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Indeed, when you look at surveys that ask people why they prefer shopping online, things like "24/7 convenience", "saves time", and "better selection" usually e

by suresk 14y ago

Indeed, when you look at surveys that ask people why they prefer shopping online, things like "24/7 convenience", "saves time", and "better selection" usually end up ahead of "costs less money, even after shipping" and taxes are usually a small part of that. The lack of sales tax hurts local tax entities far worse than it hurts Amazon's competitors.

einhverfr 14y ago
>The lack of sales tax hurts local tax entities far worse than it hurts Amazon's competitors. Except that proposals to collect online sales tax would hurt local retailers even worse if they followed the law.
- rat87 14y ago
  Not because Amazon would be paying local sales tax, because their new business plans with 1 day shipping might(!!) bring them into more competition with local retailers. States putting pressure on Amazon to collect sales tax may have encouraged Amazon into this plan but based on their past opposition I think it has more to do with their guesses about the market.
  - einhverfr 14y ago
    The problem though is that a big company like Amazon can afford to worry about paying sales taxes properly. I worry about the electronic store that delivers though, being forced out of business due to increasingly complex sales tax reporting requirements. It seems to me it gives the online retailers way too much power over local competition when a department of revenue audit could be used to sink the B&M retailers.
vaksel 14y ago
not having to drive to the store is huge on Amazon you just search, compare, read reviews and click buy. with brick and mortar stores, you have to drive to the store, park, then roam the store to find what you are looking for, then hope that they have it in stock before you buy, then drive back home. Even a small purchase ends up costing you an hour of your time. and for large purchases almost always you have to wait 20-30 for the store associate to bring out what you want to buy...and you have to deal with a sales pitch for an extended warranty
- cglace 14y ago
  Maybe for electronics but for clothes I don't mind driving to the store. Trying stuff on till I find what works. Asking knowledgeable staff for suggestions/opinions. I think I've had one positive result from buying clothes online.
  - GFischer 14y ago
    I have an idea for a side project/startup tackling that problem. What's your main problem? Finding out how it would look on you? How it feels/quality? What are the suggestions and opinions you look for? Thanks :)
    - cglace 14y ago
      All of the above are problems. Huge problem is fit. Especially pants. So many things can go wrong. Too tight in the thighs, pants run short, pants are tighter than usual in the hips, weird fit in the butt, etc. . . Feel/quality is a big one for me personally because I have some hangups with textures. If something has a certain feel it makes my skin crawl. As for suggestions and opinions, I'm usually looking for advice, make sure I'm not committing any faux pas with my choices. For example, when buying some leather shoes I may want something that can be worn with jeans or with slacks if needed. If the sales associate is knowledgeable I will probably go with something I initially was tentative about or didn't consider. Hope that helps.
      - GFischer 14y ago
        It does :) . Thank you ! As soon as I have an MVP I'll post it here on Hacker News :) .
        BHSPitMonkey 14y ago
        Send out measuring tapes for free to customers (like Square's credit card readers). The tapes will be branded with your logo/URL. You let users store their exact measurements on their profile, and your company takes care of the rest (building an online catalog of well-photographed stock, all of which your team has gathered samples of and tested for exact measurements.

by suresk 14y ago

einhverfr 14y ago

>The lack of sales tax hurts local tax entities far worse than it hurts Amazon's competitors. Except that proposals to collect online sales tax would hurt local retailers even worse if they followed the law.

rat87 14y ago
Not because Amazon would be paying local sales tax, because their new business plans with 1 day shipping might(!!) bring them into more competition with local retailers. States putting pressure on Amazon to collect sales tax may have encouraged Amazon into this plan but based on their past opposition I think it has more to do with their guesses about the market.
- einhverfr 14y ago
  The problem though is that a big company like Amazon can afford to worry about paying sales taxes properly. I worry about the electronic store that delivers though, being forced out of business due to increasingly complex sales tax reporting requirements. It seems to me it gives the online retailers way too much power over local competition when a department of revenue audit could be used to sink the B&M retailers.

vaksel 14y ago

not having to drive to the store is huge on Amazon you just search, compare, read reviews and click buy. with brick and mortar stores, you have to drive to the store, park, then roam the store to find what you are looking for, then hope that they have it in stock before you buy, then drive back home. Even a small purchase ends up costing you an hour of your time. and for large purchases almost always you have to wait 20-30 for the store associate to bring out what you want to buy...and you have to deal with a sales pitch for an extended warranty

cglace 14y ago
Maybe for electronics but for clothes I don't mind driving to the store. Trying stuff on till I find what works. Asking knowledgeable staff for suggestions/opinions. I think I've had one positive result from buying clothes online.
- GFischer 14y ago
  I have an idea for a side project/startup tackling that problem. What's your main problem? Finding out how it would look on you? How it feels/quality? What are the suggestions and opinions you look for? Thanks :)
  - cglace 14y ago
    All of the above are problems. Huge problem is fit. Especially pants. So many things can go wrong. Too tight in the thighs, pants run short, pants are tighter than usual in the hips, weird fit in the butt, etc. . . Feel/quality is a big one for me personally because I have some hangups with textures. If something has a certain feel it makes my skin crawl. As for suggestions and opinions, I'm usually looking for advice, make sure I'm not committing any faux pas with my choices. For example, when buying some leather shoes I may want something that can be worn with jeans or with slacks if needed. If the sales associate is knowledgeable I will probably go with something I initially was tentative about or didn't consider. Hope that helps.
    - GFischer 14y ago
      It does :) . Thank you ! As soon as I have an MVP I'll post it here on Hacker News :) .
      - BHSPitMonkey 14y ago
        Send out measuring tapes for free to customers (like Square's credit card readers). The tapes will be branded with your logo/URL. You let users store their exact measurements on their profile, and your company takes care of the rest (building an online catalog of well-photographed stock, all of which your team has gathered samples of and tested for exact measurements.