Some places don’t. 3M, for example, in spite of how big it is. I needed P100 filters. I go to 3M which links me to Amazon. I could go to Home Depot, or buy from the Amazon 3M store and pay 2/3 to half.
WEN. A tool company that actually sells their own from their site. For whatever reason, their stuff is 10% more expensive on their own site, plus shipping.
And let’s not forget returns, which are free, easy and require no packaging most of the time with Amazon. I hate to say it, but they’ve got keeping people hooked figured out.
Walmart does well. The shipping is faster with no membership. And the returns are easier than Amazon. Provided you make sure the “fulfilled by Walmart” box is checked. But it’s Walmart, run by shitheads and associated with Heritage.
Michaels does alright on the crafting materials side. As does Blick, on art supplies. Fabric Warehouse is fairly solid for fabric though their selection is a bit random.
People I’ve talked to actually like shopping in just one place. So you’re combatting the “one stop shopping” thing as well.
I’m happy with slightly slower and non-free shipping if it buys me the knowledge that I get a genuine product. That’s not a given with Amazon.
I think they finally stopped commingling items between different sellers but there still enough dodgy shit floating around that I’d rather go to the manufacturer or a dedicated retailer for anything expensive or commonly faked.
Especially for expensive stuff. Lenient return policy or not, I’d rather not wait for my new phone twice because the first time some fulfillment center worker “accidentally” put something else in the box. And yes, that has happened to me.
I think online stores that can provide a better experience can still compete.
I really like swimoutlet.com for swim equipment at good prices. They are very easy to search for exactly what you need, and everything is decent quality, with all the big brands, but also their own house brand and some lesser known brands too. They really know aquatics.
I would try to put a referal link here to try and get $20, but I can’t figure out how it works.
You’ve described how I feel. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, not like there are any mom and pop stores by me. I’m not sure how much better supporting another big box is over another
Still shop around, sometimes you find different shopping venues. Decide how much you actually care about $5.99 added onto whatever.
The other piece is, not guaranteed, but many places have label prints for free returns now because of Amazon, but you’ll still have to package it yourself, which, whatever.
As many packages as order I order in as many things as I get from as many different sellers. That $5.99 would add up to way way more than I’m willing to pay. If I maybe ordered things once a year hell even every few months then 599 is not a big deal but considering just in the last 5 days I’ve received 20 packages for various things I’m pretty sure that 599 would order a very quickly. And especially considering that that $5.99 wouldn’t just be on 20 packages it would be on more than 20 packages because of the amount of things that I have within those packages.
Looks of traditional manufacturers never operated any type of direct retail for customers. If you have a business and a account that’s more likely but that’s not the same.
Some places don’t. 3M, for example, in spite of how big it is. I needed P100 filters. I go to 3M which links me to Amazon. I could go to Home Depot, or buy from the Amazon 3M store and pay 2/3 to half.
WEN. A tool company that actually sells their own from their site. For whatever reason, their stuff is 10% more expensive on their own site, plus shipping.
And let’s not forget returns, which are free, easy and require no packaging most of the time with Amazon. I hate to say it, but they’ve got keeping people hooked figured out.
Walmart does well. The shipping is faster with no membership. And the returns are easier than Amazon. Provided you make sure the “fulfilled by Walmart” box is checked. But it’s Walmart, run by shitheads and associated with Heritage.
Michaels does alright on the crafting materials side. As does Blick, on art supplies. Fabric Warehouse is fairly solid for fabric though their selection is a bit random.
People I’ve talked to actually like shopping in just one place. So you’re combatting the “one stop shopping” thing as well.
I’m happy with slightly slower and non-free shipping if it buys me the knowledge that I get a genuine product. That’s not a given with Amazon.
I think they finally stopped commingling items between different sellers but there still enough dodgy shit floating around that I’d rather go to the manufacturer or a dedicated retailer for anything expensive or commonly faked.
Especially for expensive stuff. Lenient return policy or not, I’d rather not wait for my new phone twice because the first time some fulfillment center worker “accidentally” put something else in the box. And yes, that has happened to me.
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I think online stores that can provide a better experience can still compete.
I really like swimoutlet.com for swim equipment at good prices. They are very easy to search for exactly what you need, and everything is decent quality, with all the big brands, but also their own house brand and some lesser known brands too. They really know aquatics.
I would try to put a referal link here to try and get $20, but I can’t figure out how it works.
We need an Amazon Alternatives list. Some have low bars for free shipping too.
You’ve described how I feel. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, not like there are any mom and pop stores by me. I’m not sure how much better supporting another big box is over another
Still shop around, sometimes you find different shopping venues. Decide how much you actually care about $5.99 added onto whatever.
The other piece is, not guaranteed, but many places have label prints for free returns now because of Amazon, but you’ll still have to package it yourself, which, whatever.
As many packages as order I order in as many things as I get from as many different sellers. That $5.99 would add up to way way more than I’m willing to pay. If I maybe ordered things once a year hell even every few months then 599 is not a big deal but considering just in the last 5 days I’ve received 20 packages for various things I’m pretty sure that 599 would order a very quickly. And especially considering that that $5.99 wouldn’t just be on 20 packages it would be on more than 20 packages because of the amount of things that I have within those packages.
My favorite N95 producer also links directly to amazon. It may be different if I am a large medical facility.
Looks of traditional manufacturers never operated any type of direct retail for customers. If you have a business and a account that’s more likely but that’s not the same.
It might be a distributor selling on Amazon, and hence it’s cheaper than the brands own website