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

[Industrial Toys]

As a kid, I remember Eatons and Simpsons (Later Sears) Delivery trucks running around the neighborhood.

You called them on your (one) dial telephone, no push this or BS about "unusually" high call volumes, and they answered the call. You didn't have to fight with them or escalate matters. Returns were no problem, no questions asked, delivery and pick ups, free of charge.

They sent a bill with a postage paid addressed envelope and it had a computer punch card in there that you were to include.

Something about those times seems more appealing than how things are today.

 

[newbury]

JMO but it's sort of crass for a noob to attempt to request setting a forum precedent based on a personal bias...
<snip>

Why is it "crass"?
He started a separate thread for "Rairoad ties For Retaining Wall" when an existing thread was covering pretty much of the same.
He's important and has time on his hands apparently.

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?

Don't you realize that with the hiring practices of FedEx, UPS, etc. they get almost "anybody off the street"?

We should put a return deposit on all the shipping containers coming over here from China. Use this money to keep US workers employed. When all our workforce is unemployed, who is going to buy all that crap, who will be paying into S.S., and who will be paying income taxes ? Is there enough paper here to print our worthless money or does that come from overseas too ?

No, "we" should put those shipping containers to use. We are not being FORCED to buy goods from China, Thailand, etc. It's just that they work cheaper. The median salary for a Chinese Mechanical Engineer is about $22,000 (US), a good hourly wage for a factory worker is $4/hr. If something takes 100 manhours to produce it's a lot cheaper in China.

I shop the cheapest site with free shipping, it could be Amazon, ebay or just some business that has the product that I need. I don't pay for AmazonPrime to get free shipping since almost everyone does free shipping, if not one seller then the next guy in line will. I can almost always find the same item for less at other than Amazon or ebay.

I stopped doing that years ago - I now try and include a fudge factor for "ease of return". I've bought many things on Amazon that required return. Only a few time have I found their customer service reps to be a pain. I also include shipping costs and tax.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just about flipped. Got charged almost $40.00 to ship four small dome cameras via Purolator about 100 miles. That's INSANE! $40.00 I never passed on to the customer! It's not hard to see the appeal of FREE Amazon Shipping!

 

[bcp]

'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'.

Work your fingers to the bone and what do you get?
Bony fingers, ...

HOYT AXTON - BONY FINGERS (1974) LYRICS



Bruce

 

[hawkeye08]

I often use Amazon to find what I want, then search for other sources. Amazon is not always the lowest for sure.

 

[/pine]

Why is it "crass"?
...

read what you quoted...it was self explanatory...

 

[newbury]

I apologize, I tried to put a sarcasm emoji in but it didn't work. It comes out like this ��

 

[Einthewoods]

Speigel's is gone now too. They were huge for a while, but there were some rumors that one of the execs raided the company coffers for personal use. That information seems to have been scrubbed from the web as I can't find the original sources any more. Not sure if it was false information or if somebody was able to power the details away.

Seems like I am watching MSN or reading the NY times. Nothing like spreading unsubstantiated BS/rumor.

 

[3Ts]

I just about flipped. Got charged almost $40.00 to ship four small dome cameras via Purolator about 100 miles. That's INSANE! $40.00 I never passed on to the customer! It's not hard to see the appeal of FREE Amazon Shipping!

There's been times that shipping what I ordered costs more to ship than the order itself. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't sell everything (yet).

 

[QRTRHRS]

We used to get daily UPS drop offs. His truck was 2/3 amazon packages and almost entirely amazon packages around Christmas. I致e never seen a amazon delivery truck. Buying your own fleet if it痴 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.

If I understand it correctly, Amazon is setting up subcontractors whom contract with individuals wanting to purchase their own delivery vehicles? I have also read about some of these delivery drivers doing some pretty gross and some pretty unsafe things?

True or not, the future for way to many is job shop work. Though not always true, that usually means lower pay, no benefits and no job security. That said, I did work for a CDL driver staffing agency on a permanent position where I was treated well and paid not union scale but above average.