Amazon Delivery
 

I was out this morning. When I got home I had an email from Amazon telling me my package had been delivered and would I care to comment on delivery. Along with the comments on delivery there was a photo of my front door with the Amazon package tucked into a corner behind a chair on the front patio.

I am constantly hearing politicians talking about splitting up the giant companies like Amazon, but when you get this type of service what right does anyone have to break up such a company. I know all the arguments about them putting the Mom and Pop stores on the high street out of business and I fully understand that, my own Father had a high street store when I was growing up, so I know what it would have meant to him to have had an Amazon in those days. But, as a buyer, I LOVE Amazon and all their high tech improvements in buying and shipping.

What do you think?

Same could be said for WalMart, I would think. So long as Amazon continues to perform/deliver as they have to date, I see no reason to “break them up.” And, how would they approach that? They should leave well enough alone.

But, unfortunately, Politicians cannot leave anything alone. If they were to be broken up I believe Bezoz would just break his company up into separate companies, and, because he is so far ahead of the game now, he would still come out on top.

I agree that Amazon provides a great and reliable service. But, there are Federal antitrust laws that are designed to allow free competition. I have noticed that, no matter what product you want to buy, it is almost always available on Amazon. I will often see a television commercial that promotes a website where you can buy the product. But, usually, you can buy the exact same product on Amazon, sometimes for a lower price. This means that the maker of the product can only compete by paying a fee to Amazon because they can't get enough customers to use their website. (One example is chewy.com for pet supplies). I don't have the answer, but, if you want to sell a product online, you almost have to share your profit with Amazon to be successful.

Amazon kind of lives at our house. If it’s $$$ they deliver to my car. Can’t get better than that.

On a more important note. FedEx, and UPS drivers exceed the speed, will gun it as a golf cart is merging to get ahead. It’s an everyday experience.

However Amazon seems to be very observant with speed limit, will let others merge, they deserve a job well done one delivery’s.

Amazon
 

I don't believe online retailers are under Amazon's thumb. No matter who they ship with, they have to pay for it, and the cost is passed on to the buyer -- us. It's cheaper for us to buy from merchants face to face and not pay for shipping, but we like the convenience of online shopping. I sometimes wonder what mail service would be like if Amazon ran the U.S. Postal Service. In fact, Amazon is already helping to keep USPS alive by using it for some deliveries. Let's not rush to throttle companies that know what they are doing because other companies whine. Remember the Bell System?

I would point out that, when you have your product listed on Amazon, you are not just paying to ship it. You are sharing part of your business with Amazon. It is not merely a shipping company. In fact, a lot of products sold on Amazon are not even shipped by Amazon. They are shipped by the manufacturer.

Great company providing great service. Can not wait for the Amazon Internet to put some other over priced companies out of business.

I shop Amazon regularly and feel the same way you do.

What does high street mean?

I use Amazon a lot - like a huge portion of the shopping population, apparently. But it is coming at a cost. I do think they are going to be hit - rightly or wrongly - for anti-trust at some point. Some of the politicos have already suggested going down that road. (Of course, they would have to face their constituents, too.)

There are many jobs at risk today due to this "just get it shipped" convenience we're living in. Brick and mortar stores, malls, etc., are in peril. Many haven't been able to compete. Just the ramifications of changing technology? Perhaps. The horse and buggy owners surely learned that back in the day.

Seems a little odd, but I think the Amazon effect can also lead to people leading more solitary lives in some respects. Why leave the house? Get everything delivered.

At some point, we may all find out that we're simply living in an Amazon world, and we'll be beholden to them for all that what we want/need - at the costs they determine, while essentially being devoid of competition. Sounds over the top, I know, but are we really that far off?

In England it meant the luxury street with better shops .

when we had New England telephone years ago, we got a free phone, free installation, free repair. After they were forced to break up, we had to buy the phone, pay for the installation and pay for repair. How did that help the consumer?

There’s far far more to this matter than just the home shopping service — and it’s too complicated to explain here. Go to PBS.org/Frontline and watch a very recent program on Amazon. It’s an eye opener, I assure you.

Phone service and products were MUCH more expensive before the break up of ATT and that's just facts.

PBS link
 

The only one I could find on PBS is

Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos

Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos | Season 2020 Episode 6 | FRONTLINE | PBS

Is this the one you are referring to?

Before Amazon it was Walmart. Walmart was going to drive everyone out of business. It didn't. Somehow instead Amazon came along. It provided a service that consumers wanted and it was successful. This is called the free market system. It's works just fine without government interference.

Amazon is not a monopoly

I have been watching cable TV this morning and just by coincidence there was a piece about Amazon throwing off some of the companies selling virus masks on Amazon. I guess these people have been gouging prices for the masks and Amazon has picked up on it. Kudos to Amazon for reacting so quickly.

same here, love Amazon

absolutely love amazon. absolutely hate all politicians.

I love Amazon, but don’t have a Prime membership. However, Amazon is one of those HUGE companies that pays NO TAXES, and that needs to change.

I saw the story also, but it's not true. Go to Amazon.com and check out the prices for those masks. One merchant has 100 masks for $165, and almost all of them are way more expensive than the normal price. So, Amazon is allowing huge price increases.

One thing no one has mentioned is that Amazon INCREASES competition amongst manufacturers. When you go to a brick and mortar to buy a widget, you will see very few widgets on the shelf. You have no idea if any are well made or worth the money. There’s little competition there. And the stores you visit might not have what you need in stock.

I recently wanted to buy an oven thermometer. On my usual trip to Publix, I wasted 15 minutes looking for one. I finally asked for help and wasted 5 more as the assistant looked in the same places I looked. We finally found ONE empty hook with a price tag. I was told some should arrive soon. I checked that spot the next few trips with no joy. I even went to Winn Dixie and they had none. I finally broke down and not only found many options, I also learned that the liquid type are more accurate than the metal spring type and I spent less time than I spent wandering the stores.

When you look for a widget on Amazon, you will find many widgets of all shapes, sizes, and colors—each one vying for your business. This brings prices down. It encourages manufacturers to offer more options for their product.

Yes, this is destroying small stores. That’s sad, but it’s life. Technology has always been disruptive. Automation has destroyed many jobs, but would anyone want to go back to the days of blacksmiths and buggy-whip makers?

Yes, but largely due to technology rather than government action. There is a reason a 28” TV costs $125. It’s not competition.

They r putting everyone out of business

Prefer to use each company and not Amazon. I find customer service is better that way. Have had a few of botched orders with Amazon and just prefer not using them.

Love Amazon!

Not sure that’s true. I buy a LOT online, and most is from Amazon. But if I can buy it from another site at a competitive price and reasonable shipping and fast delivery, I will buy there. Yes, they have to compete with Amazon but that’s how it works. If they offer the same pricing and service they will likely do ok. If they don’t, well, that’s the free market system at work.

I first got Amazon prime to catch up with Breaking Bad episodes that I had missed. Then I checked out the shopping piece, and it's like crack.

Amazon is great.

Amazon give mom and pop products a way to enter a larger market, also they have been a life line for the postal service. I know one of our politicians was complaining about the US postal giving them lower rates, USPS has always given bulk customers a better rate.

My current Amazon Prime order from Tuesday, February 25. Following is the tracking information. Glad it wasn't something I urgently needed. Is this funny or sad?

Wednesday, February 26
• Package has shipped
• 11:30 pm – Package arrived at an Amazon Facility, Davenport, FL
Thursday, February 27
• 10:27 am - Package arrived at a carrier facility, Lady Lake, FL
• 11:07 am – Package arrived at a carrier facility, Wimauma, FL (note: in 30 minutes it traveled 109 miles. Whaaaat?)
• 11:07 am – Possible delay in delivery due to arrival at incorrect carrier facility, Wimauma, FL
• 11:42 am – Package arrived at a carrier facility, Wimauma, FL (wasn’t it already there?)
• 11:48 pm – Package departed an Amazon facility, Davenport, FL (seems it was already there 24 hours prior)
Friday, February 28
• 1:12 am – Package transferred to a local postal carrier for final delivery, Lady Lake, FL
• 1:16 am – Package arrived at a carrier facility, Lady Lake, FL (gee. . . maybe it will be delivered today)
• 5:32 pm – Package arrived at a carrier facility, Jacksonville, FL Network Distribution Center

Maybe tomorrow??

I agree. Amazon is AWESOME. I ordered a game today for my grandchildren, who are with me for a couple days, and will have it tomorrow. GO AMAZON.

PRIME not always delivered on time!
 

We are prime members and I ordered an item that was supposed to be delivered on Sunday. By Sunday evening, I checked Amazon online, and it said that my package was delivered at 7:23 PM on front porch by door, so I searched my porch, by the garage door, and NO PACKAGE!! Contacted Amazon by online chat, and was told that they actually had until Monday to deliver my package. I asked why it showed it had been delivered when it wasn't, and she didn't have any response. Checked mailbox first thing Monday morning, and no package, but it was there in the afternoon with my regular mail. Thought Amazon should know that prime packages are not always being delivered on time even though it showed that it was delivered online!

People here (and elsewhere) that have a problem with so-called "price gouging" are trying to have it both ways, in my opinion. Price gouging occurs in a supply and demand situation. Let's look locally - if there's a hurricane on the way that's likely to disrupt the supply chain (among other things), do you want some schmoe going into the local establishment and buying up 30 cases of bottled water at the normal price? How does that help others who have every bit of a fresh water need than this guy who's massively depleting the inventory? Now, adjust that price so that 30 cases is going to be cost-prohibitive, and you've got an effective way of limiting mass purchases. That also leaves supplies for others who need them.

Now, some might say "how about just putting up a sign that limits the amount that can be bought and keep the price the same!!!???" That sign's not going to prevent someone or their family, etc., from coming in repeatedly. That sign's just going to spur arguments with customers pleading why they "need" 30 cases, etc. The price increase avoids that.

Consumers are hoarders in situations like this. And hoarders create problems for everyone else who has a need for a product. They, themselves, create scarcity.

Higher prices do two things: they limit over-purchasing by consumers, and they encourage sellers, themselves, to try and increase their supply of such products given the ability to charge more for them. That's the free-market economy at work.

One article I read said it bluntly - but correctly: If the price of bottled water goes up to $10 a bottle, are you better of with a $10 bottle of water, or are you better of with $10 in your pocket and no water, going thirsty?

Make no mistake about it - I don't like paying higher prices in situations that create supply problems. But if it means I have access to what I need at that higher price, I'll take it.

Agree. Amazon is a life-changing industry. Just stop the tax breaks.

Amazon is hardly a Monopoly....you always have a choice to get the same or similar product elsewhere....but, their service is excellent with the photo proof of delivery....just watch out for porch pirates (not a problem in TV)....