Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is stepping down after 21 years

Post by throwaway_dcnt » Tue, Aug 25, 2020, 10:36 PM UTC

seibelj wrote: post #9

willio58 wrote: post #2

I've always heard mixed feelings about Tony. I wonder if there are any HNers who have a perspective they'd like to share.

I am leery of any company that comes off with culty-vibes and that was the impression I got from various media I read and watched about it. I’m sure it’s great for business but not for me, I am free thinker. Same reason I think Ray Dalio / Bridgewater is an insane asylum. I briefly worked with someone who did a stint there and he embraced the principles / radical transparency thing and it made him extremely hard (eve…

Post by crazygringo » Tue, Aug 25, 2020, 10:37 PM UTC

adaisadais wrote: post #8

One of my favorite (and definitely my Mom’s favorite) parts of Zappos is the hand written note that they send with each pair of shoes. My mom is an avid walker and she loves comfortable shoes so most birthdays and Christmas’s I send her a pair from Zappos. The hand written note is such a nice touch for such a big business (especially from a parent company like Amazon- the anti-personalizer) that it makes the gift of…

Post by throwaway_dcnt » Tue, Aug 25, 2020, 10:38 PM UTC

switch11 wrote: post #49

seibelj wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am leery of any company that comes off with culty-vibes and that was the impression I got from various media I read and watched about it. I’m sure it’s great for business but not for me, I am free thinker. Same reason I think Ray Dalio / Bridgewater is an insane asylum. I briefly worked with someone who did a stint there and he embraced the principles / radical transparency thing and it made him extremely hard (eve…

the radical transparency thing is very interesting When you embrace it, you will definitely piss off a LOT of people society is all about 'being polite' and 'wearing a mask' if you stop being polite and stop wearing masks, while still maintaining common courtesy life becomes MUCH easier I'll give you an example 2 of your friends have problems which prevent them from having a good relationship you have a frank talk wi…

Post by nradov » Tue, Aug 25, 2020, 10:38 PM UTC

jerlam wrote: post #21

A few years back, I went to their office tour in Vegas, and I've read Hsieh's book, which doesn't cover much of the post-Amazon years. It seemed pretty clear to me that Zappos was in decline as an independent entity. Fulfillment was already gone. They were in the middle of removing their product photography team. A section of their office was being used as a community co-working space. There were fun quirky office ar…

Post by dwighttk » Tue, Aug 25, 2020, 10:45 PM UTC

crazygringo wrote: post #53

adaisadais wrote: post #8

One of my favorite (and definitely my Mom’s favorite) parts of Zappos is the hand written note that they send with each pair of shoes. My mom is an avid walker and she loves comfortable shoes so most birthdays and Christmas’s I send her a pair from Zappos. The hand written note is such a nice touch for such a big business (especially from a parent company like Amazon- the anti-personalizer) that it makes the gift of…

I've ordered many pairs of shoes from Zappos over the past decade and have never once received a hand-written note, or anything except just the shoebox inside of their white shipping box. I'm very curious why you get them when I don't...? :P