Problem for Bezos: Mall Becoming Cheaper Than Amazon

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/08/19/a-problem-for-jeff-bezos-the-mall-is-becoming-cheaper-than-amazon/?mod=WSJ_hppMIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond ^ | 8/20/2013

[redgolum]

You might think the biggest challenge for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is figuring out how to make money running a print newspaper, but here is a risk hitting much closer to home: Brick-and-mortar retail stores are becoming cheaper than Amazon

[Pietro]

Good, I hate Amazon.

[VanDeKoik]

Rather pay the difference and stay with Amazon.

[Jonty30]

Amazon is hindered by the fact that they have to pay to ship individual items, but stores only have to pay for the shipping of multiple items once.

[Red Badger]

The instant gratification of brick and mortar stores vs internet wins out over the “I bought this on the internet.” ........

[Argus]

I don’t have to burn $4 a gallon gas to get to my Ipad.

[BitWielder1]

So? That's what open market competition is all about.
If government had started regulating online sales both Amazon and *-mart would more expensive.

[Monty22002]

Amazon Prime truly pays for itself quick, especially the student discount. 2 day for free on all orders for a year is crazy.

[RedMDer]

FReepathon
Day 51.

Please donate today.

[Dick Vomer]

I like paying a premium to NOT drive and not go in a mall with a bunch of people that look like a casting call for the Jerry Springer show. I hate having to talk to idiot/lazy/uninterested/gum-smacking/phone texting tattooed employees that can’t answer any questions about the products or merchandise.

In fact I’m betting that the business model for Amazon is to not be cheaper but to be more convenient and see how much they can charge before they lose enough business that it affects the bottom line. That’s what I would do. Once you add on gas and time to a product, then you get the true price.

[RightOnTheBorder]

Amazon stopped fighting internet sales tax and eventually became rather supportive (now collecting it for Texas and California I believe) becuase they figured the tax will cripple small competitors. Now that I have to pay shipping and tax on everything I get from Amazon, the price difference is often not enough to prevent me from buying at a store.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

There are pluses and minuses to both.

I buy staples at the big box stores. But I'm not going to burn gas to find a specialty item. Who has the time?

[MWestMom]

Amazon Prime truly pays for itself quick, especially the student discount. 2 day for free on all orders for a year is crazy.

---

Not to mention all the free TV episodes and movies you get with Prime. Joined before Christmas last year and Prime paid for itself in the orders I got free 2 day shipping on in a matter of days.

[Monty22002]

I don’t use instant watch that much, since I had Netflix and they typically have a bit better selection. But that is a nice bonus as well.

For me the 2 day free shipping is just outstanding. I get sales tax added, but it’s still cheaper usually to order most things on there.

[Billthedrill]

The instant gratification of brick and mortar stores vs internet wins out over the “I bought this on the internet.”

Yep, On the other hand, clicking on "One-click Purchase" and watching the file finish downloading to my Kindle is even instanter gratification. "Instanter". Perhaps my next purchase should be a dictionary.

[Little Ray]

Instant Gratification? Thy name is KINDLE!
Amazon for me.

[Red Badger]

But then you have to wait for it to arrive like a kid waiting for Santa Claus..............

[Billthedrill]

OK, yes, I will admit that was me checking my porch every 20 minutes with a new pair of binox inbound...

[memyselfandi59]

Me too...I stick with Amazon because when you weigh time to go to a brick and mortar, gas to get you there, etc. the lack of frustration by ordering on Amazon is worth a little extra money. Customer service on returns is astounding.

I’ve taken to buying more and more things online, not just at Amazon. I use Walmarts free ship for an order over $45 to reduce our trips to Walmart.

If time is money, or it costs a little more to eliminate stress and hassle of going to a store, I’ll stay with online shopping.

One other thing that’s left out of this story, go to the mall and you’re more likely to impulse shop With online shopping, I don’t browse, I know what I want, and go in and buy it, so online I don’t buy that extra something that I probably don’t really need.

[The Working Man]

For me Amazon Prime is the winner. I only order what I need and with the ‘Prime’ the shipping is nil. When I go to Wal-Mart I still find myself picking up ‘stuff’ I hadn’t specifically gone there to buy. And yes I do make a shopping list throughout the two week period between trips.