How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail • Hacker News Board

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#141

Post by brc » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 3:40 AM UTC

rflrob wrote: post #29

ddt wrote: post #11

It'll destroy larger B&M stores but I doubt it'll fully outdo local specialty shops. What you'll see is a stratification between hyper specialty B&M that sell luxury items only a tiny subset of people want, but are willing to pay out the nose for, and places like Amazon filling the role of Target and Walmart, being the catch-all for everything else that most people need on a week-to-week or month-to-month basis. Whil…

There's certain classes of non-luxury stores that should survive OK. If I need to find a screw for my (insert doohickey here), I'll go to Ace hardware, where I can try out the different screws in their bins, then pick the one that works. The same logic applies to lots of other hardware store type items.

You're making the assumption that you won't be able to purchase a box of assorted screws cheaper than making the trip to the hardware shop. If you could purchase an assortment of screws that essentially spanned the entire range of the hardware shop, you might change your mind.

That could easily change.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#142

Post by SCdF » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 3:41 AM UTC

diffeomorph wrote: post #115

arjunnarayan wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The build quality of women's shoes is astoundingly bad. Sometimes I look at them and they literally feel like glued on piece of leather, pretty on the outside, and nothing more. It's interesting how two different markets have developed (men's shoes and women's shoes) that have such different parameters. Men's shoes have outstanding build quality --- to the point where a good pair of quality shoes gets resoled mu…

This isn't just true for women's shoes, but women's clothing in general. I don't understand the reasons, but men's clothing tends to be made with less design and more durability. A fashioner designer once told me he made the men's clothing first, then crafted the women's clothing out of its leftovers + some embellishments.

Women go for fashion more than men, Fashion doesn't last, so there is no real point in the clothing lasting.

Women's clothing is also cheaper at the lower end, and much more expensive at the higher end for the same reason.

.. so women tell me anyway, I can (surprise surprise) male.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#143

Post by dvdhsu » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 3:50 AM UTC

adestefan wrote: post #114

jaggederest wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if you've used Amazon's return system before, but it's absolutely immaculate. In my opinion, this is more an issue of perception than reality - in many ways it's easier to return things to Amazon than to your local store.

Except for the times they charge you $8 for return shipping on a $5 item.

Every time I've tried returning an item less than $20, they don't make me send the item back in. They just give me a refund and tell me to keep the item.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#144

Post by gareim » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 3:50 AM UTC

diffeomorph wrote: post #115

arjunnarayan wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The build quality of women's shoes is astoundingly bad. Sometimes I look at them and they literally feel like glued on piece of leather, pretty on the outside, and nothing more. It's interesting how two different markets have developed (men's shoes and women's shoes) that have such different parameters. Men's shoes have outstanding build quality --- to the point where a good pair of quality shoes gets resoled mu…

This isn't just true for women's shoes, but women's clothing in general. I don't understand the reasons, but men's clothing tends to be made with less design and more durability. A fashioner designer once told me he made the men's clothing first, then crafted the women's clothing out of its leftovers + some embellishments.

For an easy anecdote, just walk into any Forever 21. The clothes are extremely thin, with bad stitching, and made from materials that aren't durable at all.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#145

Post by tokenadult » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 3:59 AM UTC

cglee wrote: post #94

wheels wrote: post #54

Amazon has been doing this in parts of Germany since 2009. The results haven't been nearly as dramatic as the article predicts. As others have indicated, the limiting factor isn't so much speed of delivery as the inclination to physically inspect items before buying them. That said, Zappos, now a part of Amazon, has succeeded in doing that in one of the markets that tends the most towards such. Even so, there are sti…

When Zappos first came out I thought they'd tank. I purchase new basketball/running shoes every 6months, and never ever make a new purchase without trying it on. Playing basketball or running with an even slightly uncomfortable shoe can lead to blistering, back problems, ankle sprains, etc. But my gf at the time thought it was brilliant. What I learned was that a lot of women's shoes are purchased based on anything e…

I see multiple comments from men here about how women they know buy impractical clothing and shoes that are poorly made and don't last well. I'm happy to report that whatever the general pattern is, there are happy exceptions. Some women I know (for example my wife) and some girls I know (for example my daughter) seek out clothing and shoes that are well made and hold up to heavy use in outdoor exercise. Just the other day, my wife asked for advice among a Facebook private group of mutual friends about good garments to wear while bicycling that are also suitable business wear for teaching piano lessons (her occupation). She loves to bike to the homes of clients (her preferred location for delivering lessons) whenever she can, year-round. She invented her own outfit built out of clothing items she already had after receiving advice from friends to "buy [Brand X]" or "buy [Brand Y]." She takes a hacker's approach to clothing and fashion, and tests the boundaries of what is possible with the resources and constraints that she likes.

We both like taking walks or bicycle rides together. I ask her for advice about shoes for both purposes.

P.S. When I lived in Seattle in the very early 1990s, I was told that Nordstrom's was known as "Rent-a-Shoe," because the generous return policy at that department store meant that a woman could buy a pair of shoes to attend a fashionable party, wear the shoes just once, and then return them without hassle to the store. I don't know what current policies are at Nordstrom's, but it does seem that fashionable shoes for occasional use have long been a mainstay of the store's business.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#146

Post by tsotha » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 4:01 AM UTC

diffeomorph wrote: post #115

arjunnarayan wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The build quality of women's shoes is astoundingly bad. Sometimes I look at them and they literally feel like glued on piece of leather, pretty on the outside, and nothing more. It's interesting how two different markets have developed (men's shoes and women's shoes) that have such different parameters. Men's shoes have outstanding build quality --- to the point where a good pair of quality shoes gets resoled mu…

This isn't just true for women's shoes, but women's clothing in general. I don't understand the reasons, but men's clothing tends to be made with less design and more durability. A fashioner designer once told me he made the men's clothing first, then crafted the women's clothing out of its leftovers + some embellishments.

Women's fashion changes quickly, so if she keeps up she may only be wearing whatever it is for a single season. It doesn't make sense to make something durable if it's only going to be worn a handful of times.

Men's fashions change much more slowly, and within much narrower parameters. It actually makes sense to spend a few grand on a suit that you're going to wear to work every week for a couple years, and it has to be pretty well made to last that long.

The hipster doofus stuff is as shoddy as women's wear and for the same reasons.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#147

Post by notatoad » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 4:04 AM UTC

dr_ wrote: post #86

"I have no idea how Amazon made any money on my order (the whole bill was less than $30) but several people on Twitter told me that they’ve experienced similarly delightful service." Therein lies the problem. At some point there will have to be revenues to justify the company's valuation. I suppose their goal is to initially obliterate all competition in entirety and then have everyone purchase from Amazon. I'm doubt…

I think you might be underestimating amazon's position. They already have massive revenues, and better mindshare than most of the brands they sell. They aren't some new startup, they bring in millions of dollars a day and are historically proven to be a successful company. Your post would make sense if amazon were a year old. They aren't. They've been doing this for a long time now and are very very good at it.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#148

Post by bwilliams18 » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 4:09 AM UTC

diffeomorph wrote: post #115

arjunnarayan wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The build quality of women's shoes is astoundingly bad. Sometimes I look at them and they literally feel like glued on piece of leather, pretty on the outside, and nothing more. It's interesting how two different markets have developed (men's shoes and women's shoes) that have such different parameters. Men's shoes have outstanding build quality --- to the point where a good pair of quality shoes gets resoled mu…

This isn't just true for women's shoes, but women's clothing in general. I don't understand the reasons, but men's clothing tends to be made with less design and more durability. A fashioner designer once told me he made the men's clothing first, then crafted the women's clothing out of its leftovers + some embellishments.

Stereotypically, because men tend to care less about clothing, fashion and the like, and so want clothes they can wear for a long time, while women worry more about changing fashion trends and wear clothes for relatively shorter periods of time.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#149

Post by tsotha » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 4:09 AM UTC

MBCook wrote: post #123

robryan wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I expect to eventually see big retail outlets where there is only stock for trying things out. No buying at the store but you could complete your online order while at the store and have it same day/ next day.

Does anyone here remember catalog stores? That may not be the right name, I've only been in one once, and it has to have been over 15 years. You'd go in the store and look at the merchandise, all of it in glass cases. You'd use a little golf pencil to mark the order sheet they gave you at the door for what you wanted. When you were done shopping, you'd give your form to the guy at the register. They'd ring you up and…

>Does anyone here remember catalog stores? That may not be the right name, I've only been in one once, and it has to have been over 15 years.

Oh yes. When I lived in a small town we had a Sears catalog store. You went in and ordered your stuff there and then picked it up at the same place (this is pre-UPS). There weren't enough people living in our tiny burg for anybody to operate a full-blown department store, but the catalog store only had a couple employees and allowed us to pick up and handle a reasonable selection of the things we could then order through the catalog. I think the staff would help you measure yourself so you'd get the right size when you ordered clothing.

Re: How Amazon’s ambitious new push for same-day delivery will destroy local retail

#150

Post by tsotha » Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 4:15 AM UTC

fsckin wrote: post #98

Amazon failed to collect/remit ~270M in sales tax in Texas and has owed millions for years. So what did the state of Texas do about it? They struck a deal to erase the 270M owed, as long as Amazon starts collecting sales tax starting 7/1, create 2000 jobs and invest 200M in Texas. They were likely already planning more infrastructure in Texas, but threatened to reverse course and pull out of the state entirely. The w…

Companies are only required to pay state sales tax if they have a physical presence in that state. Amazon wasn't bluffing, Texas was. We went through the same thing in California. Amazon agreed to pay the sales tax, but only after it had decided to open distribution centers in the state.