3 ms·

>>> However, despite all of that I do still use Amazon. ... And their return policies allow me to order with the confidence that if I get a fraudulent item (or

>>> However, despite all of that I do still use Amazon. ... And their return policies allow me to order with the confidence that if I get a fraudulent item (or just something I don't like) it will be fairly painless to get a replacement or my money back. Oddly enough Amazon didn't invent this. All of the "big box" and online retailers had no-questions-asked returns before Amazon came along. My hunch is that one of two things have happened: 1) You figure out that the most cost effective way to manage quality control is through returns and refunds, and you streamline this process; 2) You go out of business. The retailers who delivered quality goods and charged appropriately for getting it right on the first try are gone.

unQJTy7H 4y ago
> You figure out that the most cost effective way to manage quality control is through returns and refunds, and you streamline this process No. It's actually just about the most expensive way to do it. But the decision is made by the retailers, who (particularly in the case of Amazon, but also other chains, Walmart, Best Buy, etc) can effectively enforce the decision on their vendors unilaterally, and who coincidentally have virtually no financial stake in the matter (their vendors do!).
- funcDropShadow 4y ago
  > can effectively enforce the decision on their vendors unilaterally, I can second that, someone I know personally who is building well-reputed longboards in his shop with a few friends, thought a few year ago it would be a good idea to sell through Amazon. Let's just say it didn't went well. Amazon forced them to take basically any returned longboard no matter how obviously it was destroyed.
vineyardmike 4y ago
Many retails don’t buy the inventory directly, it’s still owned by the manufacturer/seller. Returns cost money in the operation but the actual product is free to them. Lots of returns end up in the trash too. While Amazon may pay for the shipping, many low quality products are probably losing money for the seller when returned.
- dskrvk 4y ago
  > Lots of returns end up in the trash too. Yup, apparently until recently Amazon didn't bother finding a new buyer for the returned products and simply trashed most of them. Now there's a cottage industry of people buying returns in bulk, sorting through, and reselling the quality stuff (kind of like the industry around auctioning unclaimed storage unit contents). However, I imagine that many cheap products even now don't go through the auctioning process and go directly to waste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qOop6J8Q8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qOop6J8Q8
mindslight 4y ago
I'm suffering this right now with an order of lumber from Home Depot. Half the plywood is delaminated and bulging, two thirds of the studs are covered in mold. Talking to customer service, they'll come and pick up returns for free within 90 days - the same as if I merely changed my mind. I guess that means for the next truck order I'll just order vastly more than I need, so they can bring the pick-through-the-lumber-pile experience to my home?

unQJTy7H 4y ago

> You figure out that the most cost effective way to manage quality control is through returns and refunds, and you streamline this process No. It's actually just about the most expensive way to do it. But the decision is made by the retailers, who (particularly in the case of Amazon, but also other chains, Walmart, Best Buy, etc) can effectively enforce the decision on their vendors unilaterally, and who coincidentally have virtually no financial stake in the matter (their vendors do!).

funcDropShadow 4y ago
> can effectively enforce the decision on their vendors unilaterally, I can second that, someone I know personally who is building well-reputed longboards in his shop with a few friends, thought a few year ago it would be a good idea to sell through Amazon. Let's just say it didn't went well. Amazon forced them to take basically any returned longboard no matter how obviously it was destroyed.

vineyardmike 4y ago

Many retails don’t buy the inventory directly, it’s still owned by the manufacturer/seller. Returns cost money in the operation but the actual product is free to them. Lots of returns end up in the trash too. While Amazon may pay for the shipping, many low quality products are probably losing money for the seller when returned.

dskrvk 4y ago
> Lots of returns end up in the trash too. Yup, apparently until recently Amazon didn't bother finding a new buyer for the returned products and simply trashed most of them. Now there's a cottage industry of people buying returns in bulk, sorting through, and reselling the quality stuff (kind of like the industry around auctioning unclaimed storage unit contents). However, I imagine that many cheap products even now don't go through the auctioning process and go directly to waste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qOop6J8Q8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qOop6J8Q8

mindslight 4y ago

I'm suffering this right now with an order of lumber from Home Depot. Half the plywood is delaminated and bulging, two thirds of the studs are covered in mold. Talking to customer service, they'll come and pick up returns for free within 90 days - the same as if I merely changed my mind. I guess that means for the next truck order I'll just order vastly more than I need, so they can bring the pick-through-the-lumber-pile experience to my home?