Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

chrome.google.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 310 posts

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#71

Post by JohnJamesRambo »

greenie_beans wrote: post #69
londons_explore wrote: post #60

Small business near me never seem to have online catalogues or stock levels. Hunting for a specific product (for example a washing line) might involve walking into 3 different shops and guessing which shop might sell what you need. When you arrive in the shop, they always arrange aisles differently so unless you have 20 minutes to hunt you might not find it either. Whereas online it's a simple search and click "buy n…

I’m sorry, I can’t help but point out that you could call the store before you left your house. And when in the store, you could ask a sales associate for help. Just sayin!

Calling a store is usually phone system menu hell, you will usually ultimately reach a 19 year old that doesn't care or someone in a call center.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#72

Post by minikites »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #71
greenie_beans wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m sorry, I can’t help but point out that you could call the store before you left your house. And when in the store, you could ask a sales associate for help. Just sayin!

Calling a store is usually phone system menu hell, you will usually ultimately reach a 19 year old that doesn't care or someone in a call center.

What small/local store has a call center?

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#74

Post by f6v »

prox wrote: post #31
cute_boi wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"They build spaceships, fight disease, and finance science." They do it not for humanity but to earn more money. Its always money, power, and fame at the end.

Absolutely. I saw that website were Bezos’ wealth was measured out in pixels. He could easily eradicate a disease, wipe out all student debt or something else you can dream of, but afaik he isn’t doing that.

Maybe because his wealth is measured by the stock he owns and the price would drop should he decide to dump it.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#75

Post by turbinerneiter »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #61
turbinerneiter wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Europe, they are bound by the same law, so return policies are not something I worry about. Shipping fees are clearly stated at checkout and honestly so damn cheap that I don't care. Delivery windows? It's the same delivery companies that Amazon uses or used to use. In Germany mostly DHL, who I never had a problem with. It's fine if your prefer what you prefer, I'm just saying that the experience of buying from ra…

>In Europe, they are bound by the same law, so return policies are not something I worry about. No, the law does not mandate a specific returns policy. It just sets minimum standards. I can return almost anything to Amazon for free if I don't like it. I don't do that very often, but knowing that I can is one of the biggest incentives for me to buy from Amazon. >Shipping fees are clearly stated at checkout and honestl…

Well, my experience in Germany is different than yours in London apparently.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#76

Post by f6v »

cute_boi wrote: post #21
f6v wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think Bezos(or Gates, Musk, Zucker) reason in terms of holiday homes anymore. I'm absolutely sure they have a positive impact. They build spaceships, fight disease, and finance science. Whether the net outcome for humanity as a whole is better or worse with Amazon is highly debatable. By writing > like helping a little boy buy his team jersey or a little girl get dance lessons for example you appeal to feelin…

"They build spaceships, fight disease, and finance science." They do it not for humanity but to earn more money. Its always money, power, and fame at the end.

> They do it not for humanity but to earn more money. Its always money, power, and fame at the end.

I think that depends on how you see the world. I believe there’re people who aren’t driven only by desire to have more money.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#77

Post by JohnJamesRambo »

minikites wrote: post #72
JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling a store is usually phone system menu hell, you will usually ultimately reach a 19 year old that doesn't care or someone in a call center.

What small/local store has a call center?

Well my most recent experience is trying to call the local number for the electric company office in my town which went to someone asking what state I live in.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#78

Post by taivare »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #67
Swizec wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other end of the spectrum you have items where expert help is necessary. When I bought my first motorcycle gear, I had little idea what to look for, what I need, or how to verify it does the job. Going to a store that specializes in motorcycles and gear was fantastic. They showed me how to fit a helmet, what to look for in a jacket, gloves, etc. I could try multiple items to find which brands fit my body, what…

I prefer to buy at brick and mortar but I question this reason for it. The guy in the plumbing section of the hardware store probably knows where things are on the shelf there, but probably has not done plumbing themselves and probably can't answer my DIY question about what product to use. For that, I end up needing YouTube.

Last Saturday I decided to fix the leaky kitchen faucet installed in the 80's. YouTube had me replacing cartridges @ $22 for pair. They had a former plumber working who down sold me the real fix, a pair of rubber seals w/springs $3.25 This guy told me the cartridges rarely are the problem . . he was right! he also instructed me on how to make the repair.

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#79

Post by f6v »

turbinerneiter wrote: post #27
f6v wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think Bezos(or Gates, Musk, Zucker) reason in terms of holiday homes anymore. I'm absolutely sure they have a positive impact. They build spaceships, fight disease, and finance science. Whether the net outcome for humanity as a whole is better or worse with Amazon is highly debatable. By writing > like helping a little boy buy his team jersey or a little girl get dance lessons for example you appeal to feelin…

> They build spaceships, fight disease, and finance science. Businesses used to pay taxes so the public could do all that. Nowadays Amazon competes with local stores, while not paying taxes, which that local stores can't avoid. So these billionaires, evil or not, are concentrating wealth on themselves and shape the world to their liking. And their linking isn't the best for society as a whole. That doesn't mean that…

> And their linking isn't the best for society as a whole.

See, how can you judge whether it’s going to end up bad if we’re in the middle of it?

Re: Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

#80

Post by lazide »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #67
Swizec wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other end of the spectrum you have items where expert help is necessary. When I bought my first motorcycle gear, I had little idea what to look for, what I need, or how to verify it does the job. Going to a store that specializes in motorcycles and gear was fantastic. They showed me how to fit a helmet, what to look for in a jacket, gloves, etc. I could try multiple items to find which brands fit my body, what…

I prefer to buy at brick and mortar but I question this reason for it. The guy in the plumbing section of the hardware store probably knows where things are on the shelf there, but probably has not done plumbing themselves and probably can't answer my DIY question about what product to use. For that, I end up needing YouTube.

That entirely depends on the store.

HomeDepot or Lowes? Often times if you are even aware the topic exists you’ll be a step ahead of 75-80% of the staff.

If you go to a proper plumbing or electrical supply place, they can often point out that the video you’re watching isn’t doing work compliant to the local electrical code and you need to do extra step Y or you’ll fail inspection, or that the whole operation is not going to work because the length of your run is too long for the size of pipe/gauge of wire you’re using (which the video never even talks about), and you need to upsize or use a different technique.

Local shops without expertise are definitely not going to do well. Someone with experience and expertise who sells what you need and actually has it in stock? Super Super valuable.

Post reply on HN