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

[strantor]

I have no problem with Jeff's original idea and development. I bought there for many years when he was still the littler guy trying to make his mark. When he decided he wanted to be the ONLY game in town and began actively and openly attempting to shut everyone else down is when I balked. He's not content with putting retailers and other websites out of business, he wants to move into the grocery store market. He bought a fleet of semis and leased a fleet of cargo planes so he could cut UPS and FedEx out of the loop. As noted above, he's started using Pat Doe to deliver your stuff. Just any Pat Doe that happens to sign up ... no concerns about security. Do you really want just anybody off the street delivering your stuff instead of a normal carrier service?

Any sources you can cite for Amazon actively building a mononpoly on retail sales? Because the existence of Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens, and, well, every other retail sales outlet large & small seems to be at odds with your claims. And the fact that he's building his own logistics services don't even begin support your claims, nor is it even remotely related. Ozarka and Sparkletts have delivered their own water for years. Walmart has its own delivery fleet. And those diabolical folks at O'reilley, AutoZone, Napa, Gorman Uniforms, Schwann's, Grainger, Fastenal, Home Depot, Dominoes, Papa John's, and pretty much any automotive and equipment dealer who side-step your perceived societal obligation to utilize 3rd party couriers. Heck, farmers bring their own produce to the farmers' market. Should farmers be forced to use DHL to send their cabbages 5mi down the road to the farmers' market? What's the difference? I don't understand the gripe with him buying his own trucks to deliver his products if he can ship them himself for cheaper than existing couriers and pass those savings on to his customers. It's a competitive edge, and if his competitors want to compete, maybe they need to consider doing the same. And the "pat doe" thing? I haven't seen a background check on my local USPS delivery lady (because such info is not available to me even if I cared to see it) but I can tell you that she's bat shart crazy (probably a meth head), and lazy to boot. She won't get out of her car if there are any clouds in the sky because they might rain on her. She puts "dog" on a little pink slip even if my dog is alseep inside on the couch, and I have to drive to the post office to get my package. I don't know the first or last names of the UPS or FedEx guys who typically drop off my amazon purchases and I haven't seen their rap sheets either, so there's no difference in my mind between them or (whoever you're talking about, it doesn't really matter).

In the off-chance that Amazon really is usurping the free market by some unfair means (like purchasing legislation that benefits them only, while hurting everyone else) and you've just done a poor job of articulating that fact, then I whole-heartedly would agree with your sentiments. I hate monopolies. Like the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), who is a private company, whose sole right to insure in certain counties is guaranteed by state law, and whose coverage I am required to carry where I live. Until Jeff Bezos pays off (oops, I mean "lobbies") congress for the right to be the sole distributor of certain goods, I'll shop wherever I can get the best deal (which is usually Amazon).

And getting into the grocery business?! How nefarious! Someone tell K-mart, Wal-mart, Target, and the local gas stations, to take up political arms and fight down anyone who dares to sell perishables alongside non-perishables!

 

[Industrial Toys]

Disolving Standard Oil was the best thing (financially) that ever happened to Rockafeller. (sp?) The share price skyrocketed to many times its former price.

I thought the government WAS putting the brakes on Amazon.

The beef with Amazon is that he is apparently offering delivery at a loss to his company and since delivery is such a HUGE part of the retail game, his competition can't compete.

I'm buying my wired phone lines from a company that charges about half of what Bell charges. Yet, they are Bell lines, equipment and Bell comes to repair them. I don't agree with that, yet I would not want to be paying what Bell would be charging me in a competition free environment.

 

[4570Man]

Any sources you can cite for Amazon actively building a mononpoly on retail sales? Because the existence of Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens, and, well, every other retail sales outlet large & small seems to be at odds with your claims. And the fact that he's building his own logistics services don't even begin support your claims, nor is it even remotely related. Ozarka and Sparkletts have delivered their own water for years. Walmart has its own delivery fleet. And those diabolical folks at O'reilley, AutoZone, Napa, Gorman Uniforms, Schwann's, Grainger, Fastenal, Home Depot, Dominoes, Papa John's, and pretty much any automotive and equipment dealer who side-step your perceived societal obligation to utilize 3rd party couriers. Heck, farmers bring their own produce to the farmers' market. Should farmers be forced to use DHL to send their cabbages 5mi down the road to the farmers' market? What's the difference? I don't understand the gripe with him buying his own trucks to deliver his products if he can ship them himself for cheaper than existing couriers and pass those savings on to his customers. It's a competitive edge, and if his competitors want to compete, maybe they need to consider doing the same. And the "pat doe" thing? I haven't seen a background check on my local USPS delivery lady (because such info is not available to me even if I cared to see it) but I can tell you that she's bat shart crazy (probably a meth head), and lazy to boot. She won't get out of her car if there are any clouds in the sky because they might rain on her. She puts "dog" on a little pink slip even if my dog is alseep inside on the couch, and I have to drive to the post office to get my package. I don't know the first or last names of the UPS or FedEx guys who typically drop off my amazon purchases and I haven't seen their rap sheets either, so there's no difference in my mind between them or (whoever you're talking about, it doesn't really matter).

In the off-chance that Amazon really is usurping the free market by some unfair means (like purchasing legislation that benefits them only, while hurting everyone else) and you've just done a poor job of articulating that fact, then I whole-heartedly would agree with your sentiments. I hate monopolies. Like the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), who is a private company, whose sole right to insure in certain counties is guaranteed by state law, and whose coverage I am required to carry where I live. Until Jeff Bezos pays off (oops, I mean "lobbies") congress for the right to be the sole distributor of certain goods, I'll shop wherever I can get the best deal (which is usually Amazon).

We used to get daily UPS drop offs. His truck was 2/3 amazon packages and almost entirely amazon packages around Christmas. I’ve never seen a amazon delivery truck. Buying your own fleet if it’s cheaper is only smart business decisions. All the UPS drivers that lost their job can go work for amazon. The biggest problem is the little guy is really getting shafted then.

 

[cdb2]

Any sources you can cite for Amazon actively building a mononpoly on retail sales? Because the existence of Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens, and, well, every other retail sales outlet large & small seems to be at odds with your claims. And the fact that he's building his own logistics services don't even begin support your claims, nor is it even remotely related. Ozarka and Sparkletts have delivered their own water for years. Walmart has its own delivery fleet. And those diabolical folks at O'reilley, AutoZone, Napa, Gorman Uniforms, Schwann's, Grainger, Fastenal, Home Depot, Dominoes, Papa John's, and pretty much any automotive and equipment dealer who side-step your perceived societal obligation to utilize 3rd party couriers. Heck, farmers bring their own produce to the farmers' market. Should farmers be forced to use DHL to send their cabbages 5mi down the road to the farmers' market? What's the difference? I don't understand the gripe with him buying his own trucks to deliver his products if he can ship them himself for cheaper than existing couriers and pass those savings on to his customers. It's a competitive edge, and if his competitors want to compete, maybe they need to consider doing the same. And the "pat doe" thing? I haven't seen a background check on my local USPS delivery lady (because such info is not available to me even if I cared to see it) but I can tell you that she's bat shart crazy (probably a meth head), and lazy to boot. She won't get out of her car if there are any clouds in the sky because they might rain on her. She puts "dog" on a little pink slip even if my dog is alseep inside on the couch, and I have to drive to the post office to get my package. I don't know the first or last names of the UPS or FedEx guys who typically drop off my amazon purchases and I haven't seen their rap sheets either, so there's no difference in my mind between them or (whoever you're talking about, it doesn't really matter).

Well said. I've also dealt for years with (what I hope is) the bottom of the barrel of USPS employees. "Just anybody off the street," statistically speaking, ought to be a heck of an improvement.

In the off-chance that Amazon really is usurping the free market by some unfair means (like purchasing legislation that benefits them only, while hurting everyone else) and you've just done a poor job of articulating that fact, then I whole-heartedly would agree with your sentiments. I hate monopolies. Like the Texas Windstorm Insurance Agency (TWIA), who is a private company, whose sole right to insure in certain counties is guaranteed by state law, and whose coverage I am required to carry where I live. Until Jeff Bezos pays off (oops, I mean "lobbies") congress for the right to be the sole distributor of certain goods, I'll shop wherever I can get the best deal (which is usually Amazon).

Even if they are, I don't think the company is where folks ought to rightly be focusing their anger. The people who sell laws in exchange for money or power seem to me to be the much bigger part of the problem in that scenario.

 

[strantor]

Even if they are, I don't think the company is where folks ought to rightly be focusing their anger. The people who sell laws in exchange for money or power seem to me to be the much bigger part of the problem in that scenario.

Totally agree. It happens every day. It would be criminal if the powers that be hadn't legalized it for themselves, which should have been illegal for them to do.
I guess the forefathers didn't think it was necessary to forge an anti-bribery clause into our forming documents because it was such an obvious no-no.
Moral of the story: Never under estimate the brazen things people will do for their own benefit.

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely

 

[aczlan]

Do the math, You can not afford to show up to an $8 and hour job unless there is someone kicking in the rent for you.

$8/hr? Around here, Burger King starts at $10.50 an hour, I think I heard that Walmart starting rate is now about $11 an hour.

I'm buying my wired phone lines from a company that charges about half of what Bell charges. Yet, they are Bell lines, equipment and Bell comes to repair them. I don't agree with that, yet I would not want to be paying what Bell would be charging me in a competition free environment.

I presume that Bell is charging them for the use of their lines and equipment. It would seem that Bell should be making out fairly decently as they don't have to deal with the customer service aspect of you as a customer the other company is handling all of that.

Aaron Z

 

[Diggin It]

We used to get daily UPS drop offs. His truck was 2/3 amazon packages and almost entirely amazon packages around Christmas. I’ve never seen a amazon delivery truck. Buying your own fleet if it’s cheaper is only smart business decisions. All the UPS drivers that lost their job can go work for amazon. The biggest problem is the little guy is really getting shafted then.

'Load 16 ton, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don't you call me cuz' I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store'.

 

[widefat]

I admit I am an Amazon junkie.

Reason 1, I hate shopping.

Reason 2, every store in my town closes at or before 5pm M-F, and noon on saturday. The only open places are Food Lion and Tractor Supply.
It is a one hour round trip to the nearest Big Box.
I can find it and buy it on Amazon at 10pm, and it is on my porch in 2 days. My time is not wasted. And, our UPS driver is on a first name basis and brings dog treats to our hounds.

If I manage to get to my tractor dealer, they dont have it. Oh, they can order it - it should arrive in a week to 10 days, and I have to figure out how to get to the shop (another trip) and pick it up before they close.

Reason 3, Try buying size 15 shoes and Big AND Tall clothing local. Go ahead and let me know how that turns out.

Besides, Amazon gives me more time to read articles about China building it's military strength specifically to counter the USA. Wonder where all that money comes from?

 

[JohnBuffaloMN]

Diggin It - over a hundred Internet searchable references in this thread (so far) to what you wanted everyone to hush up about

 

[widefat]

Diggin It - over a hundred Internet searchable references in this thread (so far) to what you wanted everyone to hush up about

Heh...

Yes indeed, Amazon.com is a great resource for Tractor Supplies, Clothing, Car parts, Electronics, books, you name it. I have even started to enjoy Kindle.