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Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay

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

#241

Post by bamboozled »

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 don't understand how in 2021 small businesses have such a hard time with inventory / stock?

I've always tried to support local, but lately I've given up on local bike stores near me house. Went in looking for simple things, spokes, tube patches, quick links for chains. Only to be stared at blankly with confusion or told they don't have said items in stock. I went home an ordered off Amazon in 2 minutes, arrived next day.

Similar experiences with all types of things.

One thing I'm not sure about is if small businesses really care about surviving or competing with "the internet" I've not really seen much evidence to support this idea.

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

#242

Post by throwaway346434 »

bamboozled wrote: post #241
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 don't understand how in 2021 small businesses have such a hard time with inventory / stock? I've always tried to support local, but lately I've given up on local bike stores near me house. Went in looking for simple things, spokes, tube patches, quick links for chains. Only to be stared at blankly with confusion or told they don't have said items in stock. I went home an ordered off Amazon in 2 minutes, arrived nex…

Bike stores might be a little unique given the huge crunch of new bikes going out the doors, and fewer parts readily available. But yes, thats surprising, and its strange they didnt just act as a proxy, ordering from, well, anywhere! To get you sorted.

I make an effort to route everything through my local bike shop; as the two who operate it are both skilled mechanics and actually ride, so are a body of knowledge. I dont find that with other chain based stores, who keep sales and mechanics separate. Its at the latter I get blank looks, usually from sales people, and I dislike it intensely

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

#243

Post by awillen »

rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #198
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…

If you already know exactly what you want, buying online from a big corporation will always be better than buying from a local brick and mortar store. I think bookstores are one of the best examples. Amazon has literally everything, but if you're not exactly sure what to read next, if you walk through the highly curated aisles of a local used bookstore, or talk to the (highly knowledgeable) person behind the front de…

I just don't buy this argument. If you go to a store, you'll get the opinion of the people who work there. If you go online, you can get perspectives from any number of people (and make sure their tastes are similar to yours).

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

#244

Post by ajdude »

drcongo wrote: post #5
drcongo wrote: post #2

Avoid this tax-avoiding, bullying monopoly by using this other tax-avoiding, bullying monopoly.

Downvotes suggest some people failed to understand the comment. A browser extension for avoiding Amazon, that only works in Google's browser. I'm baffled why one tax-avoider is fine while the other is to be avoided.

It's probably worth noting that this extension relies almost entirely on Google Maps[0], so unless a firefox port uses something else, you're still going to be making calls to Google with your location history no matter what browser it's on.

[0] https://github.com/Bullmeza/BuyNearby/blob/master/script.js

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

#245

Post by snuxoll »

walrus01 wrote: post #224
jcims wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've wanted to dive into FPV drone flying for some time. Finally pulled the trigger on the components I needed to get started...controller, transmitter, goggles, charger, battery, BNF drone. I did this online because it seemed impossible to sort out locally and the prices I did see were +30% or more in price. Somehow in the process I goofed and ordered batteries with the wrong connector (xt60 v xt30). I spent this mo…

> Somehow in the process I goofed and ordered batteries with the wrong connector (xt60 v xt30). I spent this morning trying to find other batteries or an adapter in the local metro area. As someone with direct experience in this whole class of hardware (hobbyist grade UAS stuff), you're going to want to have a soldering setup and low cost consumables (heat shrink tubing, etc, extra connectors that cost a few dollars…

For a lot of hobbies involving electronics having a decent soldering station (and possibly a decent hot air station) is extremely useful. A Hakko FX-888D isn’t terribly expensive, but even a Pinecil or TS-100 will get you far for cheap.

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

#246

Post by croutonwagon »

jdasdf wrote: post #227
sokoloff wrote: post #38

I’d be happy to support local merchants, but they have to get the overall value proposition somewhat competitive. For the most part, they aren’t. Maybe it’s pricing, selection, policies, hours of operation, or some combination, but other than grocers and large chains, I’m not even sure they’re trying. Amazon is winning by serving the customers. Local shops will continue to have a hard time if the primary value prop i…

> I’d be happy to support local merchants, but they have to get the overall value proposition somewhat competitive. For the most part, they aren’t. Maybe it’s pricing, selection, policies, hours of operation, or some combination, but other than grocers and large chains, I’m not even sure they’re trying. This. I actively avoid local businesses because with few exceptions they always try to screw you, whether that's pr…

I’m forgiving on pricing with locals.

They don’t have the volume of an Amazon or the logistics.

And as such they can’t normalize prices or take a loss on a higher volume item to draw in bigger items etc.

Even Amazon leverages USPS and pays below market for shipping. A SMB simply can’t, even if drop shipping.

So I’m lenient on price, but the other things generally need to be above average. Especially service.

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

#247

Post by agogdog »

robbrown451 wrote: post #150
halikular wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being able to test clothes before you buy them to so if they fit is so much more convenient than ordering the wrong size online.

As long as you can find your size. I'm tall and thin, so if I want to buy something as basic as Levi's jeans, I have to go to a ton of stores and have limited choices. Now I just get them on Amazon, problem solved. This is a problem that should have been solved years ago. You should be able to measure yourself very accurately and thoroughly, keep it on some sort of file that you can share what you need, and then use…

Amazon has been trying out a fitting service for custom t-shirts ("Made for you") that tailors clothing based on photos of yourself... not sure I'd want to upload photos of myself in my underwear to Amazon, but it's a cool concept

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

#248

Post by thisCtx »

cerved wrote: post #215
mcv wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plenty of online stores let to order stuff to fit them and return what doesn't fit.

who wants to return stuff

To the store? Not me.

With a free UPS pickup because it was included with the purchase? Me.

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

#249

Post by thisCtx »

sidlls wrote: post #135
MeinBlutIstBlau wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kohls solves this by giving you 120 day returns so I disagree. Plus you don't have to sort through everything and check the prices in store. Just wait for it to show up, try it out. Keep it if it's good, ditch it if it's not.

You have to wait for shipping, package the return, etc. That doesn't seem as convenient as trying on in the store, even with the added burden of travel to the store and sifting through sizes.

Many online retailers have UPS pickup as part of the service. Amazon for sure, but I’ve used apps from clothing stores directly and some provided the option.

Unfortunately that was a while ago and I don’t have the apps installed to know which it was.

“Going shopping” is an asinine use of my time.

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

#250

Post by _rpd »

JangoSteve wrote: post #214

Nice. I've actually built a startup doing exactly this a few years ago, called PriceLocal [0]. Though, unfortunately, it never really got off the ground in terms of traction. We ended up spending I think around two years building out the functionality. Most of that time was spent arranging agreements with brick and mortar businesses to share their inventory data with us, so that we could make it function on a per-pro…

> Most of that time was spent arranging agreements with brick and mortar businesses to share their inventory data with us

What do you think of this idea

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27090010

to crowd-source local inventory logging via virtual stores?

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