Amazon vs WalMart.com

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I was sitting in my truck in my driveway this morning and ordered a water filter I need for a job next week. I replied to a couple of emails while I was out there and read a few things on here when, not more than 30 minutes after ordering the filter, an Amazon truck pulls up into the driveway and the lady walked up to my window and handed me the filter.

I didn’t realize it was a same-day delivery item when I ordered it. I was truly amazed that it turned out to be a same-hour delivery. This has never happened before.

Bruce

Funny how that happens sometimes.

While back I needed to upgrade my iPad. So I went on Amazon and ordered what I wanted.

Couple hours later it was delivered. Turns out it was available from Amazon Fresh which does same day delivery. I was pleasantly surprised.

Have had a few things that ended up never making it and presumably lost in shipping since this whole mess started but.....all in all more than happy with Amazon keeping up and getting things delivered.

[flyflotrtim]

We use both. Amazon certainly has a more extensive inventory than Walmart and the option of getting inexpensive orders in 2 days is often a big plus. Amazon 2 day service has been a joke during the pandemic but the local USPS, that delivers many Amazon packages, is unable to keep up with the delivery load. I live in a very small town and they get 4-8 pallet loads daily from Amazon, far more than they can often deliver. Our nearest Walmart store is an hours drive so shipping there is not an option for us.

[Sharonogoingsolo]

Originally Posted by flyflotrtim

We use both. Amazon certainly has a more extensive inventory than Walmart and the option of getting inexpensive orders in 2 days is often a big plus. Amazon 2 day service has been a joke during the pandemic but the local USPS, that delivers many Amazon packages, is unable to keep up with the delivery load. I live in a very small town and they get 4-8 pallet loads daily from Amazon, far more than they can often deliver. Our nearest Walmart store is an hours drive so shipping there is not an option for us.

Walmart will ship to your home - they also offer return by mail - you can print a return label just like with Amazon.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Sharonogoingsolo

Walmart will ship to your home - they also offer return by mail - you can print a return label just like with Amazon.

Last month I had to return a couple of cookie sheets that wouldn't fit our oven. When I went to Amazon Return page, it gave me the option to just put the package on our front step. Amazon delivery came the next day, put a 'return' label on it and returned it to Amazon. Easiest return ever.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Last month I had to return a couple of cookie sheets that wouldn't fit our oven. When I went to Amazon Return page, it gave me the option to just put the package on our front step. Amazon delivery came the next day, put a 'return' label on it and returned it to Amazon. Easiest return ever.

Amazon also has some "Return Partners". Locally one of them is a Kohl's Dept Store.

I fill out the return, print the "label" and the longest part of dropping it off at Kohl's is the walk to the back of the store from my car and back. Even if the clerk is busy with another customer they come over, take the package, "zap" it with their scanner, toss it in the Amazon bin, and return to what they are doing without really loosing any time.


I've only had one experience with Walmart.com. Ordered an item. website said there was one in stock. Next I got an e-mail saying it was unavailable. Later I got an e-mail saying my order was ready to pickup at a store 3 miles away. Went back to the website and it showed the original "one" in stock.

My "e-commerce" experience with Walmart was not much different than my in-store experience in the electronics' department. "Yes we have one in the back" followed by "we can't find it" followed by someone higher on the food chain saying "let me check" followed by a long wait and then "Voila, here it is". All the while I've been checking on the walmart app which shows inventory in the store of the item I'm looking for.

I'm sure mileage varies around the country but when I go to my local Walmart for anything more complicated than groceries I plan on spending extra time.

[NavyLCDR]

Lebanon, Oregon Walmart. Hardware Dept. $10 gloves and WD-40 under lock and key. Oh and cheap earplugs and safety glasses.

But they didn't lock up the toilet paper soon enough. Completely empty toilet paper and paper towels shelves. I'll bet the toilet paper in the restrooms is locked up!

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

Lebanon, Oregon Walmart. Hardware Dept. $10 gloves and WD-40 under lock and key. Oh and cheap earplugs and safety glasses.

But they didn't lock up the toilet paper soon enough. Completely empty toilet paper and paper towels shelves. I'll bet the toilet paper in the restrooms is locked up!

The way they are going it's going to be more difficult to get in and out of Wal-Mart than it is to get on a plane. All the items will be behind locked glass doors, we'll have to to through metal detectors, all the bags will go through scanners, nobody leaves without a receipt...

Where does it stop?

[rsdata]

When it is that difficult to buy the things you need it is time to shop somewhere else.

[AZ Pete]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

The way they are going it's going to be more difficult to get in and out of Wal-Mart than it is to get on a plane. All the items will be behind locked glass doors, we'll have to to through metal detectors, all the bags will go through scanners, nobody leaves without a receipt...

Where does it stop?

probably stops when there is no more "shrinkage" which is retail talk for shop lifting. If the retailer doesn't lock it up, the manufacturer will have to spend extra to put it in packaging that makes it more difficult to hide and walk out with. You, as a customer will foot the bill, as you already do for this shrinkage and packaging.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by AZ Pete

probably stops when there is no more "shrinkage" which is retail talk for shop lifting. If the retailer doesn't lock it up, the manufacturer will have to spend extra to put it in packaging that makes it more difficult to hide and walk out with. You, as a customer will foot the bill, as you already do for this shrinkage and packaging.

There will never be a point where there is zero shrinkage. I understand trying to minimize it as much as possible but when you are locking up things like a $10 package of men's socks or a $5 pair of work gloves you are simply going to drive your customers to go to another store where they don't have to hunt down an employee to get the item they want out of a locked case.

And unless they are treating every single item in these locked cases like they do with the $60+ video games where they will not let you handle the item until it's actually paid for (they either have to ring you up right then and there or they literally take it up to the registers and have an employee hold it for you while you finish your shopping) then what's the point?

I would fell like an idiot if I had to have an employee unlock the case for a package of earplugs that cost 98 cents and then have them run it up to the registers for me because they don't trust me to walk around the store with it in my cart.