I have never been a big fan of shopping at Amazon. Can't people see what a trap they are falling into when they sign up for Amazon Prime? Paying $100 up-front is a real turn-off at Amazon, as it is at Costco.
Even though I am moochdocking on a friend's driveway, I still had problems with getting Amazon to accept the address, despite having a real street address and a real post office box. That did it! I went on the warpath against Amazon.
The good news is many other websites offer free shipping once you meet a $35 to $50 minimum order. And their websites work well. And I don't seem to have the problems with addresses, like at Amazon.
All I can say is, "It's about time!" You'd think that somebody big like Walmart, Google, or Oracle would make a good website available to any retailer, and then let them disguise the appearance of the website to make it look a little more home-grown. (Thus, there would be no need for each smallish retailer to have in-house software and security experts.) In reality it's all one website, with the logistics of shipping handled by somebody like UPS or Walmart. All of this could be completely invisible to the consumer.
Amazon might be benefiting unfairly from the old truism that, 'Reputation is a lagging indicator.' Years ago, you didn't have to pay sales tax when shopping at Amazon. People still give them credit for that, even though it is no longer true. Years ago, other people's websites were primitive or prone to security problems, whereas Amazon's was more convenient.
But if Amazon had the "secret sauce" ten years ago, I don't think it is such a secret today.
So far, my de-Amazoning crusade has been working well. I just have to keep pressing.
Even though I am moochdocking on a friend's driveway, I still had problems with getting Amazon to accept the address, despite having a real street address and a real post office box. That did it! I went on the warpath against Amazon.
The good news is many other websites offer free shipping once you meet a $35 to $50 minimum order. And their websites work well. And I don't seem to have the problems with addresses, like at Amazon.
All I can say is, "It's about time!" You'd think that somebody big like Walmart, Google, or Oracle would make a good website available to any retailer, and then let them disguise the appearance of the website to make it look a little more home-grown. (Thus, there would be no need for each smallish retailer to have in-house software and security experts.) In reality it's all one website, with the logistics of shipping handled by somebody like UPS or Walmart. All of this could be completely invisible to the consumer.
Amazon might be benefiting unfairly from the old truism that, 'Reputation is a lagging indicator.' Years ago, you didn't have to pay sales tax when shopping at Amazon. People still give them credit for that, even though it is no longer true. Years ago, other people's websites were primitive or prone to security problems, whereas Amazon's was more convenient.
But if Amazon had the "secret sauce" ten years ago, I don't think it is such a secret today.
So far, my de-Amazoning crusade has been working well. I just have to keep pressing.
Comments
Last winter while in Yuma I ordered something, gave them a General Delivery address and UPS held it for pick-up at the UPS customer service center. So it is not all Amazon, UPS is not very bright either.