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Old 02-05-2021, 12:24 PM   #41
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I wonder if this goes deeper than just efficiency of managing the operations. What if Amazon were looking to get people to quit in order to migrate over to a robotic warehouse? I know most utility companies will discount electricity during those hours the laborers are being shifted towards. So maybe they see the gain in utility savings and an opportunity to convert to robotic function.
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Old 02-05-2021, 12:32 PM   #42
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Old 02-05-2021, 12:52 PM   #43
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We make a conscious effort to seek out American Manufactured Products of high quality.
We do not mind paying a premium for such items.

We also like to support local Vendors and Business's as much as practicable. And we do.

Having said that we use Amazon alot.

Especially if we have No Joy sourcing from Made in America and/or local vendors.

The selection and ability to find odd ball items combined with the convenience of online ordering, and for the most part very reliable shipping from Amazon..... we are glad for them.

gamboolman....
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Old 02-05-2021, 01:04 PM   #44
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I agree with the Evil Empire label, and until the middle of the pandemic, only extraordinarily rarely ordered from them. Unfortunately, since last summer, when libraries closed, I’ve bought quite a lot of books from/via Amazon.

Before, and now at this point of the pandemic, we purchase from other retailers. I consider the extra charge the price for maintaining options, and esp a B+M choice. Appreciate though, that not all budgets have this option. I feel similarly about Walmart.

disclosure: I do own a good amount of Amazon stock (in taxable) fwiw, so I admit profiting from their evilness
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Old 02-05-2021, 01:05 PM   #45
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My strategy for purchasing goods is simple.

I research to determine what product offers the best quality at a reasonable price.

Then I determine what company sells that product at the best price, has a reasonable return policy and when will it get to me or how easy to pick up.

I'm not loyal to any one company.

Amazon and ebay get 60% of spending dollars.
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Old 02-05-2021, 01:19 PM   #46
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I have been boycotting Amazon for about 5 years. Walmart for longer. My account at amazon got hacked & 2 i phones were bought & sent to Tennessee or there abouts. Amazon was very little help on getting back to me & the time to CC dispute was running out. So instead of waiting for Amazon to settle I disputed. Amazon didn't like that. Pardon my french but screw them


I have no thoughts that my little protest will BK Bezos. But all I can do is what i can do. I will buy direct or through E bay with good result
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Old 02-05-2021, 01:38 PM   #47
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Originally Posted by RVplusDog View Post
Also - consider routing your orders through Amazon’s “smile” program. That way you can have a % of your purchase donated to a charity of your choice. Swing the donations add up (at no extra cost to you) might help salve the guilt.
I like it that I can use Amazon to support [MOD EDIT] my favorite cause.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:01 PM   #48
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I wonder if many of these manufacturers are using the logistics available through AMZN?
A whole heckuva lot of them are. Me included. Yup, I make things and send them to amazon to ship for me. I'm teeny tiny, but it makes life very easy. Their costs are about the same as if I ship it myself, and putting "prime" on it means I sell more stuff.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:11 PM   #49
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ls JQ Public aware that Amazon warehouses are robotized now?
https://roboticsandautomationnews.co...ehouses/28840/
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:23 PM   #50
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ls JQ Public aware that Amazon warehouses are robotized now?
https://roboticsandautomationnews.co...ehouses/28840/
Well, that's a good thing isn't it? It relieves people from some if not most of the grunt work, most certainly at least some of the back-breaking heavy lifting, and it provides higher-paying jobs for the folks who maintain and service the robots.

A school near here provides several levels of robotics certification classes, from a six-week certification to an AA degree. The jobs those people get pay more than toting bales.

Isn't that what is supposed to happen?
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:24 PM   #51
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I worked what was called a 4-4 continuous schedule.

Start days on Monday 6 am to 6 pm. Work Mon Tue Wed & Thurs
Have Fri Sat Sun & Mon off. Our weeks were considered cycles.

The next week/cycle would be to work 6 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday.
Have Saturday Sunday Monday & Tuesday off.

Following week work Wednesday through Saturday. You get the idea.
Once you got to the 7th cycle, (when you work Sunday through Wednesday)
This meant it was the last week/cycle of days.

The following week you would report to work at 6 PM & work till 6 AM
Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Words can't describe how much I hated the night shift.
But not for the reason a lot of you would guess. I could sleep fine, although some days I'd have to wear earplugs.

The problem for me, was that I couldn't switch back to sleeping at night on my days off. So for 56 days, I was up all night, & slept from around 9 AM to 4 PM.

Luckily for me I started at age 23, and because the company offers a defined benefit pension plan, I was able to retire after 30 years at age 53.

So as far as the Amazon hours, I say if you don't like it, tough !@#$

As for stealing tips from the drivers, that's a legitimate gripe.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:26 PM   #52
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Jeff Bezos is laughing all the way to the bank. He's worth currently $196 Billion.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:28 PM   #53
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Jeff Bezos is laughing all the way to the bank. He's worth currently $196 Billion.
So what? He came up with a good idea, ran with it, and was successful. I fail to see the problem.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:28 PM   #54
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I wonder what Amazon charges these companies? We love a smallish family resort in Playa ...one year we booked a really cheap package at Expedia. Since we were regulars at that resort at checkout they mentioned if we found a cheap price at EX we should email and they would match it. I think they said EX kept back 20% of the room price as cost of doing business. Plus the resort would be way more generous with their cancellation policy.
Very smart on their part to do this for selected customers.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:34 PM   #55
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You name the shift; I've probably worked it. 12-on-12-off rotating days-mids-swings, 8-on-8-off rotating days-mids-swings, several others whose nicknames I've forgotten. Rotating shifts are incredibly hard on the body. We used to say it took the "f" out of "shiftwork."

All part of a DoD career, and often it was the most interesting work, too. The same probably cannot be said about shift in a warehouse...



Quote:
Originally Posted by ownyourfuture View Post
I worked what was called a 4-4 continuous schedule.

Start days on Monday 6 am to 6 pm. Work Mon Tue Wed & Thurs
Have Fri Sat Sun & Mon off. Our weeks were considered cycles.

The next week/cycle would be to work 6 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday.
Have Saturday Sunday Monday & Tuesday off.

Following week work Wednesday through Saturday. You get the idea.
Once you got to the 7th cycle, (when you work Sunday through Wednesday)
This meant it was the last week/cycle of days.

The following week you would report to work at 6 PM & work till 6 AM
Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Words can't describe how much I hated the night shift.
But not for the reason a lot of you would guess. I could sleep fine, although some days I'd have to wear earplugs.

The problem for me, was that I couldn't switch back to sleeping at night on my days off. So for 56 days, I was up all night, & slept from around 9 AM to 4 PM.

e.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:36 PM   #56
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This thread does an excellent job of ferreting out the nuance around an issue. Workers complain about hours and working conditions. But they still work there. Why? Ultimately they like the pay and full package of the job if viewed as a complete picture. And guess what, millions that are out of work want those jobs. Context is important.

Amazon facilitates third party sellers and their businesses grow massively. Now companies are going out and buying those third party sellers and growing them even more. Jobs and commerce.

Not a fan of Bezos as I think these business oligarchs have far too much influence outside the businesses. But the company is an American success story. Would we prefer Alibaba to be reshaping American retail?

Big picture.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:44 PM   #57
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So what? He came up with a good idea, ran with it, and was successful. I fail to see the problem.

While I buy nothing from amzon, I agree. We are all free to vote with our $.

Many bad mouth Goodwill as well, it is a genius idea. Get merchandise free and delivered at no cost to your door, and sell it.
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Old 02-05-2021, 02:49 PM   #58
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Amazon will also remove you (seller) from their platform if they disagree with you on some social cause, etc...
Yeah, from the "what it means to me" department, I'm more concerned about the owner being able to buy into "the Media." Most of the employee stuff (bad as it may seem) will eventually work itself out, legally. I won't stray any further afield as YMMV.
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Old 02-05-2021, 03:01 PM   #59
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I just ran some Amazon order history reports. For 2020, I ordered close to $5K in goods (and that was after discounts).

Earlier this year when Amazon yanked AWS for a certain twitter alternative. I am a fierce believer in free speech and didn't like their ability to simply shut off whomever and whenever they felt like it. (I'm not here to debate whether they have that right - only my right to use my purchasing power how I deem.) [I would be equally unhappy had the twitter alternative closed down been on the opposite side of the political spectrum, and I was not a user of said twitter alternative.]

So far in 2021, I am under $75, and most of that was in early January. I've cancelled several dozen subscribe and save items (still have more to go as I have to cancel them one at a time).

The good news is a lot less clutter of boxes coming to the house, and perhaps I can be a better consumer for local merchants (as well as other non-Amazon Internet sellers).
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Old 02-05-2021, 03:12 PM   #60
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So what? He came up with a good idea, ran with it, and was successful. I fail to see the problem.
So what? I'm pointing out a fact that he is a success story and by millions that continue to buy, just puts him in that wealth category. There is no issue in that.
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