Amazon vs Local Retailer

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Amazon makes China Mart (Wally) look like an amateur.

WalMart 2022 retail sales: $600+ Billion, 10,490 stores in 24 countries
Amazon 2022 retail sales: $343+ Billion

WalMart sales in just the US for 2022 were over $500B.

How do those numbers make WalMart the amateur?

 

[KOPBET]

WalMart 2022 retail sales: $600+ Billion, 10,490 stores in 24 countries
Amazon 2022 retail sales: $343+ Billion

WalMart sales in just the US for 2022 were over $500B.

How do those numbers make WalMart the amateur?

Chinese crap.

 

[chazroh]

I just wish one of these electrolyte drinks could be made without either high fructose corn syrup or sucralose. If any exist, please let me know.

As for Amazon returns, easy peasy if it's a free returns item - just print return page and take to a UPS store. now that's just easy if close to a UPS store...I get it. I only purchase free shipping and most, if not all, offer free returns and been used several times. I live in Tuttle so while not far from some shopping it is a ways for other items so if even same cost I'll go with Amazon for the 1-2 day delivery. Doesn't mean I don't want to support local businesses but at a point you have to weigh all options given the crazy prices.

Check out lmnt electrolyte packets

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Chinese crap.

LOL... If you haven't noticed, WM sells the same Chinese crap Amazon does. Just a whole lot more of it. Everybody does because we don't manufacture a lot in this country these days.

I wish it wasn't that way, but it is.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

We do a lot on Amazon. We have never had a problem. To return an item, check it on our order page, download the QR to my phone and when convenient, take it to Kohl’s and all done. We have local vendors that get as much of our busines as possible, but convenient, variety, and cost figure heavily.

 

[SlugSlinger]

I just wish one of these electrolyte drinks could be made without either high fructose corn syrup or sucralose. If any exist, please let me know.

As for Amazon returns, easy peasy if it's a free returns item - just print return page and take to a UPS store. now that's just easy if close to a UPS store...I get it. I only purchase free shipping and most, if not all, offer free returns and been used several times. I live in Tuttle so while not far from some shopping it is a ways for other items so if even same cost I'll go with Amazon for the 1-2 day delivery. Doesn't mean I don't want to support local businesses but at a point you have to weigh all options given the crazy prices.

The issue with returns is exactly what you described. I have to return the item to a ups pick up point. This is not convenient and there are indirect costs involved of me driving to ups, in both time and fuel. Amazon has shifted that cost to the consumer vs absorbing as a cost of business.

In the past I could schedule a ups pick up from where the item was delivered.

And if the item was defective, depending on the item, they would tell me to dispose of the defective item and not ship it back and it would be replaced or refunded.

Amazon got people hooked on a good thing and have continued to reduce services and increase prices. How much was Prime originally? $20 I think. It’s $139 a year currently. They are slowly increasing the heat to boil us frogs.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

The issue with returns is exactly what you described. I have to return the item to a ups pick up point. This is not convenient and there are indirect costs involved of me driving to ups, in both time and fuel. Amazon has shifted that cost to the consumer vs absorbing as a cost of business.

In the past I could schedule a ups pick up from where the item was delivered.

And if the item was defective, depending on the item, they would tell me to dispose of the defective item and not ship it back and it would be replaced or refunded.

Amazon got people hooked on a good thing and have continued to reduce services and increase prices. How much was Prime originally? $20 I think. It’s $139 a year currently. They are slowly increasing the heat to boil us frogs.

That's not been my experience. As a matter of fact I just went thru the return process for an item (not really going to return it) and listed the reason as broken/defective.

It gave me two options for a free return...drop it off or picked up by UPS. I can drop things off at Staples in Ada. One of us drives by there at least a couple of times per week so it's no big deal to drop it off. I usually don't even need to print a label. Just bring it in with the QR code from the return email and they tag it and bag it and ship it back with other returned items.

I still sometimes get the option of keeping a defective item...not always. Then again, it was never "always" an option to keep something that was defective. I think that's up to the seller. Sometimes it isn't worth the cost of shipping to return something. Just a week or so ago I got an email that Amazon was still waiting for an item I'd already returned. If they didn't get it by a certain date they were going to reinstate the charge for the item they'd already refunded. I had the tracking from the return label they sent me that proved they'd received it and the issue was resolved with a 5 minute phone call. And, they'd refunded me the price for an item I didn't return as well. I mentioned that and was told it was no problem...keep the refund and do what I wanted with the item (about a $10 item).

Yes, Prime membership costs have increased. But so has everything else. I get a pretty decent discount that's kept my Prime cost at $79 for about the past 2 years. It's worth it to me.

 

[enuf]

Definitely a strategy to online shopping. I save a metric crap-ton of money on dog food by signing up for repeat orders with the various pet supply stores like Chewy, Petco, etc... I save about 30 to 35 percent over the regular pricing by doing that and varying the flavors of a particular brand to get the savings again.

Petco had a 20% off special this week with an additional 10% off for ordering online and picking up in the store on top of the repeat order discount. There isn't a store close enough to make that convenient, but... The wife is in Abilene and there is a store there. I set up an account with her daughter's name/address (she gets food there, too) and got a $207 order for about $140-ish. So she'll not only be home for Christmas she'll be bringing dog food with her.

I frequently buy and stock up with online sales as a way to minimize the effects of inflation.

you are going to pay her for some added fuel cost due to the weight - right?

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Nothing is going to work well for everyone. Returns, for example, are quite easy for us since there is a Kohl’s about 5 miles from our home. If you live out away from commercial areas, it may not be quite as convenient. Like every other area of life, our choices have consequences, some good and some less than that.

There haven’t been many businesses that have been perfect for everyone.

 

[enuf]

I'm a pretty heavy Gatorade drinker, and most of the time, I was buying the concentrate powder at Walmart. The wife found Gatorade Zero at Amazon that comes in little packets. I keep three 20 ounce bottles and when I drink a flavor, I get the same flavor packet and pour it into about 12 ounces of water and shake. After a good shaking, I then finish filling the bottle and shake again.

Since there is no sugar in the Zero products, the packets are small and there is no need of measuring. I'm drinking the Glacial Freeze, Fruit Punch, and Glacial Cherry flavors.

Gatorade Zero at Amazon

Hint-hint - Merry Christmas, right. You're a slick cookie...