Amazon: Worse than Wal-Mart? (employees, TV, town, best)
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I'm looking for a DVR and VCR combo that won't break the bank. I expect it to work for a reasonable amount of time, and have bought many reconditioned electronics and like them. I go to a brick and mortor store and I find NO VCR's and the DVR's are way expensive. No sale there.
I go to Amazon and search, come up with pages of them. Some are new, some reconditioned, some used, and everything from suspiciously cheap to way over my budget. But there is a reconditioned unit I'm going to buy. I couldn't get it from a store but it will serve my needs within my budget.
And I love reading, but my tastes are different than the norm. I like history, biographies, memiours, and read largely non-fiction. I like to read diaries and first generation history, not the analized versions. I gave up long ago on brick and mortar for that. They don't stock many and they don't sell used.
Most of what I buy are good condition ex library books. Sturdy as they are made to higher standards, dust jackets protected, and a lot of choices. And the prices are reasonable. For the 30 I might spend in a brick and mortar I can get, with careful watching, three books. I used to go to Boarders to sit and chill out in the Socal summer, but usually only bought folk music cd's since most places don't carry them. Hardly ever books.
Amazon provides a hugely expanded choice and options that NO brick and mortar store can.
What its hitting more is used book stores, where you do find the really interestng small publisher books, and that's sad, but the war on them started with the chains, which is why I stopped shopping chains. Now, a LOT of used bookstores also sell on Amazon as it is an easily found source for the customer. Many have been selling on-line for many years (when the chains tried to get rid of them) but Amazon provides a much better marketplace.
As for tax, its a non-issue for me. I would buy off Amazon tax or no tax. Not only is there good availability, but my payment can be set up where nobody can swipe my card number after the first time its entered, and if I don't like what I get, they'll refund me easily. I used to buy on ebay direct sales, but Amazon has so much more for less.
I still love the local used bookstore and purchase from it, and just spending an hour or two there is cool, looking. But I'm finding with the reviews and return policy, so many other things have gone to online, mainly amazon purchases because your stuck with what the store sells otherwise.
That's really not a fair comparison. The automobile changed everybody's lives for the better. The only advantage Amazon really has over brick-and-mortar retailers is lower price. Everything else is a DISADVANTAGE, such as not being able to see your item before you purchase, having to wait a few days for shipping, the hassle of returns, etc. Plus the thousands of people who will lose their jobs every time a brick-and-mortar retailer folds. So yes, this opens the doors for lower prices for now, but at what cost?
In that case, mail order should be blamed too. Same conditions. But I go look at products and can read all the reviews before I buy on Amazon. If fifty people review it and say its crappy, then I move on. If it doesn't sound like it will suit my needs, I move on. Ask your usual minimum wage clerk, and see if they can tell you that. stuff goes back to stores, to, but some of it has loopholes that it has to be sent back to the manufacturer in another state, too. I've found far more defective products in stores than Amazon. The tv I got which didn't work out was picked up free in the return by UPS, much easier than if I'd got it from Walmart and had to haul it there myself.
So you have to wait a few days. We've gotten very impatient. I view the arrival of my purchase as a cool moment like getting a gift. The exchange is you have a lot greater choice.
The chains that failed did so not from online sales but from lousey choice, bad policies and know nothing employees. There are plenty of stores still out there who did a better job. And as has been pointed out above somewhere, many small businesses sell online through Amazon. A friend with a used bookstore makes more through his online sales than walk ins and without that its possible the store might not be there. And all of the chains except Trader Joe's (dang...) sell on their own pages.
Times change and the ones which work last. Amazon and ebay and other online sales would not be so big if it wasn't that the public liked it and the businesses weren't making money.
Actually--the mom & pops might be making a come back. Places like Amazon and eBay allow mom and pop stores to have the reach that major retailers do, without the immense overhead. Running a e-commerce site can be expensive and may not be practical for many small businesses. Just as you say, websites like Amazon are fueled by these companies, and that's because for a small fee, Amazon offers the ability of these places to sell their goods anywhere and everywhere.
Besides, Every major retailer also has their own website. What Amazon doesn't have is brick-and-mortar stores. People can shop for the product they want online, and get it in the store the same day, ship it to the store for free, or even deliver to themselves for a small charge. Amazon can only ship to you. Wholesalers and retailers like Tiger Direct and Newegg offer pick-ups from their warehouses if you're near them. They went from online-only to Brick-and-mortar, which destroys the OPs argument.
Actually, many online retailers offer photos of both the packaging and the actual item, as well as detailed information you can't get in stores.
Better to have it in a few days than not at all, and this would seemingly prevent impulse purchases. I can't think anyone would be against that.
Maybe. Some companies have very fluid return policies, the worst part of which is having to pay for your own shipping. You can also stand in line and fight with the customer service rep as well.
Thousands of people work at a single Wal-Mart? You think they might be just a little over staffed if that is the case? That is, of course, assuming you can actually pin any of this on an online retailer. I've already pointed out that any major retailer has their own online e-commerce site. Amazon loses because they don't have a brick-and-mortar store. And, of course, retailers are always hiring, and online retailers open more warehouses, which themselves need staffed.
Your arguments just don't hold water.
And Amazon DOES provide jobs. They have a streamline shipping process of their own and the people who work there have jobs. They have people to maintain the site and then there are the UPS drivers and mail carriers who deliver who wouldn't be so busy if we didn't have so much on-line purchasing. Add to that the small businesses which sell, and thanks to what they make there may be able to keep the store open. Things are never as simplistic as a good fortright statement can make them sound.
My newbalance shoes were made in America, unlike the crappy 200 dollar Nike shoes that people are killing themselves over. I bought them online, but I don't think it was from Amazon. People should pay more attention to who they are buying from in general.
So you're saying that, "People should pay more attention to who they are buying from in general," but you're admitting you don't know who you bought from. Are you lecturing to yourself?
Circuit City and Borders were rip-off busineses and deserved to die.
Why were they rip-ff businesses? I didn't purchase much from Circuit City but was a long time Borders customer going back to at least the early 1990's. They stocked a large inventory of books and their salespeople were always extremely helpful.
And I love reading, but my tastes are different than the norm. I like history, biographies, memiours, and read largely non-fiction. I like to read diaries and first generation history, not the analized versions. I gave up long ago on brick and mortar for that. They don't stock many and they don't sell used.
Most of what I buy are good condition ex library books. Sturdy as they are made to higher standards, dust jackets protected, and a lot of choices. And the prices are reasonable. For the 30 I might spend in a brick and mortar I can get, with careful watching, three books. I used to go to Boarders to sit and chill out in the Socal summer, but usually only bought folk music cd's since most places don't carry them. Hardly ever books.
Amazon provides a hugely expanded choice and options that NO brick and mortar store can.
What its hitting more is used book stores, where you do find the really interestng small publisher books, and that's sad, but the war on them started with the chains, which is why I stopped shopping chains. Now, a LOT of used bookstores also sell on Amazon as it is an easily found source for the customer. Many have been selling on-line for many years (when the chains tried to get rid of them) but Amazon provides a much better marketplace.
As for tax, its a non-issue for me. I would buy off Amazon tax or no tax. Not only is there good availability, but my payment can be set up where nobody can swipe my card number after the first time its entered, and if I don't like what I get, they'll refund me easily. I used to buy on ebay direct sales, but Amazon has so much more for less.
I still love the local used bookstore and purchase from it, and just spending an hour or two there is cool, looking. But I'm finding with the reviews and return policy, so many other things have gone to online, mainly amazon purchases because your stuck with what the store sells otherwise.
I agree with you completely. I love the reviews on Amazon and will many times end up purchasing a different book than the one I originally intended. I also like the ability to look at virtually every book on a topic, read the reviews, and then decide if I want the hardcover, paperback, audiobook, or if I want to buy it new or used. I also resale many of the books and audiobooks I purchase, and have purchased and resold many of my kids' college textbooks on their site (sometimes at a profit). There are many products where the Amazon model makes the most sense. On the other hand, I rarely purchase clothing online.
Why were they rip-ff businesses? I didn't purchase much from Circuit City but was a long time Borders customer going back to at least the early 1990's. They stocked a large inventory of books and their salespeople were always extremely helpful.
It wasn't Amazon that killed off Circuit City, it was WalMart and Apple. Circuit City made much of their profit by overcharging for flat screen TVs. WalMart came in and undercut that model and CC's profits were decimated. The CD market was killed by the arrival of online downloads through Itunes and others. Best Buy are surviving but only just.
I was sorry to see Borders go. I particularly liked their airport stores. But, truth is, that model was increasingly hard to sustain. The cost of bricks, mortar and employees in a low margin business was just too much.
I live in a small town. My nearest WalMart is 45 mins away. My nearest Best Buy or Sears is one hour away. Amazon provides me with a great service and a great choice of goods without having to drive for miles. They make it easy for me to shop.
People commonly criticize Wal-Mart for being a monopoly. They buy goods from China at an exceptionally low price and other businesses can't compete. This is especially a problem in rural America where there is not a lot of wealth. The one thing that has stopped Wal-Mart from becoming a monopoly is the fact there are large portions of the population that prefers quality over low-price, and that segment of the population shops elsewhere. Now, this same segment of the population that criticizes Wal-Mart for its practices is in love with Amazon. Its a bit hypocritical since Amazon has taken Wal-Mart's business model to the next level, one that is a much bigger threat.
Its to the point now where Amazon is killing huge retailers that have been household names for decades (Circuit City, Borders, etc). This has only led to job loss and vacant commercial real estate which further depresses property values of the surrounding areas. Its only going to get worse as the Dominos continue to fall. Traditional retailers cannot compete with them because of the costs associated with operating brick-and-mortar locations plus the fact Amazon is tax free. More and more jobs will be lost, shopping centers vacated, and this could lead to the long-awaited collapse of the commercial real estate market. The solution?
I think the government should tax online purchases to level the playing field. I am rarely for increasing taxes but this is a huge threat to our economy that I don't think a lot of people realize yet.
Name me a retail store that does not buy and sell cheap crap from China?
It wasn't Amazon that killed off Circuit City, it was WalMart and Apple. Circuit City made much of their profit by overcharging for flat screen TVs. WalMart came in and undercut that model and CC's profits were decimated. The CD market was killed by the arrival of online downloads through Itunes and others. Best Buy are surviving but only just.
I was sorry to see Borders go. I particularly liked their airport stores. But, truth is, that model was increasingly hard to sustain. The cost of bricks, mortar and employees in a low margin business was just too much.
I live in a small town. My nearest WalMart is 45 mins away. My nearest Best Buy or Sears is one hour away. Amazon provides me with a great service and a great choice of goods without having to drive for miles. They make it easy for me to shop.
Agreed, Jaggy. To get out of Barrow one has to fly out and the nearest big city is Fairbanks, 500+ miles away. Amazon was a godsend for people in Barrow where there's no mall, very few stores, no music, book, electronic, clothing stores, etc.
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