5 ms·

This is probably contrarian ... I wonder if people will still go by default to Amazon if they're not the cheapest. For instance, Newegg always sells for a few

by taway2012 13y ago

This is probably contrarian ... I wonder if people will still go by default to Amazon if they're not the cheapest. For instance, Newegg always sells for a few dollars more than Amazon. Heck Amazon even sells for a couple of bucks less than their own subsidiary, Zappos. I seriously doubt that Amazon's retail operation has demonstrated that they can retain customers while raising prices. Unless I missed some news/data. Would be glad to hear comments.

jmduke 13y ago
Overstock.com recently launched a promotional campaign selling all their hardcovers for 10% less than Amazon.com.
- paul_f 13y ago
  That's funny because I sort of forgot Amazon started selling books. I don't think of them as a bookstore anymore at all. Maybe that says something.
AmVess 13y ago
I'm just one person, but I shop Amazon all the time due to the sheer convenience of doing so...regardless of price. Why? Free shipping (I get mine free, but $80 is well worth it because I buy a lot of stuff), always 2 days shipping, excellent service and a huge variety of goodies to buy. I also have their rewards card which returns $... Free coupla hundred bucks every six months, no sweat. I mentioned convenience as an opener to this reply, and I'll close with it. In a world wherein lots of things become more and more of a PITA, Amazon delivers easy and pain free, every day (I don't work there, so I can say that).
robryan 13y ago
I think to some extent yes. Some of the stuff we sell via Amazons marketplace is the cheapest on the marketplace but by no means the cheapest online. This stuff doesn't come with the same kind of shipping service that Amazon provides either, people feel safe buying through Amazon though in that the very worse outcome they can come out with is their money back. So other sites need to not only be cheaper but also build up the same level of service and trust to get a large amount of people away from Amazon.
laxatives 13y ago
Amazon is significantly more convenient than other sites. I was about to buy my textbooks today using Bigwords and got a total around $220. I went ahead and added everything to the shoppings carts of 4 different websites. Just to compare, I added the same books to Amazon and got a total around $250. That's a big difference so I got ready to make the purchase on the 4 sites, but I couldn't remember my log ins for 2 of them and the other 2 wanted me to create a new account. That did it for me, I went with Amazon. Not to mention I would be guaranteed shipping in a few days while some of these sites take up to 2-3 weeks + slow media mail.
winter_blue 13y ago
> I wonder if people will still go by default to Amazon if they're not the cheapest. When I'm really out looking for something (online), I use Google Shopping to compare prices from various retailers. And Amazon hasn't always been the cheapest. I've bought Oral-B toothbrush heads in bulk at a great price from Overstock.com
- Kurtz79 13y ago
  Unless we are talking about a really big difference, for me it's not really worth it the time spent in comparing prices. Even if not the lowest, I know that that Amazon is big, fast, cheap and I have previous positive experience with them, so most of the time why bother ? I agree with the OP, definitely difficult to see Amazon being challenged in the short/medium run.

jmduke 13y ago

Overstock.com recently launched a promotional campaign selling all their hardcovers for 10% less than Amazon.com.

paul_f 13y ago
That's funny because I sort of forgot Amazon started selling books. I don't think of them as a bookstore anymore at all. Maybe that says something.

AmVess 13y ago

I'm just one person, but I shop Amazon all the time due to the sheer convenience of doing so...regardless of price. Why? Free shipping (I get mine free, but $80 is well worth it because I buy a lot of stuff), always 2 days shipping, excellent service and a huge variety of goodies to buy. I also have their rewards card which returns $... Free coupla hundred bucks every six months, no sweat. I mentioned convenience as an opener to this reply, and I'll close with it. In a world wherein lots of things become more and more of a PITA, Amazon delivers easy and pain free, every day (I don't work there, so I can say that).

robryan 13y ago

I think to some extent yes. Some of the stuff we sell via Amazons marketplace is the cheapest on the marketplace but by no means the cheapest online. This stuff doesn't come with the same kind of shipping service that Amazon provides either, people feel safe buying through Amazon though in that the very worse outcome they can come out with is their money back. So other sites need to not only be cheaper but also build up the same level of service and trust to get a large amount of people away from Amazon.

laxatives 13y ago

Amazon is significantly more convenient than other sites. I was about to buy my textbooks today using Bigwords and got a total around $220. I went ahead and added everything to the shoppings carts of 4 different websites. Just to compare, I added the same books to Amazon and got a total around $250. That's a big difference so I got ready to make the purchase on the 4 sites, but I couldn't remember my log ins for 2 of them and the other 2 wanted me to create a new account. That did it for me, I went with Amazon. Not to mention I would be guaranteed shipping in a few days while some of these sites take up to 2-3 weeks + slow media mail.

winter_blue 13y ago

> I wonder if people will still go by default to Amazon if they're not the cheapest. When I'm really out looking for something (online), I use Google Shopping to compare prices from various retailers. And Amazon hasn't always been the cheapest. I've bought Oral-B toothbrush heads in bulk at a great price from Overstock.com

Kurtz79 13y ago
Unless we are talking about a really big difference, for me it's not really worth it the time spent in comparing prices. Even if not the lowest, I know that that Amazon is big, fast, cheap and I have previous positive experience with them, so most of the time why bother ? I agree with the OP, definitely difficult to see Amazon being challenged in the short/medium run.