General Request to pretty much everybody (or so it seems).

[tcreeley]

It is too handy a source to stop using it. I don't like Bezos, but then I don't like Walmart either. Both are useful.

 

[daugen]

It is too handy a source to stop using it. I don't like Bezos, but then I don't like Walmart either. Both are useful.

I agree. It's all about reasonable alternatives. If you don't have any, Amazon is wonderful. I just ordered some nice quality flavored fig bars to hand out for Halloween. Food Lion sure doesn't have what I ordered...so where else am I going to find them? I have to order online. And I get 5 percent back from Amazon, who else does that? Is that predatory or just providing a needed service?

I drove all the way across NC to pick up my new EA rear blade and rake, plus a set of CA HD forks.
I'm willing to do that for something special and big. Am I willing to drive three hours to the closest store for normal needs? No.

The question is how to add value, not just location info, to the product.
My new Audi was built in Mexico. Stuff is built all over the place now.
I guess I'm happy to prioritize US first, North America second. But if you want me to prioritize some place other than Amazon, where?
Now I want to see Walmart go to 15 bucks an hour too.
I always liked Grainger but their retail prices were crazy. Maybe business accounts get a big discount to make
it a better value.

Happily Tractor Supply is about 15 minutes from my home. I always check there first, then Lowes, then Ace, which is no more, than Amazon.

How about a whole new section of Amazon devoted to US made?

 

[cdb2]

^^ They want to drive the independent small businesses out of the market. Another reason to avoid JeffCo.

On the contrary, it's a reason to fix our government.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Uh oh....

Amazon eliminates monthly bonuses and stock grants after minimum wage increase - The Verge

 

[rox]

What Amazon has done is spawned many millions of small businesses, the Sellers who sell on Amazon.
I feel that the costs I pay to Amazon are worth it even though like everybody I wish the costs were less :laughing:.

The predatory thing Amazon does do is, if you are a Seller and you list a new product and if you start getting a lot of sales, Amazon sees that because they see your business records, and then Amazon comes in buys inventory and sells against you. I am protected since we are our own brand, but I have interacted with many many Sellers this has happened to. When you sign up to sell on Amazon you have to give them permission to have access to all of your sales records so what they are doing is legal. I do not believe it is morally right though. I think the whole world would be better off if Amazon was forced to split in 2, one half where they source and sell products on their own platform and another half where they offer the selling platform to other Sellers and do not share your sales data with the Selling part of Amazon. Does this make sense? The way I described it?

As a Seller if you can handle the aggravation factor of their constant software upgrades that many times screw with you listings it is a great platform to sell on. Your local hardware store who closed down? Many of them have started a new business selling on Amazon. Big brands used to sell to, Circuit City (now closed) K-Mart (on life support) etc. etc. as their dealers dried up they to are directly selling on Amazon also.

I could write a lot lot more but I think I will leave this here with just one more thought. Our olive oil, you would not be able to locally buy our olive oil so Amazon is providing a way for you to buy a product you would not be able to get locally.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

A substitute teacher with a 4yr teaching degree gets $11 an hr and no benefits.

 

[MossRoad]

A substitute teacher with a 4yr teaching degree gets $11 an hr and no benefits.

The substitute teacher can quit anytime they like, gets 3 months off at summer, two weeks at Christmas, two days at Thanksgiving, a few days in the spring, a few other days, too, and should have picked another career other than 'substitute teacher'....

Traditionally, a substitute teacher is a job for 4 year college grads to gain teaching experience while working on their master's degree. It's required for their degree. So, in essence, they are getting paid to take a required educational experience.

I come from a family of teachers. Mom was a part-time art teacher for many years, then full time. Another sister taught theater and stage craft in high schools and college. Another sister teaches art in public schools full-time. Third sister is a college professor that did the whole substitute teaching thing working towards her masters. Fourth was an English teacher working on her PHD..... so I kinda know what it's like being around teachers while they're subbing.

I also have friends whose children got out of 4 year college and did substitute teaching while applying for full time jobs after college. Some took a couple years to land a full-time job. Several others went back to school and got nursing degrees in just a year and a half of accelerated courses. Actually, I'm surprised at the number of people that come out of college with a bachelor of whatever degree, find they don't like the field or can't find a job in the field, then go back to school for nursing. I'll bet 15% of the people my oldest kid went to high school with are now in the nursing field.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's a nice business model Amazon has. Form a partnership with a little guy and when things go good, stab him in the back.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ Which is why I buy stuff elsewhere, including oils and things. Business people, merchants, etc. should expand where they sell to reach a wider range of customers.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I was surprised that a customer of mine that deals in used Telecom equipment has partnered with Amazon. He seems to think, there is little other alternative "moving forward" as that stupid saying I hate goes. To me, it means, don't learn from the past or look at who did what.