Isn't Amazon Prime the best?
Insanely flawed report. Assumes that business moving to Amazon is a total loss for local communities. There doesn't even appear to be an attempt to quantify the nature of replacement businesses.
Amazon was initially a replacement book store. As books moved from paper to digital - bricks and mortar bookstores became irrelevant. That shift was going to happen anyway.
Look at Short Hills mall, Fifth Avenue... Retail is far from dead. But consumers want a different experience from dealing with relatively small shops with relative little inventory, eg, Mom And Pop shops in our towns. Again, another shift that would have happened anyway.
Retail will continue to drastically change. Read today that Aldi, whose prices are 30% lower than most grocery stores, is about to step on Whole Foods with a huge increase in natural And organic goods. Whole Foods will choke, without a doubt.
Consumers don't shop the way they used to. Amazon didn't make that happen, they just happened to fill the need.
I love Amazon Prime because I get:
- Music, movies and tv shows (including HBO) that I can download to my phone to enjoy my commute (don't have to kill my data plan with streaming)
- Unlimited cloud photo storage
- And the shipping
I must be too old. I signed up, and now don't seem to be using amazon as much.
I saw an Ad where Amazon Prime now offers ice cream delivery in 1 hour! How can you not love the free market?
Things change, usually for the better.
Texas said:
The next time you order a book or TV or whatever else consider this:
http://www.civiceconomics.com/empty-storefronts.html
Keep it up and our charming downtown will disappear.
I would think our charming downtown is largely immune to competition from eCommerce. Words is most at risk, I suppose, but they have done what small businesses need to do to survive - they have engaged the community. If I need a book, I am happy to order it from Words.
Where have you been!? they have same-day free for metro NYC area now for many items 
SOMA covered! Many times I needed something same day, as long as you order by noon, you get it by 9 PM!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201631620
and that's why I love Amazon
oh and their super good customer service and return policy!
unicorn33 said:
+1 for 2-day shipping!
tjohn said:
Texas said:
The next time you order a book or TV or whatever else consider this:
http://www.civiceconomics.com/empty-storefronts.html
Keep it up and our charming downtown will disappear.
I would think our charming downtown is largely immune to competition from eCommerce. Words is most at risk, I suppose, but they have done what small businesses need to do to survive - they have engaged the community. If I need a book, I am happy to order it from Words.
While I don't always buy or order every single book from Words ... I do go frequently and when they have something on the shelves buy it there. My kids love going to words and we always try to pick up a book for them while they are there (was easier when our oldest books were $5-8 each and now she seems to like the $18-24 books.
We also usually go for Words gift cards for kids birthday party presents and if people ask what to get for our kids requests them.
I also love Bee and the Thistle when getting presents for my mom or picking up some hot sauce (which I haven't got in a while add to list) 165 is frequently shopped by my wife and daughter and by myself when buying items for my wife and daughter. Lots of great stores in Maplewood and we will continue to patronized them first when we can and yet we still use Amazon (particularly for buying TVs and big box stuff.)
It's Target or Amazon for most of our spending. I suppose I could get my toilet paper and laundry detergent locally, but I don't think Kitchen a la Mode carries those things.
But in all seriousness, I don't do a lot of shopping that's not "utilitarian." What I do, especially in terms of gifts, I try to keep local as often as possible. And I eat locally/non-chain almost always, unless we are actually not local.
Although according to Amex, Trader Joe's actually gets most of my money every year.
Yah trader joes and home depot gets mine
I do shop a lot on amazon, even for everyday things like paper towels, but gifts and the like i like to get locally because they are always more unique and special that way. For example, my gf loves 165 goodies, so I always get her something there -- not to mention the nice wrapping they do 
TarheelsInNj said:
It's Target or Amazon for most of our spending. I suppose I could get my toilet paper and laundry detergent locally, but I don't think Kitchen a la Mode carries those things.
But in all seriousness, I don't do a lot of shopping that's not "utilitarian." What I do, especially in terms of gifts, I try to keep local as often as possible. And I eat locally/non-chain almost always, unless we are actually not local.
Although according to Amex, Trader Joe's actually gets most of my money every year.
Amazon uses a lot of small businesses that are local somewhere or another.
I had a medical problem that required some special supplies. Got them from Amazon prime within 24 hours cheaper than anywhere else.
70% of my prime packages were late, misdirected ( that bull***** where they fedex or ups the package to the post office and have them complete delivery, instead of just sending it directly to my home or mailbox store mailbox, which always turns into a giant debacle) or incorrectly picked. I only purchased items that were "fulfilled by amazon". The "free month of prime if we screw up" did nothing for me as they couldn't get orders to me in a timely manner in the first place.
I get it they don't have control over shipping once it leaves amazon but why then can they guarantee shipping if they arent the ones doing it? I became so enraged on one of my many calls to amazon that I asked if Jeff was going to hop in his car and drive the package to me. I got a lovely form letter email from someone in India who thought my issue was not purchasing "fulfilled by amazon" items and expecting 3rd party sellers to adhere to amazon's shipping time frames. A little less time on drones and a little more time on checking packing lists and not selling services they have partial control over. They get zero of my dollars.
I love Amazon Prime and have never had a problem with deliveries. I also shop locally as much as possible - unfortunately, it's just not possible to do this all the time.
I have had 1 problem with Amazon Prime which was a delivery of a PS4 last holiday season. This was right when it came out and I had it as the primary gift for my kids. I asked them where it was and they sent another. Thus, I ended up getting 2. They never asked for the first one back. They only got it back because I'm honest.
I can't think of the last time we've had a problem with a delivery from Amazon Prime, and we order things from Amazon on a pretty regular basis (that's the plus with Prime, you don't have to plan your purchases to optimize shipping.)
I'm not a fan of places that have annoying logistics that don't work in the customer's favor. Apple Store is the place that frustrates me the most, Amazon has been good.
We have never received an incorrect item in an Amazon order, Prime or otherwise.
We've had exactly two packages that arrived late. One package last year arrived one day late. There was a snowstorm on the specified date, the package arrived the following day, and we received an apology email even though we did not complain. The same thing happened again just this week; package was scheduled to arrive Monday night, actually arrived Tuesday morning. Again, we received an apology even though we did not complain.
Given that both incidents happened during or in the immediate aftermath of a snowstorm, I think it's pretty understandable. I would also point out that it's not at all unusual for us to receive Amazon Prime packages earlier than specified.
I'd consider it a fairly good deal if Prime shipping were the only benefit. Prime Pantry makes it a great deal. Factor in the video streaming, music service, & photo backup and I call it a bargain.
Same here...
I shop locally when I can, but so many of our local stores are pitched to the least cost-sensitive of our population. I'm just not in a boutique-shopping phase of life right now, with college educations around the corner.
But I think that the other thing that is missing in this discussion is the reality that online shopping has allowed us to customize our purchases more. No longer do we limit our choices to the mass market items that make it to the big boxes, or to the carefully cultivated collections of a few local boutiques.
Now that we can shop and purchase from every tiny vendor in the world, other than consumer electronics, many of the gifts I buy for my immediate family would not be found in any local store. (But I also try to use Sparkhouse, KALM, etc. when they can meet my needs)
Amazon allows me to find the quirky right item, as well as buy it. It also saves me plenty of trips to Rte 10 or 22, and I won't apologize for that.
Hopefully our local small craft/manufacturing businesses are also leveraging the online tools that allow them to find the perfect customer wherever he/she may live.
mjh said:
I love Amazon Prime and have never had a problem with deliveries. I also shop locally as much as possible - unfortunately, it's just not possible to do this all the time.
Freeway said:
70% of my prime packages were late, misdirected ( that bull***** where they fedex or ups the package to the post office and have them complete delivery, instead of just sending it directly to my home or mailbox store mailbox, which always turns into a giant debacle) or incorrectly picked. I only purchased items that were "fulfilled by amazon". The "free month of prime if we screw up" did nothing for me as they couldn't get orders to me in a timely manner in the first place.
I get it they don't have control over shipping once it leaves amazon but why then can they guarantee shipping if they arent the ones doing it? I became so enraged on one of my many calls to amazon that I asked if Jeff was going to hop in his car and drive the package to me. I got a lovely form letter email from someone in India who thought my issue was not purchasing "fulfilled by amazon" items and expecting 3rd party sellers to adhere to amazon's shipping time frames. A little less time on drones and a little more time on checking packing lists and not selling services they have partial control over. They get zero of my dollars.
Amazon dropped UPS in 2014 and replaced them with the USPS. When we lived in Brooklyn, there was a noticeable drop off in service when this occurred. Instead of packages being delivered to our front door, the USPS would usually just leave a notice in our mailbox telling us we had to go to the PO to pick-up our package. We almost stopped using Prime because of this, but since we moved to SO, we haven't had any problems.
Doesn't matter when I order it, doesn't matter where I have it sent to, doesn't matter what shipping options I choose, my transaction almost always ends up with me having to call amazon. I don't have time.
The last order I ever placed was for a set of 4 action figures for a character themed photoshoot. The set was ordered from amazon and I made sure to select the fulfilled by amazon item listing. I ordered it with a 14 business day window (so more like 20 days counting weekends) until the shoot. Paid for next day shipping. It did not arrive the next day. It did not arrive the following day. I still have around 18 days to spare but I called amazon and they tracked the package to the local post office. Package is delivered the following day and the box is much smaller than expected. Packing list states 4 action figures, 1 action figure sent. Billed for 4. Called amazon and demanded a refund. Sent Jeff an email informing him that he had lost me as a customer and amazon would never see another dime from me.
Spent the next 16 days hunting down action figures at brick and mortar stores. Shoot the shoot with professional cosplayers. Everyone loved it. Payed way too much for 4 plastic toys, but amazon got zero of my dollars. Mission accomplished.
I had nothing but problems receiving my Prime packages from Amazon that were delivered via the post office when I lived in Maplewood. Amazon lost a lot of money replacing orders that I never received. Now that I moved, I haven't had one problem receiving my packages. (I also think their methods of shipments varies according to geography -- there are no Lazership deliveries where I live now, and I do get some deliveries by either UPS or FedEx, depending on the order. That never happened in Maplewood.)
Wow. Out of 124 orders we placed in 2015, zero problems. Sure we returned some things for poor fit etc. but the return process has always been ridiculously easy. Amazon is revolutionizing (has revolutionized) the retail / consumer space and will continue to do so to the detriment of all retailers except fresh grocery, liquor and, to some extent, apparel.
same hippies who used to complain about Walmart now complaining about Amazon . Despite Amazon crushing Walmart.
Mom & pop businesses in downtown districts must adapt or die. Capitalism is hard. Capitalism is also what makes America the world's strongest and most resilient economy.
I love Amazon Prime and use it often. I also frequent the box boxes (Target, Coscto, etc). But my favorite place to shop is my local downtown in Madison. It's a lovely downtown that's walkable from my house. However, my choices are slim. The toy store is great - lots of stock and great service. And the new book store is promising, although both times I've gone in they didn't have the book I wanted.
The rest of the retail stores generally have limited inventory and higher prices than similar products I could get at the mall. So, I have a hard time shopping that these stores. And sadly, stores are closing. We now have several empty storefronts and new businesses are few and far between.
If local stores don't carry the things people want to buy at prices comparable to other nearby sources, what role does the local community play? I want my downtown to have a diverse selection of retail options. Right now, we have a bunch of highbrow stationers, jewelers, thrift shops and a random assortment of hybrid retail/repair stores for vacuums, PCs, cameras and such that don't meet my needs at all. I don't see stores coming in that seriously compete for my retail business.
Use prime alot -- and by far have the most problems when things are (end) delivered by USPS. At one point, I'd get a text saying my package was there -- and so often it wasn't - I knew I had to look across the street or next door. UPS, Fedex, and their own delivery people ok.
About 2 years ago I ordered a relatively expensive watch from Amazon as a present. When I opened the box, there was no watch inside the box. Replaced no questions asked. (and it was still sealed with Amazon tape, meaning it happened in the warehouse)
/p
I ordered an ink cartridge before Christmas. It came (USPS) from Trenton, to Kearny, to Harrisburg PA, to Lancaster PA, to Kearny, to Jackson, back to Kearny and then finally to South Orange. Took ten days to get to me. I just laughed. If I had needed it, I wouldn't have found it so funny.
The only problem I've had with USPS deliveries is that I'd check the tracking and it would say it was delivered, but my wife would be at home and say the package wasn't there. It would show up later that day.
That happened with my limited edition Darth Vader etched PS4 and things were touch and go for a while!
I'd actually say that we've had better luck since moving here (South Orange) than we had at our co-op in the city. We had more things disappear via the mailroom there. Either people in the mailroom would steal it, or UPS would steal it, or the UPS guy would mark the package as delivered when it wasn't and it would disappear.
You'd think leaving things on a stoop for a few hours would be less reliable than delivering to a mailroom. Admittedly, we do tend to order more expensive things with planned delivery for the weekend or when we're working from home.
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The next time you order a book or TV or whatever else consider this:
http://www.civiceconomics.com/empty-storefronts.html
Keep it up and our charming downtown will disappear.