The internet and how we buy and get the things we need (1 Viewer)

superchuck500

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Yesterday, I was throwing some laundry into our clothes washing machine. The door hinge has been hanging a bit, and I was in a hurry. I was a bit aggressive with it and when I closed it hard, I heard a piece break off on to the floor. I took a look and saw that a plastic bit from the tooth of the door strike had broken off. The part looked to be fairly easy to replace.

Years ago, this would have probably taken a call to a repair tech for the brand of the machine (Frigidaire). Hardware stores and big box home improvement stores don't carry this part. But I was able to fairly quickly google the part. After quickly finding out what I needed, I found the part on Amazon and with a few clicks (I'm a very happy Prime member), the part was on its way and will be at my house tomorrow. With a phillips head screwdriver, I will be able to replace it in a manner of seconds and our clothes washing will be back on in just a little more than 48 hours after I broke the part.

So, the question is, is this a bad thing? This kind of new world is causing brick-and-mortar stores to close. It is undeniably changing the way we interact with commerce and the various industries needed in localities to support everyday living.

I think it is a good thing and is a more efficient way of living. But I also recognize that it is costing people's jobs. This idea that old jobs (like manufacturing or repair) could just be resurrected with policy or by the president is misplaced IMO. And it is only going to get worse as automation grows more common (consider that 1 in 5 working men in the US under the age of 50 drives some kind of vehicle).

Policy could never stop this kind of progress. We have to learn to operate within the new reality.
 
I think about that all of the time. Family members clown us for ordering everything online, like almost everything except produce, meat, and alcohol. Its just more convenient to carry a big box of papertowels, toiletries, pantry items, etc from the front door to the kitchen/bathroom, versus having to deal with it during our weekly trip to to Rouses for produce and meats. Not to mention its cheaper 99% of the time. When we think of something we need, our train of thought is to just open Amazon app and put it in the cart. And an order is made a couple times a week, for the stuff that we don't have subscriptions on.

There is no holding back the convenience this creates, so I think the world will adjust. Everything does.
 
But you don't necessarily cost jobs, you simply move them around.

First off, the people who made the website, own the store that sells it, make the product, deliver the product to you all have jobs because of the new way.
The money you saved doing it yourself gets spent in other areas, creating other jobs.

The best companies acknowledge and even promote creative destruction -- making new things that will even put their old products on the shelf of obsolescence. Sony created the walkman which was replaced by their discman, but were a bit slow to adopt MP3 players and suffered in that market. But that market was picked up by MP3 players which are now obsolete because of smartphones.

It does diminish community, where before you had things you needed locally, so your town had more jobs available. Now less retail locally, and jobs are less scattered and more centralized.

But even those will become obsolete to computer/robot technology that takes over tasks that humans currently do. It's a constant journey towards automation... until the computers take over.
 
I think about that all of the time. Family members clown us for ordering everything online, like almost everything except produce, meat, and alcohol. Its just more convenient to carry a big box of papertowels, toiletries, pantry items, etc from the front door to the kitchen/bathroom, versus having to deal with it during our weekly trip to to Rouses for produce and meats. Not to mention its cheaper 99% of the time. When we think of something we need, our train of thought is to just open Amazon app and put it in the cart. And an order is made a couple times a week, for the stuff that we don't have subscriptions on.

There is no holding back the convenience this creates, so I think the world will adjust. Everything does.

And now you can order alcohol with the Drizly app. :9:



And related to the OP, the Amazon dash buttons are just crazy to me (https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Buttons/b?ie=UTF8&node=10667898011). Just push the little button, and a resupply will show up at your door in a day or two. I haven't gotten any just because I'm scared how often I might press them.
 
Not bad. I made 10 million a year for a while selling on the internet. Also had brick and mortar store. Just now we can do business all over the world
 
I like to walk in to the general store in town when the weather is nice and order from the Montgomery Ward catalog so I guess I have always been one to like delivery.

but yea, I also have a prime account now so... its all on its way.


seriously about the catalogs though, who else remembers still having two or three phone book size books laying around the house? My grandparents had them when I was a kid. At least Pennys and Sears. By that time I don't think anyone was ordering from them but it gave you a good idea of the things you wanted to look at when you went to the mall. I remember making mental lists of all the things that made my eyes get big and would have made me happy for at least 45 minutes if only someone would have bought them. Now I get my items in two days but I don't know if I even get the 45 minutes of joy.
 
I like to walk in to the general store in town when the weather is nice and order from the Montgomery Ward catalog so I guess I have always been one to like delivery.

but yea, I also have a prime account now so... its all on its way.


seriously about the catalogs though, who else remembers still having two or three phone book size books laying around the house? My grandparents had them when I was a kid. At least Pennys and Sears. By that time I don't think anyone was ordering from them but it gave you a good idea of the things you wanted to look at when you went to the mall. I remember making mental lists of all the things that made my eyes get big and would have made me happy for at least 45 minutes if only someone would have bought them. Now I get my items in two days but I don't know if I even get the 45 minutes of joy.

JC Penny and Sears catalog bra section was all we had man....lol
 
if i can't order on amazon, it usually won't be purchased.

I'm sure you could probably purchase a legit pirate ship w/ working cannons via tor on the dark web though... (just sayin')...
 
I'm sure you could probably purchase a legit pirate ship w/ working cannons via tor on the dark web though... (just sayin')...

speaking of - whatever happened with Chuck's idea to get that boat?

wait...please don't tell me y'all got the boat and no one told me
not again:jpshakehead:
 
speaking of - whatever happened with Chuck's idea to get that boat?

wait...please don't tell me y'all got the boat and no one told me
not again:jpshakehead:

First rule of Boaty McBoatface club is that there is no Boaty McBoatface club... (shhhh, the password is 5/7)...
 
I have a complaint on Amazon and I feel like it's getting out of control.

The reviews on items help me so much when shopping but lately the reviews seem to be pretty much worthless since everything is a review in exchange for a discount on the item being reviewed. They are bogus paid reviews. Hope Amazon fixes it.

Yeah, you can scroll through the reviews and read them looking for the disclaimer but it sure makes it a PITA.
 
I do like Amazon for certain things, but I also find myself annoyed that there isn't a single place in town anymore where I could buy somethign like a new cartridge for my turntable, because I want it TODAY, and the clerk is like "have you checked Amazon?" Places don't bother stocking certain things anymore because they just assume you'll order it online. I remember when half the floor space at a Best Buy would be music and movies, and you could just browse for hours. Now it's like one display of new releases and nothing I want.

Plus I can't ever imagine remember to buy something like shop towels online. I always need them, I go through several rolls a month, but it's one of those things I spot while I'm on a milk and bread run. I'm not ever going to think about needing them while I'm at home in front of the computer.
 

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