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Amazon and Google are on a collision course

tech.fortune.cnn.com

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Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#31

Post by bitops »

dewitt wrote: post #14
peteretep wrote: post #3

If I can't buy it via Amazon, I probably won't buy it. I trust the reviews, and I trust them to play fair if they've sent the wrong thing, to such a degree that any other avenue feels like a big waste of my time.

> If I can't buy it via Amazon, I probably won't buy it. This was 100% true of me as well for a decade or more. But getting into the Google Shopping Express beta changed everything. Same day delivery (i.e., even faster than Prime), competitive prices, up-to-the-minute order and delivery tracking, and sharply dressed and exceptionally polite and courteous couriers, means that for a large portion of "just use Amazon" p…

> I may not renew my Prime membership for the first time since it launched as a result of OnTrac's poor service here.

I've resorted to having stuff delivered to a location where I know that OnTrac is less likely to be used. They do such a shoddy job of delivering on time and seem cheerfully incapable of reading delivery instructions.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#32

Post by e3pi »

Crane lofting of final pod for completed anonymous intercontinental missle stack:

[] Tor p2p anonymity

[] Bitcoin: wallet blockchain verification and QR codes/smartphone for street trade

[] Prepaid anonymous debit cards

and...

[]:

"...through Google BufferBox, Google has plans to place secure boxes in convenient locations throughout a city to which you can have parcels shipped to for easy pickup. They just launched their first location in San Francisco, with many more likely to come."

Elon can't be happy about this.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#33

Post by dewitt »

bitops wrote: post #31
dewitt wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I can't buy it via Amazon, I probably won't buy it. This was 100% true of me as well for a decade or more. But getting into the Google Shopping Express beta changed everything. Same day delivery (i.e., even faster than Prime), competitive prices, up-to-the-minute order and delivery tracking, and sharply dressed and exceptionally polite and courteous couriers, means that for a large portion of "just use Amazon" p…

> I may not renew my Prime membership for the first time since it launched as a result of OnTrac's poor service here. I've resorted to having stuff delivered to a location where I know that OnTrac is less likely to be used. They do such a shoddy job of delivering on time and seem cheerfully incapable of reading delivery instructions.

OnTrac recently "lost" a 75 llb package of mine while on the truck out for delivery, and took several days to admit it was missing, and only then after about a dozen calls and emails. There's not a doubt in my mind it was either stolen (most likely) or the delivery person simply didn't want to lift the box and kicked it out the back of the truck. Amazon had to eat the cost of replacing it, and I subsequently required that they use FedEx or UPS (which they did).

OnTrac will sink Amazon Prime.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#34

Post by MrDOS »

fimoreth wrote: post #2

> "Shopping on Amazon is a superior user experience and it runs the table on the magical retailer formula of selection, price and convenience" Clearly has never used Amazon Canada. But in all seriousness, a great article. It's interesting to see how the different web markets overlap so easily.

> Clearly has never used Amazon Canada.

Funny, I came here to say something more serious to this extent. The degree of American-centricity in this thread is astonishing (or perhaps I'm just used to Reddit). Outside of the US – to my understanding, anywhere outside of the US, not just Canada – Amazon is next to useless. The product selection is abysmal and shipping options are terrible. Maybe the article has some points with regards to the American marketplace, but on an international level, Amazon has a long way to go.

(Yes, I realize some Amazon.com retailers do ship to Canada. To those who are about to suggest this to me, I ask: have you ever tried it? In most cases, the shipping costs more than the item in question, and depending on how it ships – something I don't seem to have any control over, although maybe that's just a case of me not knowing how to use Amazon – it either ships UPS and I get dinged with insane “duty” fees, or it ships USPS and I don't see the item for a month.)

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#35

Post by mtrimpe »

riggins wrote: post #17

So this is a bit of a tangent, but I'm a bit of a fan of economist Hyman Minsky (fascinating, accessible writing on economics btw). One of the really interesting things that Minsky repeatedly points out is that advertising isn't technologically necessary. It's kinda mind-boggling to step back and think that the main service (advertising) that one of the most valuable companies in world charges for is entirely unneces…

What I find even more mind-bending is that since premium brands often come from the same production line as cheaper brands, you're actually paying a company a premium to to convince you they're worth the premium for convincing you even more they're worth ... you get my point.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#36

Post by brudgers »

orangethirty wrote: post #7

One of my biggest fears as a search guy is that Amazon starts dabbing in general search.

One of my greatest hopes as a search user is that Amazon goes full force into general search - because as a retailer they will see me as a customer rather than a saleable datum.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#37

Post by illuminate »

dewitt wrote: post #14
peteretep wrote: post #3

If I can't buy it via Amazon, I probably won't buy it. I trust the reviews, and I trust them to play fair if they've sent the wrong thing, to such a degree that any other avenue feels like a big waste of my time.

> If I can't buy it via Amazon, I probably won't buy it. This was 100% true of me as well for a decade or more. But getting into the Google Shopping Express beta changed everything. Same day delivery (i.e., even faster than Prime), competitive prices, up-to-the-minute order and delivery tracking, and sharply dressed and exceptionally polite and courteous couriers, means that for a large portion of "just use Amazon" p…

I lost complete faith in Google product search when they cut out all the unpaid aggregation and all the decent prices I seem to find for electronics, musical equipment, etc seem to come from generic ecommerce templated vendors who have no physical presence, but no earthly location or contact information to be found.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#38

Post by mitchty »

dewitt wrote: post #33
bitops wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I may not renew my Prime membership for the first time since it launched as a result of OnTrac's poor service here. I've resorted to having stuff delivered to a location where I know that OnTrac is less likely to be used. They do such a shoddy job of delivering on time and seem cheerfully incapable of reading delivery instructions.

OnTrac recently "lost" a 75 llb package of mine while on the truck out for delivery, and took several days to admit it was missing, and only then after about a dozen calls and emails. There's not a doubt in my mind it was either stolen (most likely) or the delivery person simply didn't want to lift the box and kicked it out the back of the truck. Amazon had to eat the cost of replacing it, and I subsequently required…

As someone from an area without OnTrac, how could this company even have gotten a contract with Amazon? They sound worse than "play football with your packages" FedEx and UPS. And I have to admit that is an impressive feat.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#39

Post by acheron »

dewitt wrote: post #33
bitops wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I may not renew my Prime membership for the first time since it launched as a result of OnTrac's poor service here. I've resorted to having stuff delivered to a location where I know that OnTrac is less likely to be used. They do such a shoddy job of delivering on time and seem cheerfully incapable of reading delivery instructions.

OnTrac recently "lost" a 75 llb package of mine while on the truck out for delivery, and took several days to admit it was missing, and only then after about a dozen calls and emails. There's not a doubt in my mind it was either stolen (most likely) or the delivery person simply didn't want to lift the box and kicked it out the back of the truck. Amazon had to eat the cost of replacing it, and I subsequently required…

I have never heard of OnTrac and I order from Amazon Prime all the time, so I doubt OnTrac is going to "sink" it.

Googling I see it's some west coast shipping thing, for those curious.

Re: Amazon and Google are on a collision course

#40

Post by illuminate »

fimoreth wrote: post #2

> "Shopping on Amazon is a superior user experience and it runs the table on the magical retailer formula of selection, price and convenience" Clearly has never used Amazon Canada. But in all seriousness, a great article. It's interesting to see how the different web markets overlap so easily.

"Clearly has never used Amazon Canada."

I have friends who moved to Canada and feel similar, but buying ~everything~ seems to be more expensive than in the states. What better options are there for you?

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