that option, but it won't be used much by me. Oh...by the way...when drone deliveries really do get up and running, don't fail to post again and let us know how it's working out for you. I will be waiting with bated breath.
 
I love Amazon. But I do shop heavily at our local hardware store. They are very successful..great service. HomeDepot was going to move in but the Supervisors of 2 townships fought it bc constituents demanded it..thank goodness it will not be coming here.
 
How do they do it? That's a good question. I have heard but don't know for sure, that they can do it because they don't have to be profitable. Unlike Walmart, Wall Street is willing to finance whatever they want to do, at any price. Regardless of profitability.

Most of the time online shopping works out, but when it doesn't, it's a lot of trouble. At least that's my experience. I've had gifts lost that weren't available to give on the required date. Had to return stuff and that is a lot of trouble.

The variable pricing is also a huge turn off for me and I try to avoid Amazon in particular. I just can't stand haggling. I try to shop local but will order online from other retailers. I recently shopped amazon for an ac manifold gauge set. They continually try to get me to try prime, which I don't want. I got to checkout and it said they were only available to prime customers. Went on Advance Auto's site and ordered a beautiful set for the same price, free shipping and had it in two days. If there's a problem I can take it right over to my local advance.

If my car's up in the air waiting for parts, I'm going to NAPA or Advance. I know I'm getting a quality part, I can inspect it on the spot, and if there's any problem, I can drive back over there in 10 minutes and have the problem straightened out.

Amazon put my local Sears Hardware out of business. Now if I need a snap ring to get the mower running again, instead of going to get one and having the machine up and cutting again in an hour, I have to order a bunch online and wait for them to be shipped. No more local hardware store.

I imagine a drone can deliver a paper clip pretty easily. Not at all sure about a tire. That's going to get expensive.
 
for all the old guys championing the local store, does it not annoy you that like your local bestbuy will charge like $19.99 for an hdmi cable while amazon will be $3.99?
Sure if you need it today you'll pay the premium price. but many people dont need something today and can either wait or plan ahead and save.
 
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If you live in a state where Amazon is in collusion with the tax Nazis to collect "sales" tax on something you buy on line, buying the goods from one of their "associate" businesses which does not have a physical presence in your state can help you avoid it. Sometimes they are just a few cents more expensive, far less than the 6 to 8% tax you avoid. Amazon gets a "cut" of the taxes they collect. I am shifting as much of my business as possible to Ebay.
 
Originally Posted By: raytseng
for all the old guys championing the local store, does it not annoy you that like your local bestbuy will charge like $19.99 for an hdmi cable while amazon will be $3.99?
Sure if you need it today you'll pay the premium price. but many people dont need something today and can either wait or plan ahead and save.


To use your example, I have to ask...how often do you need a new hdmi cable? Unless I get stupid and damage the ones I have (there are two), I already have all the hdmi cables I will ever need...and it may interest you to know I got them from Woot for $1 each about 7 years ago. Does BB annoy me? Yes, for lots of reasons but not for this. If someone needs it NOW...they pay. If they don't need it now, they save...so what?
 
Stig- Amazon is not in collusion and doesn't get a cut of the tax. They might have facilities that are attracted with tax concessions, but there is no direct transaction level exchange across the board.

Amazon was fighting the requirement to collect sales tax in Texas in court. They ended up losing and now collect it as they have a physical presence here.

GrtArtiste, I believe you proved the point of the example you were refuting. You got what you needed online instead of paying an exhorbitant amount for the convenience of having it waiting for you nearby. The same goes for any other commodity. Even if you pay a little more for a lawn mower filter at Lowe's or HD, you better bet that their prices are lower than they would be if Amazon weren't around.
 
Originally Posted By: sleddriver
Amazing, isn't it?

Even WM is shaking in its boots. They put many out-of-business a few decades ago. Now an even bigger dog has showed up and regularly marking all of WM's trees, fence posts and flower pots.

They don't like that...at all.


crackmeup2.gif
Sure they are!
 
I love Amazon and I don't mind waiting for 2 days most of the time but if I have an "itch" then I am buying local same-day!
 
There is nothing that needs proving or refuting. Convenience is the most expensive commodity that is for sale. It has always been that way since long before the Internet ever existed. I don't begrudge BB for charging $19.99 for a cable that someone on the Internet sells for $1...in fact I expect it. There is no good reason to expect that it would ever be otherwise. And I don't feel sorry for anyone's buyer's remorse.
 
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