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> I’d be happy to support local merchants, but they have to get the overall value proposition somewhat competitive. For the most part, they aren’t. Maybe it’s p
by jdasdf 5y ago
> I’d be happy to support local merchants, but they have to get the overall value proposition somewhat competitive. For the most part, they aren’t. Maybe it’s pricing, selection, policies, hours of operation, or some combination, but other than grocers and large chains, I’m not even sure they’re trying.
This.
I actively avoid local businesses because with few exceptions they always try to screw you, whether that's prices, low quality service, or something else.
Even something as simple as canceling an order that hasn't yet been paid or shipped I get senseless push back from local businesses.
When it's easier and less stress free for me to return a 1200€ drone to Amazon 3 times, than it is for me to cancel a 80€ chestnut order that hasn't been paid or shipped from a local business, the problem isn't Amazon and the solution is obvious.
- jeromegv 5y ago“They always try to screw you”. Wow. Wow. Wow. That’s how we end up with monopolistic companies. Instead of actually making an effort to look for great small business in your city, you’ve just going to spend all your money on Amazon and when you get called on it your answer is they “always try to screw me”. I don’t know if you believe it or you just want the moral high ground for your bad consumer behaviours.
- djbebs 5y agoPrioritizing the things that provide value to me, and avoiding sellers that do not is the opposite of "bad consumer behavior". In fact, letting bad business practices slide when it comes to small businesses is a great way of ensuring those businesses will never improve their practices and will continuously fall behind. Show me the incentives and I will show you the results.
- croutonwagon 5y agoI’m forgiving on pricing with locals. They don’t have the volume of an Amazon or the logistics. And as such they can’t normalize prices or take a loss on a higher volume item to draw in bigger items etc. Even Amazon leverages USPS and pays below market for shipping. A SMB simply can’t, even if drop shipping. So I’m lenient on price, but the other things generally need to be above average. Especially service.
- 0x10c0fe11ce 5y agoIt’ll keep being a piece of cake until you buy something from a scammer amazon merchant with no one to appeal. One of the best things I like about my local small businesses is that I don’t need to worry about choices. I just show up with a problem and they will always solve it for me costing me way less than I had budgeted. That’s why some of those have been operating for almost 100 years.