4 ms·
This is really the problem with everything Walmart has done wrt eCommerce/online pickup IMO - It's like all the pieces are there, but they can't bring them all
by dimmke 5y ago
This is really the problem with everything Walmart has done wrt eCommerce/online pickup IMO - It's like all the pieces are there, but they can't bring them all together.
I've hit their website from Google looking for an item, and the lead time to ship is 2+ weeks and it's highlighted that it's sourced from a partner.
Putting aside the obvious - it's just a worse deal. For most items, they're competing with 1-2 days, a product page packed with verified reviews to help decision making, a company with top notch customer support/return policies and the price is usually the same or cheaper, there's other issues at play too.
It's subtle psychological cues. First, the way they highlight that it's from their partner almost makes it seem like they're doing dropshipping, they don't actually know if it's in stock and I can order and they will put a hold on my credit card. Maybe I'll get it in 2 weeks. Maybe a month. Maybe the order will eventually be cancelled or I will go through a nightmare dealing with their support or having to do a chargeback.
I'm not going through all of that stuff in my head, it's just my mind in the background doing pattern matching with other bad experiences I've had shopping online.
I understand it takes time and truckloads of money to get something even close to what Amazon has, but it also requires good leadership at the executive level.
The one area that Walmart could absolutely crush Amazon in would be picking up your order online, same day. Walmart should be able to leverage all their experience with brick and mortar to do this.
Instead, they're flagging behind Target. Their solution is pretty middle of the road, all the big retailers have something similar.
Amazon bought Whole Foods, so they have a footprint, just like Walmart has an online store. Based on how these companies have executed which do you think happens first? Amazon nails in person pickup or Walmart nails online shopping.
- AmVess 5y ago2 weeks is exactly how long it took to get an item, and they lost 2 other orders and had appalling customer service. I had to resort to a chargeback in order to get my money back. They couldn't find or bother to find the order in their system.
- thrower123 5y agoI've given up on Walmart online ordering after a couple experiences where my order was fulfilled by a dropshipper who bought the wrong item and had it shipped to me as a gift through Amazon. Massive confusion all around, and it ended with cancelling and getting a refund from Walmart.
- olivermarks 5y ago'Amazon nails in person pickup or Walmart nails online shopping.' Amazon has nailed free shipping with prime. In person pickup costs money in time, fuel, available vehicle. Feels like checkmate in 2021 but this may change
- cgriswald 5y agoI dislike Walmart rather intensely but I know if I order a new Kitchen Aid mixer from them I’m going to get a new Kitchen Aid mixer. Ask me how I know the same isn’t true of Amazon. No matter how good your delivery logistics, it’s not “nailing it” if I get the wrong thing fast.
- emodendroket 5y agoDo you really though? They do the same third-party seller thing as Amazon.
- eloff 5y agoIt's not third party sellers, it's comingling inventory from third party sellers. That breaks the reviews / reputation as a way to check, and it means if there's even one bad egg, even if I buy from Amazon itself, I can still get the wrong product.
- bjornjajayaja 5y agoSelling fake products masquerading as a real ones. That’s literally the worst case scenario for a customer. If I buy a product and it has issues—okay, it happens. Maybe I post a bad review or just don’t buy it again. If I buy a product and it’s something else, the seller should be ashamed of themselves. I have bought (and returned) countless fraudulent books from Amazon to the point where I had to weigh the books, count the pages, and compare with publishers. And then I closed my prime membership and I’ll take the longer wait times for a real product.
- specialist 5y ago