Amazon, I know they deliver to your house but can we get back to stores? And leave Amazon. Store employees actually send customers to Amazon and tell customers we dont carry that.
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Honestly, I can get things cheaper on Amazon, and usually do. My money is tight and I need to look for the deals.
I went to Sprouts (like Whole Foods, but cheaper) to get a few things, and I wandered around the whole store twice to find where they put what I needed. Snacks? Baking? Where is it? After all that, they only had coconut flour, not coconut pieces dried, so I ended up ordering off Amazon. I needed Walnuts, and I could either pay $11.98 a pound for a smaller amount, or get 3 pounds for $19.99. I, of course got the 3 pounds even though I didn't need that many.
Anyhow, It was a waste of time, money and gas. I looked at Amazon when I got home, and I could have saved the time, money and gas AND saved myself about $20 on that trip, PLUS I ended up getting the coconut pieces off there anyhow.
I told my SO that now I understand why people use Amazon. I have better things to do than wander around a brick and mortar, and going to another store to see if I can find what I need.
If I need something, let me sit in my rocking chair, pull up EXACTLY what I need, even in the color I want if necessary.
I do remember pre-internet, we settled for second best or just skipped what we needed if it wasn't at the local store. Now, I know I can get what I need, I don't have to drive to town (a 30 minute drive for me), and it's dropped off at my door.
Sorry, but I am a creature of convenience. We owned a brick and mortar store for 14 years, just closed it in August. I think some things are good in a brick and mortar... but most things are and will always be purchased on the internet. Amazon just needs some competition that sticks.
"I do remember pre-internet, we settled for second best or just skipped what we needed if it wasn't at the local store. Now, I know I can get what I need, I don't have to drive to town (a 30 minute drive for me), and it's dropped off at my door."
This is true.
And so is this:
We're in a rural area. There never has been and never will be a local store that carries everything we need. It's either Amazon, ebay or nothing now that Sears is a dried out husk of what it used to be. Really, Amazon has taken the historical place of Sears Roebuck.
I can understand, but I hope if it is competition that Amazon needs, it comes quickly because they got in the business early. I will say that Amazon, for returns worked a sweet deal with UPS and that will never hurt them. Most things don't even need boxes, but I did notice more things needing to be boxed when you send them back. Returns were always a hassle when you needed them, we will see if some brick and mortar stores make a comeback and some stay away forever.
unfortunately, shady companies come in on the internet and undercut brick and mortar. We had people bringing crap stuff they bought off the internet asking us to repair it. They'd also come in for information from us, take up our time and our employees time that they could have been doing something for us, and then the customer would leave and go get their crap on the internet using the free information they got from us. We sold high value items, and they would use us for all they could. Then they'd demand free stuff, free or discounted repairs, expect us to exchange their shoddy crap for our quality items, telling us that they may have got it off the internet, but it's nice stuff. They'd want us to price match. It was ridiculous. They are used to Amazon service, free shipping, and all the perks that Amazon can negotiate. We couldn't do that. I just don't see brick and mortar making a come back.
There were a few internet sites that tried to compete with Amazon... one was blue something or purple something... but they just never took off. Amazon has a hold on people and has a strong business model. Hopefully some day someone will figure out how to compete, but until then, they reign supreme.
I really can't argue with what you are saying except that Amazon really doesn't give anything away. Your shipping is paid for as a membership, a per month fee. And that is a number of dollars, as I am not a member of Prime but it must be worth it to Amazon to offer it that way. And I am sure they make money on it or why set it up that way. Of course I think Costco's return policy is great on everything but electronics or jewelry-but I can understand it
That is sad, using your company for information ONLY. That is not an especially good business model for you, at least not your choice of a business model.
We were in the jewelry business, so we gave information to make people comfortable with the product and so we could sell it to them. The amount of false information surrounding the product is ridiculous (no! It's not worth it to us to switch your stone! And any reputable jeweler won't do it... it's not worth being closed and sued for your measly under 2k stone!! Although in the case of an imminent divorce, one party or the other will ask us to change it out to a CZ beforehand) People take advantage of you for sure.