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0 pointsspeby10y ago0 comments

This is a massive lack of imagination. I highly doubt the only motivation from Amazon's perspective is strictly about cost-cutting. On its surface, yes, it would be easy to assume this could result in some odd or lesser version of having a major courier deliver your package.

On the other hand, by having Amazon control the to-the-door experience, that gives them incredible granular controls over how things are done, when, by whom, and how they do it, including how they are supposed to treat you at the door (if you're there), what to say, etc. etc. As well as any additional things that could come in the future.

For example, what about a 5-minute tutorial for a new product you just ordered?

These are just the tip of the iceberg that Amazon could do with this.

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gherkin010y ago

> This is a massive lack of imagination. I highly doubt the only motivation from Amazon's perspective is strictly about cost-cutting.

> For example, what about a 5-minute tutorial for a new product you just ordered?

I highly doubt people who are essentially doing low-wage contract piecework will have the motivation or ability to give me an effective 5 minute tutorial on the random gizmo I just researched and ordered. When would they learn that stuff, on the drive to my house?

Also, wasn't there a big story a few years ago about how Amazons treats many of their low-skill workers as easily replaceable automatons (many of which are now being replaced by literal automatons)? I can't see this as being much different.

spebyOP10y ago

While I certainly can't prove your comments any other way, my point isn't to declare that I somehow know what Amazon is going to do with this, rather that there are a lot of interesting possibilities when you control the whole process, including the final delivery step of getting a product to the actual customer. There are things you just can't do when you are contracting that through a normal courier (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc etc.).

Kalium10y ago

There is a lot of potential value in white-glove services, yes. It's also something most people aren't all that interested in paying a reasonable amount for.

Think for a minute about the cost of sending someone trained out for a five-minute introductory session when a given gizmo is delivered. Think about the training required. Think about all the additional delivery complications this introduces. And so on.

There's value here, but it's not easy to realize. Places like Best Buy offer it through Geek Squad, but only in conjunction with a B&M service.

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tzier10y ago

> On the other hand, by having Amazon control the to-the-door experience, that gives them incredible granular controls over how things are done, when, by whom, and how they do it, including how they are supposed to treat you at the door (if you're there), what to say, etc. etc.

You can't exert control (e.g. uniforms, greetings, etc.) over independent contractors, so Amazon would not be able to do any of this under their current model.

dragonwriter10y ago

> You can't exert control (e.g. uniforms, greetings, etc.) over independent contractors, so Amazon would not be able to do any of this under their current model.

You can, but the degree, nature, and scope of such control will be part of any analysis as to whether they are bona fide independent contractors, or actually employees where you are trying to evade requirements of employment law.

jlebar10y ago

> You can't exert control (e.g. uniforms, greetings, etc.) over independent contractors

That's false as a matter of fact.

ticviking10y ago

Are you at all following Uber's legal issues?

voltagex_10y ago

I hope they remember the world exists outside of the US and UK - Australia seriously needs some delivery competition between AusPost, StarTrack (owned by AusPost) and Toll. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, but Australians buy a lot of stuff online [1].

AusPost won't accept anything but their own parcels / other national carriers (i.e. USPS but not UPS) into their parcel locker system, so it's a complete crapshoot whether your Amazon parcel is going to go around the world again.

Toll have tried to emulate this with their ParcelPoint system but there just aren't as many locations.

Amazon could seriously shake things up by launching Flex plus Lockers at the same time here. Flex would cover the rural areas quite well where the nearest courier depot is 1+ hours away (or more in WA, I'm sure)

1: http://auspost.com.au/annualreport2014/parcel-services.html but declining because our economy relies heavily on digging stuff up and selling it to China.

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