So, Amazon Sucked Me in Again - Amazon Rules Retailing - Seriously!

[MineralMan]

Every Christmas, someone gives me a $50 gift card from Amazon. I think it's Santa, but can't be sure. Usually, I use it to buy socks, underwear, and other boring crap that I need, but don't care about. This year, I thought about what to do with $50 I had to spend on Amazon, the company that will soon be the only place Americans can buy things. It's fun to think about spending money that doesn't immediately come out of your own wallet. Really. Burns a hole in your pocket, money like that.

So last night, while I was browsing DU on my 2011 original Kindle Fire HD, I wondered when it would finally give out on me. So, I navigated to Amazon's convenient shopping page, which is always only a tap away if you have an Amazon Kindle product. That original Kindle Fire had seemed like a great bargain, back in 2011. It was on sale for just $98 in a special offer, so I got one. It turned out to be a great little tablet computer, with enough resolution to let me use the Internet in normal PC mode, rather than the clumsy apps designed for cell phones. Even DU works great on it in its normal display mode. The type's a little small, but I can cope.

So, there was the latest Fire HD that popped up on the first screen, now 8" in size, compared to the 6" of the original. 1280x8xx screen resolution. Cool beans. Bigger! Better! Cheaper! How did Amazon know what I was thinking? Oh, well. But, guess what? Amazon had it on sale for $49.95, and I had a $50 gift card right there. My wonderful wife, who probably was the Santa who gave me the card, has a Prime account, so I logged into her account, added the gift card, and tapped Amazon's cognitive bias-inspired 1-Click Order button. Very clever, Amazon is, at generating impulse buying decisions. Neuromarketing, it's called.

Of course, you can't have a shiny, new 8" tablet without a case to hold it so it doesn't get damaged in your carry-on at the airport. To my surprise, when I got to the confirmation page for my order, there was a handy-dandy case for my new device, and cheap, too, maybe. There, Amazon was exploiting another cognitive bias by showing me a way to protect my new goody, which didn't really cost me anything, see, so why not buy the case? One more tap, and that was on order, too, automatically charged to my wife's Amazon Visa card. She won't mind. In fact, she thought my purchase was a great idea.

2-day shipping, of course, was free, since my wife pays whatever it costs per year for that Amazon Prime account. Free! Free! Yet another neuromarketing cognitive bias exploit. And I fell for it, just like everyone else does.

Even better, my new 8" Fire HD will automatically be registered to my wife's Prime Account, so all of the Kindle books she has ordered will automatically be available on it, so I'll have something to read when I'm travelling. Brilliant!

So, on Friday, a nice young person on the gig economy will come to my door, bearing my new "precious." I'll have it in time to get everything set up on it for my trip to California next week. Groovy!

Like I said, Amazon will soon be the only place to shop. Literally. If you want something, you'll have to get it from Amazon, because everyone else will be closed. We'll all be Amazon Prime customers, no doubt. But, then, there's that cool Fire HD tablet to think about, so I won't worry about Amazon taking over the world today. Nope. I'll worry about that later. Today, my cognitive biases have ruled my decisions, and my reward is being shipped as I type. Isn't the Internet wonderful!?!

[Pachamama]

1. Me too....and I even got the Fire TV Sticks for Christmas....

Want to break my addiction to Comcast Xfinity and switch to Amazon as my addiction....

They have me....

[MineralMan]

3. Yup. They have everything figured out.

Did you know that your Fire TV stick lets you shop on Amazon right on your TV? Isn't that amazing? 1-Click ordering from the comfort of your living room, anytime you like. It syncs to your Fire HD, too, so you're all set!

[Demovictory9]

68. they sure do! and the stuff arrives so quickly.

[catbyte]

2. If you have a cat, beware of the one-click ordering option.

I was on Amazon a few weeks ago & put my kindle down to check on something in the kitchen. I returned to find that Otis had ordered this pin using the one-click option. Luckily, I was able to cancel the order & I also disabled the one-click--just to be safe. I don't want any humongous scratching posts or bales of catnip appearing at the door.

[MineralMan]

5. Even Otis can order from Amazon! Wow!

[Bengus81]

6. I agree,turned that feature off a couple of years ago....

Now it seems if you look cross-eyed when ordering something on Amazon you've suddenly signed up for Prime without clicking a damn thing saying you want Prime. It's easy to cancel as I've done before.

Many peeps that live in large cities with a Amazon distribution center don't need Prime,hell sometimes you'll get stuff in one day without Prime. I subscribed to it for a couple of years wayyyy back when it was $75 then canceled for good when Bezo's starting jacking the rate.

[MineralMan]

9. That's true. We do have a distribution center nearby, so

stuff often comes earlier than expected.

The only think I wish Amazon would do would be to buy magnetic Amazon signs for their gig economy delivery folks to stick on their vehicles, so I know who's coming to my door. It can be a little disconcerting at times.

[erronis]

33. I've (halfway) joked that the item arrives before I even ordered it.

Wondering if there's not a little mind-reading going on there, or just that their predictive algorithms are smarter than we are.

[not fooled]

34. Good lord!

What is that, Cthulhu? Chances are it's just an octopus but it looks particularly menacing. Perhaps your cat was trying to send you a message.

[Codeine]

42. Cat-thulhu, perhaps?

Ia! Ia! Cannedfood fthagn!

[catbyte]

73. ...

[catbyte]

70. It is. I got suspicious the minute I got back. It was the order confirmation page.

I thought, "What order?!?" and there it was. I have no idea how he even got on the Cthulhu pin page, much less happening to hit the one click order option. At least it wasn't a couch. The pin is pretty cool though...

[Demovictory9]

69. ugly pin! I question Otis' taste in jewelry

[catbyte]

74. Well, Otis can be a little monster at times, so maybe he could relate.

Or maybe some Cthulhu evangelist-type type managed to get to him...

[mcar]

4. I loved my Kindle Fire

Had 3 of them over the years. One was a freebie that Amazon gave me when #2 stopped working after a short time. #3 lasted a long time.

When it went, I got a Chromebook because it's more suited to my work as well as browsing. I still use a basic kindle ereader for books. And I miss my Fire.

I use Amazon Prime for the music and shows/movies too.

And yes, Amazon is taking over the shopping world.

[crazycatlady]

7. I'm on my 2nd Fire

My 2012 model stopped charging, so I bought a 2015 model when it was on sale. I mostly use it for Netflix/Prime video. However, it has a cracked screen.

I will replace it probably next Black Friday when they go on sale for around $30..


I got a gift card too. Not sure what I'm going to spend it on.

[MineralMan]

8. Let us know what you bought with your gift card.

It's fun to share!

[crazycatlady]

10. I've got my eye on a laptop bag

Not sure what i'll end up with though. Sometimes I end up saving them (boring, I know).

ETA I also got (and asked for) mailing supplies for Christmas. Very boring gift, but much appreciated one too.

[MineralMan]

12. I entered a gift card one time on Amazon, but didn't have time

to shop right then. The next time I needed something on Amazon, I was pleasantly surprise to see a gift card balance available. So, what did I do? I bought more stuff than I had intend to buy. Amazon is beyond clever.

But, it goes way beyond what we think. Why did that Fire HD show up on the first Amazon page I landed on? Because Amazon knows I have a 7-year-old Fire and was using it to access Amazon. An algorithm recognized that I might just be ready to replace it, so there it was, as soon as I got to the site. They know everything at Amazon.

I also have a couple of books published on the Kindle publishing system. So, every time I show up on Amazon, they try to sell me some publicity options to market those books. Amazon never misses a trick. I bought my wife a pink tourmaline necklace for Christmas this year, so the site also showed me some matching earrings when I arrived on the site. I passed on those for now, but they'll show them to me again near her birthday, I'm sure.

[crazycatlady]

16. I mostly get my ebooks through Overdrive

That's the app that links public libraries to devices. Saves me a ton of money this way. I need to play with Hoopla, that includes video too all courtesy of the library.

My 2012 Fire died in 2015 (just stopped charging). I'm glad your 2011 one lasted as long as it did.

(Shameless PSA-- if you are looking for jewelry for your wife, check out my Etsy store in my signature)

[MineralMan]

17. I'll have a look at your store.

[erronis]

36. Thanks for the mention of Overdrive - we'll take a look at it.

[MineralMan]

14. You'll find something, I'm sure.

[elfin]

11. Yes. Bezos may be Satan, but I love, love love Amazon Prime

I still try to only buy what is not readily available in nearby stores, but some weeks it seems like
Santa nearly every day on my porch.

In a metro area with a service center within an hour, so many things come in one day.

Can shop at midnight while multi-tasking with a Prime video (usually a British mystery) and then cuddle up with my ancient (no backlight) Kindle that will magically remember when I stopped reading after dropping off to sleep.

Thinking about a new Kindle, but the accessory booklight is easier on my eyes than the backlit ones, helping me to nod off earlier.

I love the fact that free shipping nearly matches gift wrap charge so I can send birthday and holiday gifts without hassle.

And on and on. Do have some guilt pangs, but have kept my membership up to date at Barnes and Noble and use that often for "real" books and games.

[MineralMan]

13. For reading, skip the backlit Kindles.

the Paperwhite one is best, since you can read it in bright sunlight. I have one of those, just for book reading. Love it!

[Adrahil]

21. Some paperwhites have lighting.

My wife's does. And she takes that thing everywhere. She expecially loves it at night hen she can read as I go to sleep.

[elfin]

66. You sold me. Thanks.

Mine still works just dandy, but the keyboard letters on the buttons are worn away. My querty skills have worn away a bit as well. So I search for new books on the computer and then save to the Kindle.

[Shemp Howard]

15. Add this to the list.

The default buying option for many Amazon products (food, etc.) is "Subscribe & Save". It's an automatic, monthly delivery plan. You must click to get the one-order-only option.

That click doesn't take much of an effort. But it is annoying. And pushy. Amazon will get theirs in 2021. That's when President Sanders will break up their near-monopoly. (Just kidding, maybe.)

[question everything]

18. In the 80s and 90s it was Wallmart that decimated downtowns

and we still hate it.

Now it is Amazon that decimates the mall - where many unskilled people and retirees work - and we love it.

[Adrahil]

22. Not sure what to say.... Amazon is better than the mall.

They carry my size. They carry MANY brands. And they deliver to my door in 2 days so I don't have to fight the traffic and deal with, well, the mall.

If the mall wants to survive, it has to offer a better experience. Or something unique (my local mall holds a local maker/craft dealers fair every two weeks that is well attended).

[Mosby]

43. the cost of rent had a lot to do with the demise of malls

Commercial real estate people know how to raise rents to almost the break even point for the retailer, it's usually the number one expense with payroll second.

It's starting to become an issue in Phoenix, established, successful businesses are closing or relocating because they can't afford to pay 40+ dollars per sq/ft. Just recently a circle K closed, which is unheard of, it was in a nice area so when they redid the strip center they raised rents to 37 dollars per sqft. They couldn't make that work so they closed, the spot has been empty now for more than a year.

[Mosby]

19. They stopped making the high res models

I have the 8.9 fire HDX, I might buy a back up because I'm not going to go down in rez.

For the curious, the res is 2560x1600, the text is perfectly crisp, no dots.

[MineralMan]

20. I'm good with the normal HD resolution.

[Mosby]

23. I read without my glasses, so I'm close to the screen

Which makes the lower res more noticable.

[roody]

24. I have never shopped there and intend never to do so.

[MineralMan]

25. Oh, OK, then...

Thanks for letting me know.

[guillaumeb]

26. Enabling Bezos to ruin the country, and the world.

One convenient experience at a time.

And an underpaid worker will complete the process.

Interesting how people can rationalize harmful behavior in the name of cost cutting and convenience.

But that behavior comes at a cost.

[MineralMan]

48. Sure, but here's the thing:

Amazon is successful because it is providing the shopping experience people are looking for. Competitive prices, convenience, and benefits for the consumer.

Add to that a solid review system with access to lots of user reviews. Additional product recommendations that are tailored directly to the individual customer and based on past purchases and associated product purchases by other customers. Plenty of information about products available for those who like to research such things. Availability of the full range of sizes, colors, alternative products, and accurate information about availability that is reliable. A foolproof return policy that removes risk from purchases.

Amazon offers all of those things, with no extra cost, and frees customers from having to deal with store staff, who often are uniformed and unhelpful.

Attractive pricing
Availability of exactly the item you need
Alternative products available for comparison
Fast order fulfillment
The broadest possible product variety
Reliability
Shop from home or anywhere

Those, and many other things, are why Amazon is leading the retail market for an almost endless range of products. Whatever it is that you might want to buy, Amazon has it and its in stock for immediate shipment. For example, suppose I wanted to buy a stereo microscope for a 3D view of small objects, like, say, gemstones. Unless I live in a major urban area, such instruments will not be available in local stores. Even if I do live in, say New York City, I will not be able to see the full range of brands and models. A search on Amazon will show me the full range of such instruments, ranging from hobby-level ones to professional models costing in the 5-figure range. I'll be able to compare specifications, prices, check multiple reviews from actual buyers, and make my decision. When I order, I can count on the product I choose being in stock for immediate shipment.

NO OTHER RETAILER OFFERS ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN ONE PLACE!

That is why Amazon is so successful.

[guillaumeb]

53. But that convenience comes at a large cost.

And is, in my view, a negative aspect of unregulated capitalism.

Ignoring all of the negatives of the Amazon or WalMart model ignores what this model is doing to the world.

But yes, one can purchase things conveniently and quickly.

Just like Northern manufacturers were able to but Southern raw material cheaply because it was grown with slave labor.

Progressive? hardly.

[MineralMan]

55. Did I claim that Amazon was a progressive company?

I did not. It is what it is. Does it exploit its employees. Yes, to some degree, but it is not alone in that, by any means. Small retailers exploit their employees, too.

Does it provide a wide range of merchandise at competitive prices.
Why, yes it does.

Does it provide a way for authors to publish their own books and receive as much as 70% of the sales price when they are solld?

Yes, it does. I am such an author. I have written books for traditional publishers, as well. Amazon is a far better deal for authors, I can guarantee.

Does it offer a way for small businesses to market their products on its website?

Yes it does. You can open a store on Amazon in about an hour. There, you can reach an almost unlimited audience with your unique and creative products. Does it cost money to do that? Yes, it does. The terms are laid out clearly for potential businesses.

Do you order from Amazon?

I have no idea.

[guillaumeb]

56. So ideals take a back seat to price and convenience?

A slippery slope position, in my view.

And no, I do not buy from Amazon.

[MineralMan]

59. Not at all. I buy from Amazon when it is more convenient for me

to do so. I could have bought my Kindle Fire at the local Target store, for the same price, but then I would have had to take the time to drive there, and they don't accept Amazon gift cards, which I described receiving.

However, in the real meat space I occupy, most people choose price and convenience as priorities when shopping for the goods they need. Are they selfish? Yes, they are. We are all selfish to some degree.

I buy my groceries at a supermarket, instead of at the local farmer's market. Why? Because the supermarket also carries toilet paper, laundry detergent, pharmaceuticals, and other items I need. Its prices are also lower and there is a larger selection of options for almost everything. Price and convenience are important sometimes.

I buy hardware and home improvement supplies, however, from a local ACE hardware store, despite higher prices and often a more limited selection. Why? Because the staff there has the answers to my questions and knowledge I need. Those things are not available at Home Depot, which has lower prices and better selection. I make decisions based on my needs. The employees at the local hardware store are paid less per hour than the ones at Home Depot, by the way.

[guillaumeb]

60. Convenience above all?

Interesting.

And progressives talk about how small towns and small businesses are dying. Capitalism demands such behavior. Bezos gets even richer as your neighborhood declines.

As wages stagnate, this price over principle behavior is inevitable.

[Adrahil]

71. What is your alternative?

I hear lots of complaining about Amazon, but no viable alternatives. The mall SUCKS, even if you live reasonably close.

[guillaumeb]

80. What was the alternative prior to Bezos creating his monster?

What was the alternative prior to Walmart?

It was mainly local small businesses that kept the money spent in the local area.

[MineralMan]

82. Before Wal-Mart?

Sears Roebuck. Order from the Big Book. Delivered to your door. Lower prices and much better selection, especially in rural America. Are you really that young? Amazon is Sears for the 21st century.

[guillaumeb]

83. Sears provided living wage jobs,

and did not demand extortion in the form of tax breaks to shift the tax burden to the rest of us.

And the other part of my answer was small businesses.

Amazon is the plantation, updated for the digital age.

[MineralMan]

84. Amazon has better pay at its distribution center here

Than most other businesses for equivalent work. Look at their jobs site.

[guillaumeb]

85. The relevant part of my response was "living wage" jobs.

My sister in law works as a Supervisor at an Amazon warehouse. Nearly all of them are part timers.

And a neighbor delivers packages for Amazon. Workers bid on available shifts, and often the set rate and time are not feasible. And no one bidding is guaranteed anything.


Nice try, but the so-called gig economy is not a living wage economy. Nor is it intended to be.

And that is a big part of the Amazon plantation model of predatory capitalism.

[MineralMan]

86. How could she work at such a predatory place?

Have you counseled her on that, Guy? All I did was buy a product with a gift card, and you're all over me. Why are you bothering me about this? Talk to your sister-in-law.

[guillaumeb]

87. Avoiding my answer?

Understood.

[Adrahil]

88. Yeah.. those are not good alternatives.

Limited selection, especially in sizes, and I have yo go all over town to get what I want. NOT viable.

And if you live far from town, you’re fucked. There is a readon these businesses have thrived.

[guillaumeb]

90. And that is also eliminating small businesses.

A race to the bottom, with One Big Store for all.

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. My daughter needed to take my

home with her yesterday and they live far enough away that I wont get it back for a while.

So, off to that place you mentioned, of course and the one I want there is minimum $28. Just for the heck of it I went to target.com and found a fancy version of it for $18.

Now, I dont like Target as a company anymore than Amazon, but in this case since I can get shipping free by having it shipped to my local store for pickup, what the heck.

I refuse to shop at Walmart, ever for any reason, ever. And for a while I felt the same about Target but were I to do that my local choices would be CVS and Walgreens and their prices are on average 30% higher than Target on everything.

[HipChick]

28. Amazon forever..

I was stranded overseas...luggage was lost....I was able to go on Amazon, and order items delivered to my hotel room, to be able to make it an important meeting next day.
I'm not a mall person, never have been and hate driving all over at home, so it's one click for me..

[More_Cowbell]

29. Hard to find DVDs in stores these days

I don't know if anyone here remembers when there used to be thousands of DVDs at Best Buy and a fairly good selection at other stores. My friend wanted an old DVD for her dad for Christmas, and Amazon couldn't deliver it before New Year's. We finally found a Barnes and Noble that had it on its shelves. Best Buy had it online but not in stores.

I guess it doesn't pay to give shelf space to DVDs anymore, but it made me kind of sad.

[cwydro]

30. I love amazon.

Live in the boonies, and everything delivered on time.

[LisaM]

31. Every year, I get an Amazon gift card from my work. I don't use Amazon.

Every year I give it to someone who will use it, just so Amazon won't get whatever the amount is (probably $25, but I have to create an account just to look it up).

I love the experience of shopping in stores, and I hate, hate, hate that it's being taken from me. When I moved to Seattle, there were three going department stores, The Bon, Nordstrom, and Frederick & Nelson. They were all good stores. Frederick & Nelson is long gone, Nordstrom is still there (but nowhere near the selection they used to have), and The Bon is now Macy's, its 8 floors of retail recently shrunk down to 3, with the rest being used for - of course - Amazon offices, because they are taking over downtown block by block. (Despite the tens of thousands of Amazon workers living and working downtown, stores are closing apace because the precious darlings can't leave their desks to shop at stores that are one block away, or even in the building where they're actually working).

Seriously, this company needs to go away.

[demmiblue]

45. Most of those "precious darlings" are paid shite wages.

In some cities, they are living in tents.

[LisaM]

50. The tech workers in Seattle? I don't think so.

The influx of high-paid workers has raised rents enormously. Most make over $100K to start.

Edited to add information on the huge disparity in pay at Amazon. The Seattle tech workers do just fine, they could afford to go out and shop and keep the downtown businesses afloat.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-workers-median-pay-in-2017-28446/

[demmiblue]

54. There are tens of thousands of tech workers in Seattle? I don't think so. n/t

[LisaM]

61. 40,000 for Amazon alone (and there's Google, Vulcan, and other companies)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-amazon-growth-seattle-20171023-story.html

[demmiblue]

62. Again, all tech workers? I don't think so. n/t

[LisaM]

63. I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

Are you trying to say that there aren't tens of thousands of tech workers employed at Amazon in Seattle (there are), or that they don't all make more than $100K?

Maybe if you won't believe me, you'll believe Geekwire:


https://www.geekwire.com/2017/look-bay-area-seattle-rises-2nd-best-tech-city-u-s-passing-washington-d-c/

The report shows there are 136,910 tech jobs in Seattle, a 33 percent increase since 2011, and these workers are well-paid, with an average wage of $113,906. Workers in other professional fields like finance, sales and marketing are still the majority in Seattle, according to the report, with 189,830 jobs, but they make significantly less than those in the tech industry, with an average salary of $59,442.

They are pricing the people who were already here out of housing. It's a problem.

[erronis]

46. That's a sad story - Seattle had some great stores. But prices weren't as friendly (esp. Nordstroms)

Whether it's Walmart, Amazon, Target or other online shopping malls, the race is to capture the customers with price and convenience.

Once captured, customers are not as sensitive to price anymore. They will shop with their known retailer preferentially.

I don't think the bricks-and-mortar only stores had (or still have) much of a choice other than to add some non-price benefits such as coffee shops, cultural amenities such as live music.

I'll do more impulse buying in a local bookstore based than online, but I'll buy online if it's a technical/science book (the type I read most) since the local sellers can't carry these.

Maybe when the internet is totally walled off and us poor slobs can't use it freely, then we'll head back to the small local shops.

[LisaM]

52. I buy most of my books at a little indie store.

They special order things for me if I can't find them there. I also do a little shopping at Barnes & Noble, because they have a really good inventory on hand and it's the only new bookstore in downtown Seattle at the moment, since Elliott Bay Books left Pioneer Square and went to Capitol Hill (I'll go up there occasionally, but it eats up my entire lunch hour to do it, so I only go rarely).

I do love shopping in bookstores.

The Bon Marche had lots of affordable stuff. We also had a Lamont's (very affordable) and a local store called Jay Jacobs that had fun clothes for younger customers (of which I was one at the time). But yeah, Seattle is turning into a shopping desert. They do have a downtown Target now, but their selection is not that great.

[USALiberal]

72. I HATE real stores......

I hate looking for what I need and not finding it!
Hate xmas parking lots packed!
Hate getting there and what I want is out of stock!

Amazon has reviews, alternate options, Q and A on the product from other users.

Seriously, stores need to go away. (said because it is as silly as your statement)

[LisaM]

75. I said "this company", not all online shopping.

I order a few things online from time to time, though now I'm under stress because something arrived in a package locker at my apartment while I was out of town and now I'm getting warnings that it's going to be sent back if I don't pick it up, even though I didn't even know it was coming until today!

But Amazon seems bent on putting everyone else out of business. Who wants that?

[Nonhlanhla]

32. I have to admit

I love shopping Amazon. I'm a tall woman who wears large size shoes (women's size 11), and it's always been a pain to find shoes in my size. No I can actually find shoes I like in my size on Amazon - and for half the price I would pay at many other places. I also finally found the perfect pair of pants, and for only $20, that's actually long enough in the leg and is comfortable - I now own several pairs, all from Amazon. Etc. etc. After a lifetime of shame in trying to find something to wear in department stores that fits my long legs and big feet, I'm in heaven.

Same with many other things. Sending Christmas gifts to my goddaughter who lives across the country from me? No problem - click on Amazon, and it arrives at her doorstep 2 days later. Need to buy Turkish Delight (one of my favorite candies) which you cannot find in most US stores - click. Not to mention books, books, books. And streaming Amazon TV (we don't do the cable thing).

I guess I'm part of the problem. But I now own more than 2 pairs of shoes for the first time in my life. And have pants that don't sit above my ankle. And I can eat Turkish Delight to my heart's content while watching a movie on my smart TV (which I also bought on Amazon, thereby avoiding the hell known as Best Buy).

[Initech]

35. Watch the South Park episode "Unfulfilled" from last season.

They had a great montage to the Tennessee Ernie Ford song "16 Tons" where they compared working in an Amazon fulfillment center to working in a coal mine. Very interesting way of putting it.

[bluedigger]

37. Amazon is a blessing out here in the sticks.

I've got a Walmart and nothing else to speak of in town, and the nearest "mall" is over an hour away by car. So I can burn gas and half a day shopping for stuff that may or may not be available and in stock, or just find what I need/want online, and let Amazon do the grunt work. They use the postal carriers for small packages here. You will love your new Kindle. If I could just convince Hulu my location is enabled, I'd be set.

[womanofthehills]

49. I'm out in the sticks too. Even Walmart is an hour away.

So I use Amazon big time. Only problem I have is I can't get service to my door - UPS and Fed Ex deliver all our packages to the small hardware store 15 miles away.

My 7 yr old very computer savvy grandson, went on my computer and put what he wanted for Christmas in my Amazon cart. Sure made Christmas shopping easy. He wanted weird stuff, but that's what I got him - like handcuffs and a safe, etc.

[MissB]

57. Handcuffs and a safe?!

did you ask why?

[keithbvadu2]

38. Also check with ebay. Sometimes cheaper at one over the other.

Also check with ebay. Sometimes cheaper at one over the other.

[Hestia]

39. I bought DH the original Kindle for his bday, stopped working, they sent another and DH

used that for several years, until his work, which has incentive points program, had the new (at that time) 1st gen Kindle Fire. He bought that and it just quit working around his birthday in Nov. I went looking for another Fire for him and they all have Alexa on them whether you want it or not, which we do not. Luckily, I found a Kindle Fire earlier gen that did not have Alexa. It was about the same price as a new one. I figured he can use that for several more years before needing another one. Alexa is too snoopy and I just don't want that kinda device in the house, along with no smart appliances. A piece of paper and pen works just fine on the fridge for reordering.

There is a semi-decent movie on Netflix called "Anon" which gets into how society has changed and everyone can see everything about another person. Everything. Until a cop passed a girl who couldn't be read - she was a blank spot. Of course, he immediately hunts her down. She said there is nothing in her life to hide, there are things that she doesn't want another person to see.

That's my feeling about Alexa.

[wryter2000]

40. I avoid Amazon if I can

My sister gave me a $100 Amazon gift card, and I'll enjoy buying stuff. But I refuse to be coerced into doing Prime.

Whenever I can, I buy from REI or Costco online or various other retailers for specific things related to gardening and crafts.

[Dr Vegas]

41. I have two Kindles

I alternate between the two so when One is charging, I can use one. Download the Pluto TV app, it's like an mini cable box,
It has several different channels, movies, news, old TV shows. I watch old Dragnet(s) on the "Crime Network". There is a Mystery Science Theater 3000 Channel, Classic TV channel is where I catch old "Dick Van Dyke" Shows. Shout TV I watch Garry Anderson productions (Thunderbirds, Stingray). They even stream a dozen music radio stations. I enjoy the RatPack station

FYI, I won my second kindle off the Internet. There are always someone giving one away

[homegirl]

44. Is it possible

your grandparents worried as much about Sears Roebuck taking over retail in the USA?

[erronis]

47. Very good point. Yes to Sears Roebuck, Woolworths, five and dime stores

Catalog sales was the main availability in the small upstate NY village for Sears.

Most of the folks living there couldn't afford the luxury of a tablet or an internet connection and that's still the case. Network service is patchy anyway, for a wealthy (NY) state. Where I live now, the same problem.

This is similar to the dearth of shopping opportunities and competition in the inner parts of many major cities. Thus we have the market gougers like the 7-11's that charge exorbitant prices since there is no competition.

[MineralMan]

51. Nope. They lived in a small copper mining town in Arizona.

Sears had the stuff they wanted. Local retailers did not. So, they ordered from Sears and it came to their door. Sears was the Amazon of its time. Now its time has passed, too.

[erronis]

64. But I remember being told, if it isn't available at the General Store, you don't need it.

And I think there is still some truth to that.

Even tho I can press the prime order now button, I try to make myself wait several days/weeks before pressing the button.

We've become so much creatures of immediacy. If I want to visit my auntie bettsie on the other coast, well I can be there in 5-10 hours.

Even tho I'm not a good follower of this tenet, I do think that careful reflection about the worth of our actions is merited.

[LuckyCharms]

58. I was never much of a shopper, for anything...

I never really had a lot of "stuff" in my life, until the past few years. I tend to wear the same clothes until they have so many holes that I can't figure out how to put them on anymore. I just never really bought much of anything.

Well, that changed in the past few years.

I remodeled my kitchen a few years ago. I needed to buy lots of stuff. I turned to Amazon, and I was amazed that I could simply type in a part number for some obscure hinge adapter for example, and it would appear! I ended up spending many thousands of dollars on stuff for my remodeling jobs, and that spilled over into me buying other stuff.

I am now a regular person that actually buys things for himself. My shoes are getting worn out? No problem, Amazon. Hmmm...my hair is getting a little long, I could probably take care of it myself in between trips to the barber if I had some clippers. No problem, Amazon. Hmmmm...I'd like to replace my old recessed can lights with LED retrofits. No problem, Amazon. I don't have the time or the patience to drag myself into a Walmart or something and spend 2 hours walking around looking for a product that may or may not be good (no reviews to read). So I love Amazon.

That being said, if I am purchasing something as a gift for someone, or if I need something specific but I don't need it in a hurry and I can shop for it at my leisure, I will make it a point of visiting the local hardware store or the local gift shop.

[Pluvious]

65. Thanks for sharing your story friend...

I so know what you mean lol

Recently we installed the Prime TV app into our new 4K, and Prime users get access to some great content.

I was recently surprised how much I enjoyed their show "Forever," which my SO tricked me into watching LOL - it's really a pretty upbeat fantasy story, with great acting. ( note, I'm not a fan of Portlandia, so that wasn't a factor heh )

And if you're a SF fan, their Electric Dreams (2017 TV series of PKD stories) is not to be missed.

Cheers m8

[Vinca]

67. Sadly, Amazon has become a necessity. You can travel around the countryside for

2 weeks straight looking for the widget you need, or you can click a button on Amazon.

[oberliner]

76. Great post

Hopefully it will turn out to have been a good purchase!

[BumRushDaShow]

77. I got one of my BILs the 10" model for his 60th birthday and Christmas present

He had the 7" which he likes but he felt he needed a bigger screen (he is in dialysis 3x a week for 4 hours each session and streams on it). So when it was delivered, I got it all set up for him so all he had to do was turn it on and his previous stuff was there. I think today was to be the test run for it so have to find out how it worked out (he would just have to have it connect to the facility's wifi for the first time again so it will remember that).

For those who don't necessarily want to get fancy schmancy with a tablet (and don't want to deal with the idevice ecosystem and already have an Amazon Prime account, which also offers their own video streaming), the Kindle Fire HD seems to work great. And of course books... I have an older 7" Kindle Fire HD that I still use every once in awhile for its size (larger than my Note 9 but smaller than my iPad). One of my sisters wears 7" Kindle Fire HDs out...lol (her son uses it extensively).

[democratisphere]

78. Amazon rules only if you let them.

I have found better deals online and offline. Walmart.
com gives me free shipping, lower prices and no requirement for a Prime Type Membership. I find a lot of great deals at brick and mortar stores. I personally don't want Amazon to rule the world!

[mentalsolstice]

79. As a person with a disability Amazon Prime is freaking fantastic!

I love to be able to shop for even simple things without asking my husband having to do it for me, for instance makeup, underwear and the like. However, we mostly use Prime for watching TV shows and movies. And lately good movies are showing up earlier. For instance, last year we were caught up on many Oscar nominees before the show. We were able to watch from the comfort of our home, and being able to eat, drink, pause, rewind, close caption...and the most we paid was $6.00 for a good movie. And many good older movies are included with the yearly subscription.

[lunatica]

81. I'm with you

If I had to go to stores with my tendonitis I wouldn’t be able to do it. AND, this is a huge and, I don’t have to go to 15 different stores to get everything I want or need.

I have DirectNOW which includes Amazon prime movies and shows added for no extra cost. DirectvNOW only needs an internet connection and you get tons of shows and movies, even from Premium channels for about $50 a month.

[mentalsolstice]

89. We're thinking about cutting the cord this year.

For some Amazon is a horrible evil. For others it’s a lifeline. I’m ambulatory, but malls and lifestyle shopping centers are a PITA. I can’t drive, and I hate for my husband to have to take me to buy bras, clothing, makeup and other stuff. I’ve figured out what I need from favorite online stores and Amazon. Thus, he can go do activities he likes, and I can shop from home. And again, not a week goes by that we haven’t watched streamed a movie....we also have Netflix.

[EX500rider]

91. I went for the same deal..

....my current Kindle was a KindleFire Gen1 and was getting hard to charge and had a cracked screen where my dog chewed on it..lol
$49 for a 8" FireHD!!! WooHoo! Have about 400 ebooks, but use Kindle Unlimited now so I haven't bought any in awhile.
(been a Amazon member since 1999)