21–30 of 161 posts
Can't wait to see how awesome the work environment will be for these couriers! Probably much like Uber's drivers: under constant pressure to meet a quota (in this case, probably minimizing the number of missed 1 hour marks), and if you're injured/hit/cause an accident, it's on you and the employer will be nowhere to be found.
Can't wait to see how awesome the work environment will be for these couriers! Probably much like Uber's drivers: under constant pressure to meet a quota (in this case, probably minimizing the number of missed 1 hour marks), and if you're injured/hit/cause an accident, it's on you and the employer will be nowhere to be found.
And like uber drivers, one day you will wake up and find your job replaced by a robot.
Very interesting how ideas from the first bubble re: brick-and-mortar are coming back.
Now, for prime members in NYC at least, Amazon is a viable option.
What other moats do local stores have? Amazon wins on:
* selection
* cost
* convenience
* reputation
* knowledge (this depends on the local store)
* feel good factor (supporting local business and employment)
* hold the item in your hand (not sure there is one word for it in English, but the Germans probably have one)
* I need it now
Can't wait to see how awesome the work environment will be for these couriers! Probably much like Uber's drivers: under constant pressure to meet a quota (in this case, probably minimizing the number of missed 1 hour marks), and if you're injured/hit/cause an accident, it's on you and the employer will be nowhere to be found.
Wouldn't four hours or anything same day be just as good? Why not save some costs there?
I'm more impressed that the two-hour delivery is free.
Just as Amazon is trying to use 1 hour delivery to compete better against brick-and-mortar companies, Google is trying to help the brick-and-mortar companies compete with Amazon by providing a competing delivery service called "Google Express" (previously called "Google Shopping Express") [1]. It's been mentioned a few times on hn [2,3]. [1] https://www.google.com/shopping/express/ [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/it…
I'm not sure that wording is accurate. Google is leveraging the brick-and-mortar companies to compete with Amazon and collect more data about its users. Arguably some of the most valuable data they could get; spending and buying habits.
I doubt Target is thrilled that Google is looking to inject themselves as a middleman between them and their customers. Target has historically leveraged customer buying habits pretty aggressively [1]. I'd be surprised if their execs aren't frantically trying to figure out how to keep Google from "helping" them compete with Amazon.
[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-targe...
It's hard for me to see how this doesn't hurt local vendors badly. Of course, it depends on what the the 25,000 items are, but that was one of the key differentiators between Amazon and local stores--if you needed something and you needed it now, the local store was the only option (things like cabling for a new TV, gifts for a party that night, etc). Now, for prime members in NYC at least, Amazon is a viable option.…