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Started by SGOS, December 16, 2017, 03:24:47 PM

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Baruch

In general, when a new company wants your business, they do things to attract it.  As they approach great success (or hidden monopoly corruption) then they no longer have "ganas" ... this is what happened to Toyota too.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

Quote from: Baruch on December 17, 2017, 12:24:29 PM
In general, when a new company wants your business, they do things to attract it.  As they approach great success (or hidden monopoly corruption) then they no longer have "ganas" ... this is what happened to Toyota too.
I think it's likely to happen with any corporation that meets with phenomenal success quickly.  Cabela's, as a startup 20 years ago gained popularity through highly competitive pricing, and I started buying outdoor clothing from them.  Once established, they raised prices almost overnight and were soon as expensive as LL Bean.  Redbox competed with lots of free movie credits, which are much harder to accumulate since it established itself.  Once established, Honda quit refining their product and a few years back came out with an offering that was so substandard, not even customer loyalty could keep their base.  It was so bad that they came out with a new model mid year, but I don't think they ever reestablished their credibility.  I looked at them two years ago, along with Toyota, which once manufactured the best vehicle I ever owned.  I ended up buying a Mazda, and bought two more since then.

I won't deny the success of corporations, but I do mourn the loss of their consumer orientation that once got them where they are today.  Obviously, they still maintain consumer loyalty.  People love Amazon, and there are good reasons for this too.  On the other hand, some behemoths like Sears, Montgomery Wards, and Marshall Fields have dropped out of sight for reasons that I can only guess might have something to do with letting things slide, or perhaps, not paying attention, but there are probably other reasons beyond my limited knowledge that account for it.  When I first got into PC computers, I bought a Dell, because the gurus were telling me their customer service was outstanding, and it turned out to be true, but I watched that go downhill, and I don't hear anything outstanding about Dell, anymore.


Blackleaf

Quote from: Munch on December 16, 2017, 06:42:55 PM
you don't think they deserve better jobs then that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYUJjpIxkCU

Wow. Well, I won't be ordering from Amazon any more.
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

SGOS

When I bought my first Dell, the other one that was equally recommended to me at that time was Gateway.  Do they even make those anymore?

SGOS

Quote from: Blackleaf on December 17, 2017, 01:49:08 PM
Wow. Well, I won't be ordering from Amazon any more.
I'm not sure if it's that bad on this side of the Atlantic.  That place in Great Britain is the only horror story I've heard so far.  Yet it is still Amazon, probably testing how much they can get away with.  That woman I met didn't voice any serious complaints, although I hardly knew her.  She just seemed to treat it as a crappy job like all the other crappy jobs people find themselves in.

Munch

Like I say, I will still use amazon when I can't find it somewhere else, like my local catalogue shop or on eBay (since they have free shipping), but its kind of like buying a product from a supermarket knowing the underhanded practices of it, like the claim the eggs you are buying are free range, when in reality it just means the chickens are less crushed in together then none free range, or just buying anything from nestle, which is a hell of a lot of products.

You know these things are evil, but your in a limited position to do anything else sadly
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Hydra009

Quote from: SGOS on December 17, 2017, 02:08:53 PM
When I bought my first Dell, the other one that was equally recommended to me at that time was Gateway.  Do they even make those anymore?
Not really.  Gateway was acquired by Acer in 2007 and has since effectively ceased to exist as a distinct brand.  They still have a website and a few models, but it's slim pickings.  And you can't buy anything off the Gateway site; it redirects to the Acer website for "local resellers" of Gateway products.

Baruch

Quote from: SGOS on December 17, 2017, 01:46:44 PM
I think it's likely to happen with any corporation that meets with phenomenal success quickly.  Cabela's, as a startup 20 years ago gained popularity through highly competitive pricing, and I started buying outdoor clothing from them.  Once established, they raised prices almost overnight and were soon as expensive as LL Bean.  Redbox competed with lots of free movie credits, which are much harder to accumulate since it established itself.  Once established, Honda quit refining their product and a few years back came out with an offering that was so substandard, not even customer loyalty could keep their base.  It was so bad that they came out with a new model mid year, but I don't think they ever reestablished their credibility.  I looked at them two years ago, along with Toyota, which once manufactured the best vehicle I ever owned.  I ended up buying a Mazda, and bought two more since then.

I won't deny the success of corporations, but I do mourn the loss of their consumer orientation that once got them where they are today.  Obviously, they still maintain consumer loyalty.  People love Amazon, and there are good reasons for this too.  On the other hand, some behemoths like Sears, Montgomery Wards, and Marshall Fields have dropped out of sight for reasons that I can only guess might have something to do with letting things slide, or perhaps, not paying attention, but there are probably other reasons beyond my limited knowledge that account for it.  When I first got into PC computers, I bought a Dell, because the gurus were telling me their customer service was outstanding, and it turned out to be true, but I watched that go downhill, and I don't hear anything outstanding about Dell, anymore.

The corporations are dominated by Wall Street.  That is why all of the previous tax cut stimulus went to stock buybacks.  That is why all the coming tax cut stimulus will go to stock buybacks.  We have managers, not leaders.  The problem with corporations is that they are semi-immortal, unlike proprietorships.  When you are immortal, you can slide, particularly in PCs ... when you are being subsidized indirectly thru massive government purchase vehicles that buy 100,000 PCs at a time.  All you have to have is one bureaucrat such another off.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

Quote from: SGOS on December 17, 2017, 02:08:53 PM
When I bought my first Dell, the other one that was equally recommended to me at that time was Gateway.  Do they even make those anymore?

Gateway was briefly popular for government purchase, 15 years ago, and then mismanaged into insolvency.  But the government didn't bail them out, they had Dell and HP.  Dell nearly destroyed themselves 10 years ago, with bad motherboards.  We had to replace the motherboards in every new Dell we had.  Today we are on HP sometimes , but Dell made a comeback.  Laptops are a different matter, but aren't purchased massively, nor are tablets.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Perhaps it is luck of location, but my delivery service from places like Amazon and Chewy seem to be as good as they ever were (2-3 days, which is great).  Perhaps I have too long a memory when things were delivered in 4-6 weeks. 
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

pr126

#25
Amazon Could be Investigated for Late Prime Deliveries

I have Amazon Prime and a collection point nearby so I get my stuff next morning most of the time.

Unless it is coming on a slow boat from China.

Cavebear

Quote from: pr126 on December 18, 2017, 08:54:56 AM
Amazon Could be Investigated for Late Prime Deliveries

I have Amazon Prime and a collection point nearby so I get my stuff next morning most of the time.

Unless it is coming on a slow boat from China.

Well, I'm sure not going to complain.  I have Amazon Prime and get prime service.  And it is worth it to me.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

SGOS

Quote from: Cavebear on December 18, 2017, 02:03:23 AM
Perhaps it is luck of location, but my delivery service from places like Amazon and Chewy seem to be as good as they ever were (2-3 days, which is great).  Perhaps I have too long a memory when things were delivered in 4-6 weeks. 
30 years ago or whenever it was I bought my first PC, the closest store where I could buy one in Montana would have been 100 miles away, and choices would have been very limited.  Most everyone in my town would often drive 200 miles one way when we needed to do some serious shopping.  I ordered a computer by phone directly from Dell, and it arrived the next day by UPS.  It seemed like the stuff arrived in 3 or 4 large boxes that filled my living room by the time I put the parts together.   I have no idea where the warehouse was.  I couldn't imagine one within 500 miles, as I was in one of the most isolated towns in a state which is considered isolated itself.  Needless to say, I was impressed.  I remember that as my first experience with fast delivery, which soon after became customary, but isn't as good anymore unless you are willing to pay a lot for the service.  Fortunately, I'm not in a hurry.

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on December 18, 2017, 11:08:56 AM
30 years ago or whenever it was I bought my first PC, the closest store where I could buy one in Montana would have been 100 miles away, and choices would have been very limited.  Most everyone in my town would often drive 200 miles one way when we needed to do some serious shopping.  I ordered a computer by phone directly from Dell, and it arrived the next day by UPS.  It seemed like the stuff arrived in 3 or 4 large boxes that filled my living room by the time I put the parts together.   I have no idea where the warehouse was.  I couldn't imagine one within 500 miles, as I was in one of the most isolated towns in a state which is considered isolated itself.  Needless to say, I was impressed.  I remember that as my first experience with fast delivery, which soon after became customary, but isn't as good anymore unless you are willing to pay a lot for the service.  Fortunately, I'm not in a hurry.

I remember reading of Texas guys driving 100 miles to get to a McDonalds...  And to be honest, we used to walk 3 miles to the Ginos "downtown" for a 24 cent (you got a penny back) burger and fries.  We brought our own sodas (they were expensive).
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

trdsf

Quote from: SGOS on December 16, 2017, 03:24:47 PM
I used to be impressed, but I've gotten enough shipments from them to say with a fairly high degree of confidence that it's gone downhill, like a lot downhill.  I believe it's part of their new business strategy to nickel dime customers.  First, two day delivery, which used to be more or less expected back when they were good at it, is still available, but is now priced so high that it should be classified as "dire emergency" delivery.  Second, free delivery is often available, especially if you make a substantial purchase, but it takes a very long time, at least compared to their service in the past.

I placed two orders two days ago, one from LL Bean, which came today as a free delivery, and placed an order from Amazon listed as "in stock", and (not one of their secondary sellers), which hasn't even been processed or shipped yet.  I'm betting it's being throttled at the warehouse in order to blackmail customers into opting for Amazon Prime where two day free delivery is offered, but not all the time depending on items.  I can't justify prime, because I don't buy that much stuff, and I tried it one year because of the streaming service, which didn't have enough quality.  It's more like a way to get you to view their pay per view streaming, where most of the good stuff is.

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Amazon is still a good place to buy things, but not all the time, and they are cutting back on the service and quality that made them what they were.  They are still expanding, and good for them, but they aren't what they used to be.
Agreed.  Historically, in-stock items would arrive on the first day of their delivery window, with an immediate notification that it was on its way.  Now, some of my holiday gifts may arrive late at the recipients: I didn't even get notified they'd shipped until the day after the first day of the delivery window.

As for Prime: no way, no how, simply because of the over-aggressive way they've marketed it.  I once had four interruptions between putting an item in my cart and getting to the actual payment asking me if I was really really really really REALLY sure I didn't want Prime.  I ended up cancelling the order, buying it somewhere else for slightly more, and sending them a note that they just lost business because they were being spectacularly rude to their customers.  I got an apology and a $10 credit, and the Prime-pushing seems to have backed off a little since then, but I don't shop Amazon as much as I used to.  A lot of times nowadays, I'll go on Amazon more to get a precise part or model number, and seek the item somewhere else.
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan