Rant on shipping

[Sigarms]

But, as someone upthread noted, not all of us live where that's convenient. Downside to rural life is that shopping, restaurants, etc. are not generally part of the landscape. I for one don't have the time nor desire to drive several hours to a city where I may or may not know my way around to find a store that may or may not have what I'm looking for when I can get it on line.
If it takes a week or more to get here, that's fine.

With all due respect, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

When you move to the country and next to a pig or chicken farm, you have no right to complain about the smell. When you live in BFE and your hours upon hours away from anything per drive time, YOU put yourself there, no one else.

That said, if you're fine with getting what you order online and when it get it shipped to you, I'm guessing you aren't ranting on shipping?

 

[two_bit_score]

Don't get me wrong.


Thing people forget is to run a business costs money, particularly with inventory and knowing your product. Now a days, people sell online and I'm guessing don't even stock the product but ship it from another location that the seller has no control over. Person selling from their home has almost no overhead other than I guess what they pay to be a seller (I honestly have no clue how that works, talking through my butt). People are now getting ticked that they actually have to pay tax on crap when it ships from out of your state.

If I really want something, I take the time and pick it up in person.

Picking up in person is my preferred way to get what I want. If it’s something I have never used I like to see it before I buy it.

Restocking though, it’s not necessary to see it first, I already know the product. And sometimes it’s just easier to get certain items online rather than trying to find it at the local store. Example - a pair of cheap gloves I picked up one pair at Northern Tool to try out. Turns out I like them more than I thought. But, they seem to be an online only item now with Northern. HD has them - online only.

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[two_bit_score]

This is a little tangential but I think it’s interesting and throwing this out for a bit of discussion.

Restaurant service, at least according to some, has suffered recently. Short staff, overwhelmed, resulting in slow or poor service. Lot more delivery service. Some restaurants going to take out or delivery only.

Do you see in the near future a concept catching on where you order meals online, pay online and make a reservation at the restaurant to eat there at a specific time? You just show up, party of 5 at 8pm, table is ready meal is almost ready, have drinks, meal is served, you tip the server afterward but everything else is done online?

Seems like to me anyway, it would be a good concept. Big time saver. Cuts out all the waiting for service, waiting for food, waiting for the check, waiting for the return, etc.

Some restaurants are using a point of sale terminal now that the waiter brings to the table and your CC is run, receipt printed at the same time. But if you could do it up front, would you?

 

[Sigarms]

Restocking though, it’s not necessary to see it first, I already know the product. And sometimes it’s just easier to get certain items online rather than trying to find it at the local store. Example - a pair of cheap gloves I picked up one pair at Northern Tool to try out. Turns out I like them more than I thought. But, they seem to be an online only item now with Northern. HD has them - online only.

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I complete agree with you.

Heck, I buy stuff online as well.

I've been buying stuff online enough that the only time I get irriated is when I spend extra money on getting it to me faster and it doesn't show up when promised. Generally speaking, if you get a notice the same day that you order has a lable printed for it to be shipped out, thats a sign it's probably going to be a while LOL

 

[fried1765]

But, as someone upthread noted, not all of us live where that's convenient. Downside to rural life is that shopping, restaurants, etc. are not generally part of the landscape. I for one don't have the time nor desire to drive several hours to a city where I may or may not know my way around to find a store that may or may not have what I'm looking for when I can get it on line.
If it takes a week or more to get here, that's fine.

I am not a big Amazon fan, but I just ordered a 1-1/8" drill bit from them.
I had it shipped to the nearest "Amazon hub".
It is 20+ miles away, and I will pick it up when in that area.
Arrived there in only 2 days.
Don't know if this shipping time will be the norm, but I wanted to try the system out.
Over $25, shipping is free.

 

[Citydude]

This is a little tangential but I think it’s interesting and throwing this out for a bit of discussion.

Restaurant service, at least according to some, has suffered recently. Short staff, overwhelmed, resulting in slow or poor service. Lot more delivery service. Some restaurants going to take out or delivery only.

Do you see in the near future a concept catching on where you order meals online, pay online and make a reservation at the restaurant to eat there at a specific time? You just show up, party of 5 at 8pm, table is ready meal is almost ready, have drinks, meal is served, you tip the server afterward but everything else is done online?

Seems like to me anyway, it would be a good concept. Big time saver. Cuts out all the waiting for service, waiting for food, waiting for the check, waiting for the return, etc.

Some restaurants are using a point of sale terminal now that the waiter brings to the table and your CC is run, receipt printed at the same time. But if you could do it up front, would you?

We like to go out and relax. If we wanted no waiting for anything, Burger King has that figured out.

 

[Doofy]

I complete agree with you.

Heck, I buy stuff online as well.

I've been buying stuff online enough that the only time I get irriated is when I spend extra money on getting it to me faster and it doesn't show up when promised. Generally speaking, if you get a notice the same day that you order has a lable printed for it to be shipped out, thats a sign it's probably going to be a while LOL

I'm thinking the "printing the label now" is just another con to get your money faster.

 

[Sigarms]

I'm thinking the "printing the label now" is just another con to get your money faster.

I honestly don't think so.

I believe, and I could be wrong, that you get the "lable printing" notification to let you know that a shipping lable has been printed and the item is ready to be picked up. Part of the issue I think is when people see that lable notification, they think the product has already shipped. Depending on where the item is being picked up at, I'm guessing it could actually be a day or two before the item actually leaves the location.

I'm also guessing that with todays online industry, you could place an order from one location, and you may be getting the product shipped from another location, and the seller may not be able to control what the shipper does / prints.

In the old days when you ordered online, you assumed you were dealing with both the seller and shipper, now it could be anyones guess. Palce a order to "Mike's" from and your dealing with Tim from Jersey, who is shipping the product from yet another company in California.

 

[ultrarunner]

Priority 2 Day mail.mailed Monday from Olympia arrived Oakland Saturday...

 

[fried1765]

Priority 2 Day mail.mailed Monday from Olympia arrived Oakland Saturday...

Priority mail shipped from MA on Dec.14th arrived Atlanta Dec.24th .... 10 days!