Amazon delivery on Sunday

[harley]

The thing should be able to deliver a couple of kilos...

And munchies! Taco Copter!

 

[Katsmeow]

Same with us. Now that they charge sales tax in Texas and pricing is competitive elsewhere, I am ordering things from other vendors. Plus, free shipping went to only after $35 in orders (and not all goods).

I live not too far from you (not the Woodlands, but same county) and I still order from Amazon all the time. The vast majority of the times their prices are competitive and almost always when you consider delivery. I'm an Amazon prime member (have made that cost up over and over) and it isn't just that delivery is part of the membership it is that you get your item in 2 days. So, let's say that another online vendor has the same item for a $1 less than Amazon and the shipping is free but they send it UPS ground and I'll get it in a week. I'm going to buy from Amazon.

I also from experience know that the things I order from Amazon arrive and I don't have problems returning things.

I will sometimes buy something locally if I can get it right then, but not if the price difference is a lot. I thought about buying a mouse at Best Buy the other day but I checked prices online and Best Buy was charging $30 more for the mouse. I was happy to wait a couple of days for the mouse from Amazon to save that $30.

That said, if the difference between Amazon and another reputable vendor is substantial then I'll buy it elsewhere.

 

[Avalon]

I was just discussing the advertising video with a family member who works with an outfit that develops the multirotor craft and other UAVs. According to him, autonomous delivery multirotors have been in use for quite some time, but the aircraft are quite a bit larger. He added that the drone in the video would (in his estimate) have a range of about 5 miles round trip, carrying a payload of ~5 lbs. And that would be taking it's batteries to the limits.

He suggested that the video drone was for advertisement mainly, and that a much larger version would be needed to accomplish what Amazon is proposing.

 

[harley]

I was just discussing the advertising video with a family member who works with an outfit that develops the multirotor craft and other UAVs. According to him, autonomous delivery multirotors have been in use for quite some time, but the aircraft are quite a bit larger. He added that the drone in the video would (in his estimate) have a range of about 5 miles round trip, carrying a payload of ~5 lbs. And that would be taking it's batteries to the limits.

He suggested that the video drone was for advertisement mainly, and that a much larger version would be needed to accomplish what Amazon is proposing.

According to one of the articles I read, the range is about 10 miles. I think the 5 lb. limit is pretty accurate. So unless you are within 10 miles of one of the 100 or so distribution center, no love. However, I suspect by the time the FAA gets around to setting up the domestic and corporate UAV regulations and standards, we'll be well into the Star Trek transporter technology and it will all be moot.

 

[aja8888]

I live not too far from you (not the Woodlands, but same county) and I still order from Amazon all the time. The vast majority of the times their prices are competitive and almost always when you consider delivery. I'm an Amazon prime member (have made that cost up over and over) and it isn't just that delivery is part of the membership it is that you get your item in 2 days. So, let's say that another online vendor has the same item for a $1 less than Amazon and the shipping is free but they send it UPS ground and I'll get it in a week. I'm going to buy from Amazon.

I also from experience know that the things I order from Amazon arrive and I don't have problems returning things.

I will sometimes buy something locally if I can get it right then, but not if the price difference is a lot. I thought about buying a mouse at Best Buy the other day but I checked prices online and Best Buy was charging $30 more for the mouse. I was happy to wait a couple of days for the mouse from Amazon to save that $30.

That said, if the difference between Amazon and another reputable vendor is substantial then I'll buy it elsewhere.

I just bought (today) a refurbished Roku 2 XS from Newegg for ~$20 less than Amazon wanted for it (refurbished also). Plus, Newegg, which I have been purchasing tech items from since they opened about 10 years ago, offered free shipping and if I recall, a free extended warranty for a year after the typical 90 days for a refurbished unit. Now I know this is not typical, but it shows there are cost effective alternatives. I have returned items to Newegg as easily as I have with Amazon. I very rarely buy tech items locally unless Fry's has a deal I can't refuse.

I should look into Prime though since my DW orders from them routinely.

The only real problem I have had with Amazon was on an item that ended being shipped from China as it took about two months to show up.

 

[Katsmeow]

I should look into Prime though since my DW orders from them routinely.

The only real problem I have had with Amazon was on an item that ended being shipped from China as it took about two months to show up.

For people who order from Amazon a lot, Prime really makes a lot of sense (well, it did for us). The thing to watch out for is that some things are sold and/or fulfilled by Amazon and others you are really buying from some vendor who is doing the actual shipping. The first is eligible for Prime shipping and is subject to their normal shipping times. Stuff you buy from other vendors isn't and can be slow to arrive. I rarely buy things that aren't fulfilled through Amazon. Really only do it for things that aren't easy to find otherwise and which I don't mind waiting for.

I do like Newegg also and sometimes buy things from them. Their prices are usually pretty good as well.

 

[aja8888]

For people who order from Amazon a lot, Prime really makes a lot of sense (well, it did for us). The thing to watch out for is that some things are sold and/or fulfilled by Amazon and others you are really buying from some vendor who is doing the actually shipping. The first is eligible for Prime shipping and is subject to their normal shipping times. Stuff you buy from other vendors isn't and can be slow to arrive. I rarely buy things that aren't fulfilled through Amazon. Really only do it for things that aren't easy to find otherwise and which I don't mind waiting for.

I do like Newegg also and sometimes buy things from them. Their prices are usually pretty good as well.

Yes, we have learned to watch the sellers' locations on Amazon. Even Newegg has started selling through other vendors like Amazon so one must be careful there too.

 

[Walt34]

The thing should be able to deliver a couple of kilos...

Already been done:
Special Delivery: Drone Drops Contraband into Georgia Prison Yard - Topix

And pizza delivery is on the way:
Drones Delivering Pizza? Venture Capitalists Wager on It - Bloomberg

 

[Chuckanut]

I have heard that items that have 'free' shipping are often priced a bit higher than those that aren't. But, nobody I know has actually offered any proof. Same with items ordered using a Mac are higher in price than items ordered using a Windows machine. I wonder how low the price would be if I ordered using a Linus machine?

Actually, I don't like Sunday delivery. When I was young just about everybody had Sunday off except for people in certain jobs like police, firemen, medical, and the occasional gas station attendant. We could ALL get together for a Sunday picnic in the park or other event. Today, to many people are scattered on various jobs. Opening on Thanksgiving to sell stuff is another example of lack of respect for our culture and traditions. Very sad.

 

[ziggy29]

Actually, I don't like Sunday delivery. When I was young just about everybody had Sunday off except for people in certain jobs like police, firemen, medical, and the occasional gas station attendant. We could ALL get together for a Sunday picnic in the park or other event. Today, to many people are scattered on various jobs. Opening on Thanksgiving to sell stuff is another example of lack of respect for our culture and traditions. Very sad.

Frankly, I agree. There's something to be said for a little down time, and for a society that has a little patience. Instant gratification can be a rush, but IMO it comes at a fairly high social cost when it's expected as the norm. Not everything needs to be open 24/7/365.

DW and I have personally decided we will not buy anything for the rest of the year from anyone who was open on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[aja8888]

Same with items ordered using a Mac are higher in price than items ordered using a Windows machine. I wonder how low the price would be if I ordered using a Linus machine?

Explain how Amazon figures out what OS you are using and changes prices on their website instantaneously? That's a new one on me....

 

[ziggy29]

Explain how Amazon figures out what OS you are using and changes prices on their website instantaneously? That's a new one on me....

Browsers send meta information to the server which identifies the operating system being used. That said, many browsers have settings and preferences that allow you to "lie" (for example, a Mac or Linux user could set the preferences to tell the world they are running, say, Windows 7). You don't see it as much today, but a lot of web sites used to *only* run with a Windows client, and accessing them with a Mac would give an error message to the effect of "this site requires Windows". They used this meta information to know what OS you were using.

 

[aja8888]

I suppose I could open up my Macbook Air and log onto Amazon and do the same with my Windows 7 desktop and zero in on the same item to see the price difference?

I can't believe Amazon or any online seller would have different pricing for customers with different OS's.

 

[Midpack]

Actually, I don't like Sunday delivery. When I was young just about everybody had Sunday off except for people in certain jobs like police, firemen, medical, and the occasional gas station attendant. We could ALL get together for a Sunday picnic in the park or other event. Today, to many people are scattered on various jobs. Opening on Thanksgiving to sell stuff is another example of lack of respect for our culture and traditions. Very sad.

Frankly, I agree. There's something to be said for a little down time, and for a society that has a little patience. Instant gratification can be a rush, but IMO it comes at a fairly high social cost when it's expected as the norm. Not everything needs to be open 24/7/365.

DW and I have personally decided we will not buy anything for the rest of the year from anyone who was open on Thanksgiving Day.

I understand the POV, but for those who think Sunday and/or holidays should be a down day, just don't patronize stores on those days. I've never shopped on Black Friday or Thanksgiving, and I think it's crazy - but stores are just responding to the real feedback they get from shoppers. Why do you care what stores or other people do on Sunday?

No question our culture is rushing headlong toward more and more instant gratification. Our culture is NOT what it once was, but "we" changed it ourselves by our actions (despite what we "say"). It's hard to imagine we'll ever go back...

 

[ziggy29]

Why do you care what stores or other people do on Sunday?

Because I care about the increasingly raw deal the American worker is getting and that the balance of power between labor and employer is out of whack, skewed way too far in favor of employer these days. If many workers realistically had much of a say about whether they accepted a job that required them to work on Sundays and holidays, I'd shrug and say, "whatever." But many of them went to work for places that always used to close on major holidays, so when they accepted the job they had that as a reasonable expectation. But now the rules have changed and it's not easy to respond by simply quitting and finding another comparable (or better) job that won't make them work on major holidays. There aren't many.

People can say that "you choose to work there", and that is technically true... but these days too many people work where they can find work and have very little leverage to find something else. Employers know that and they are (mostly) exploiting the hell out of it. I don't want to be part of encouraging that trend.

That said, I'm not criticizing others who shop on Thanksgiving Day, just that I disagree with it and I am free to vote with my dollars just as everyone else is.

 

[Midpack]

Because I care about the increasingly raw deal the American worker is getting and that the balance of power between labor and employer is skewed way too far in favor of employer these days. If many workers realistically had much of a say about whether they accepted a job that required them to work on Sundays and holidays, I'd shrug and say, "whatever." But many of them went to work for places that always used to close on major holidays, so when they accepted the job they had that as a reasonable expectation. But now the rules have changed and it's not easy to respond by simply quitting and finding another comparable (or better) job that won't make them work on major holidays.

People can say that "you choose to work there", and that is technically true... but these days too many people work where they can find work and have very little leverage to find something else. Employers know that and they are (mostly) exploiting the hell out of it. I don't want to be part of encouraging that trend.

That said, I'm not criticizing others who shop on Thanksgiving Day, just that I disagree with it and I am free to vote with my dollars just as everyone else is.

We get what we deserve? Macy's CEO: Thanksgiving Shifts Were Employees' Choice - Daily Globe

 

[ziggy29]

We get what we deserve? Macy's CEO: Thanksgiving Shifts Were Employees' Choice - Daily Globe

Maybe, maybe not. But is it, really? Again, the balance of power is so skewed in favor of management these days that employees may be afraid to say they aren't willing to work 24x365. There may be a fear -- and a rational, reasonable one IMO -- that saying they don't want to work on a major holiday is going to be a black mark in their personnel file. It certainly would limit their chances for promotion.

I do agree that some people -- especially those without family close by and can use the extra money -- would understandably jump at the chance to work a major holiday for (say) time and a half. But is that the norm? Are there enough people like that to fully staff a big box retailer that no one who would rather have the day off has to work that day? I'd like to think so, but I have a hard time believing that.

The bottom line is that I'm not trying to convert others to my way of thinking or suggesting that others are wrong -- so I'd like the same courtesy in return.

 

[Midpack]

Maybe, maybe not. But is it, really? Again, the balance of power is so skewed in favor of management these days that employees may be afraid to say they aren't willing to work 24x365. There may be a fear -- and a rational, reasonable one IMO -- that saying they don't want to work on a major holiday is going to be a black mark in their personnel file. It certainly would limit their chances for promotion.

I do agree that some people -- especially those without family close by and can use the extra money -- would understandably jump at the chance to work a major holiday for (say) time and a half. But is that the norm? Are there enough people like that to fully staff a big box retailer that no one who would rather have the day off has to work that day? I'd like to think so, but I have a hard time believing that.

I was an employer for 35 years. Other than Christmas, with very few exceptions (maybe 10%), my folks fought to work holidays for the premium pay, and most were outraged if they missed an opportunity. We had to negotiate the holiday schedule in advance annually to make sure there was absolute parity across shifts for holiday work opportunities. The desire may be more acute now, but it was always that way over my career...it was by no means "some people" - it was an overwhelming majority with the possible exception of Christmas. Christmas was about 50/50 for those who wanted to work for the premium, but I shut the plant down for Christmas Eve & Day every year because I thought they should be with their families one holiday each year. And you guessed it, half my employees were mad at me...

If you can find a case where employees are forced or somehow coerced to work holidays for normal pay, I might agree. There are usually/always incentives of some sort IME.

Just like holiday shopping, what many people say and what they do aren't always the same...

 

[ziggy29]

I was an employer for 35 years. Other than Christmas, with very few exceptions (maybe 10%), my folks fought to work holidays for the premium pay, and most were outraged if they missed an opportunity. We had to negotiate the holiday schedule in advance to make sure there was absolute parity across shifts for holiday work opportunities. The desire may be more acute now, but it was always that way over my career...it was by no means "some people" - it was an overwhelming majority with the possible exception of Christmas.

If someone said they didn't want to work holidays, would that have made them less promotable in your eyes? If you had to choose between laying off one of two employees, would the unwillingness of one of them to work holidays be a "tie breaker", all else being relatively equal?

 

[Midpack]

If someone said they didn't want to work holidays, would that have made them less promotable in your eyes? If you had to choose between laying off one of two employees, would the unwillingness of one of them to work holidays be a "tie breaker", all else being relatively equal?

Absolutely not in both cases believe it or not, and my track record would show that without exception. Again aside from Christmas, 90% of my employees, in four different states over my career would have been very upset if I didn't let them work holidays with premium pay.

And I'm no saint, or that unusual despite what you read. We rarely hear about good doctors, lawyers, politicians, corporate folks, workers or any other line of work - typically we hear most about the worst exceptions. And it may skew our views of others somewhat. Workers pay has not kept up due to global competition in large part, not simply Corporate greed. However, I will agree those at the very top have rewarded themselves inordinately for decades. But that's not 99% of the workforce including many white collar workers. I am not completely unsympathetic to your POV...

 

[imoldernu]

Flash... News...

Jeff Bezos, just played the biggest April Fool's Joke in history. A one minute interview, a toy helicopter,and a hundred million dollars woth of advertising...
on Cyber Monday!

 

[Ready]

Growing up in a family that observed the Sabbath, our day of rest was from Friday evening until sunset on Saturday. That meant no shopping or doing errands during that time period. And for many years we had Blue Laws in MA that prevented stores from being open on Sunday. So that pretty much meant weekends were off limit for shopping. When the laws changed and stores were allowed to operate on Sunday, I remember hearing the same feedback about how we were preventing people from having a day off. But not everyone needs their day off to be on Sunday.

Over my career I've always had Christmas off because I have always worked in an office environment which kept a traditional holiday schedule. Had someone offered to let me work, even at straight time, I would have been happy to. When you don't celebrate Christmas, about the only thing left to do is go out for Chinese food, which has pretty much become my tradition each year.

 

[MRG]

Flash... News...

Jeff Bezos, just played the biggest April Fool's Joke in history. A one minute interview, a toy helicopter,and a hundred million dollars woth of advertising...
on Cyber Monday!

Yes he's managed to get lots of free advertising. Smart man.

MRG

 

[Walt34]

Again aside from Christmas, 90% of my employees, in four different states over my career would have been very upset if I didn't let them work holidays with premium pay.

I believe you. I worked as a police officer and of course knew going in that working holidays came with the territory so it never occurred to to me to complain about it. But since it paid straight time plus time and a half there was never a shortage of people willing to work holidays, generally even Thanksgiving and Christmas. Especially the first few lean years.

 

[Chuckanut]

Raise your hand if you want an Amazon drone flying past your 2nd story bedroom window.