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Idea: allow people to order add-ons to their monthly packages (something relatively cheap like manga, magazines, etc.). You can order it automatically from Amaz

by Grue3 9y ago

Idea: allow people to order add-ons to their monthly packages (something relatively cheap like manga, magazines, etc.). You can order it automatically from Amazon Japan with free domestic shipping. So people could get their candy + whatever stuff they need from Japan, while saving on shipping costs.

vadansky 9y ago
Seconding this. I don't know what effect it will have on shipping costs and general logistics and if it's worth it profit wise for the people running it, but I would love this option.
jeromegv 9y ago
That's an insane amount of work for a feature that would essentially be "at cost". Complicates shipping logistics, brings new problems (what if customers change its mind after Amazon is already ordered), different boxes and shipping cost for everyone, etc.
jstarfish 9y ago
I've run something similar to this. It has many problems, especially in the international shipping arena. Suppose I sell a box of candy that I make a comfortable profit on. You want me to receive, store, and repackage a book that I don't make any money on to the order. I'm just adding something to your existing order and doing you a favor, right? So I send you a box of candy and a book. The shipment gets lost in the mail / held indefinitely in customs / destroyed / stolen. You don't subrogate Amazon over the missing book (they did their job; I received it), you subrogate me for both the book AND the candy. I take on a lot of additional responsibility and work for no payoff (and often losing money in the process). Not to mention the changing shipping costs, bizarre object handling and the look on your face when I tell you that car-sized stuffed panda or pallet of Calorie Mate you bought and shipped to my warehouse added $200 in shipping charges to your $20 candy order. The reality of the situation hits you and now you don't want either. Then I lose a candy sale, and have the pleasure of storing and handling your giant Amazon order/return. The alternative is adding a hefty handling fee to the cost of add-on items, but then using me as a middleman likely ends up costing more than just buying it directly. Then the social media accusations of price gouging on shipping start making the rounds. "My god, how could they charge $200 to ship a stuffed panda!" It's bad for business. This model only really works when you have a friend over there who can send you stuff. When something gets lost, it sucks, but it's your problem, not your friend's. The dynamic changes when your friend is a business-- everything becomes their problem. It's not worth the trouble. There are dedicated repackaging services out there whose logistics operate at much better scale than a company whose primary focus is retail.

by Grue3 9y ago

vadansky 9y ago

Seconding this. I don't know what effect it will have on shipping costs and general logistics and if it's worth it profit wise for the people running it, but I would love this option.

jeromegv 9y ago

That's an insane amount of work for a feature that would essentially be "at cost". Complicates shipping logistics, brings new problems (what if customers change its mind after Amazon is already ordered), different boxes and shipping cost for everyone, etc.

jstarfish 9y ago

I've run something similar to this. It has many problems, especially in the international shipping arena. Suppose I sell a box of candy that I make a comfortable profit on. You want me to receive, store, and repackage a book that I don't make any money on to the order. I'm just adding something to your existing order and doing you a favor, right? So I send you a box of candy and a book. The shipment gets lost in the mail / held indefinitely in customs / destroyed / stolen. You don't subrogate Amazon over the missing book (they did their job; I received it), you subrogate me for both the book AND the candy. I take on a lot of additional responsibility and work for no payoff (and often losing money in the process). Not to mention the changing shipping costs, bizarre object handling and the look on your face when I tell you that car-sized stuffed panda or pallet of Calorie Mate you bought and shipped to my warehouse added $200 in shipping charges to your $20 candy order. The reality of the situation hits you and now you don't want either. Then I lose a candy sale, and have the pleasure of storing and handling your giant Amazon order/return. The alternative is adding a hefty handling fee to the cost of add-on items, but then using me as a middleman likely ends up costing more than just buying it directly. Then the social media accusations of price gouging on shipping start making the rounds. "My god, how could they charge $200 to ship a stuffed panda!" It's bad for business. This model only really works when you have a friend over there who can send you stuff. When something gets lost, it sucks, but it's your problem, not your friend's. The dynamic changes when your friend is a business-- everything becomes their problem. It's not worth the trouble. There are dedicated repackaging services out there whose logistics operate at much better scale than a company whose primary focus is retail.