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Thursday, April 08, 2010

I Heart Amazon.Com

Amazon.com has the sickest supply chain management slash order fulfillment of any firm I've ever seen.  Last night I ordered a pair of speakers to plug into my laptop computer.  They were in stock, and I'm an Amazon Prime member, which entitles me to free 2-day shipping, so I expected to receive the shipment some time on Friday.

The UPS guy was here before 9:30 this morning with the speakers.  Amazing.  Note, again, that I live in a rural area.  Not suburban - rural.  I have no idea how Amazon manages to get me the goods so quickly - the "From" location was their Lexington, KY warehouse, but I like it.

In the last six months, I've ordered the following from Amazon:
-Computer speakers
-Books (The End of Wall Street - Roger Lowenstein)
-Fertilizer broadcast spreader
-Uninterruptible power supply
-DVD-R 10 pack
-Battery operated toothbrush
-toothbrush replacement heads
-22 foot telescoping ladder
-2010 monthly calendar
-Garmin GPS
-beanbag mount for the GPS
-More computer speakers (for a small TV)
-articulating wall mount for mounting TV on wall
-BRUNO on DVD
-Radon gas test kit
-100 foot outdoor extension cord

I actually had to send back and re-order two of the items in that list - the extension cord, because it wasn't rated for the correct number of amps that it claimed to be on the website, and one set of speakers because they weren't compatible with the TV I wanted to plug them into.  In each case I easily printed out a return receipt and packed the stuff back together (no cost to ship it back), received a prompt refund, and ordered replacement merchandise.

I have no stock positions in Amazon or any of their competitors, and they don't pay me anything to say nice things about them. I just think their business model is impressive, and that it's a serious threat to brick and mortar.  Many of you will remember when Amazon first came out, there were doubters who said "people like to browse in book stores and hold the books - it will never work."  Well, who would have ever guessed that it would be easier and cheaper to buy a 22 foot ladder from Amazon.com than from my local Lowes?  Nuts.

-KD

8 comments:

Ariel said...

I agree 100% with you on how quick things arrive with Amazon Prime. The best part of it is that you can share your Prime membership with up to 4 family members living across the country for free.

schtoonkmeyer said...

I assume you meant slickest not sickest supply chain

Kid Dynamite said...

perhaps slickest would have been a better word, but i did mean sickest - as in WICKED GOOD. sick in a good way.

Hammer Player a.k.a Hoyazo said...

You should look at the stock. Maybe I'm the only guy who thinks this but even at $140 I actually think the stock is still a good value for the long term. It's right around 2x sales at this price which isn't bad for a game-changing internet shopping site with as you correctly point out easy and quick access to anything and everything you would ever need.

scharfy said...

Yes, they are insane. Scratch your head competent. 100% percentile.


I always remind people that in spite of the financial madness, America still has some companies that are awesome at what they do. Amazon is one of them.

Mike S said...

KD, I live in Louisville and I can't tell you how many compaines locate here to be close to the UPS Worldport. In this case, UPS just hauls a trailer in from Lexington in the evening, your speakers get sorted and on a 4AM flight from Louisville, and at your door in the AM. Good stuff.

EconomicDisconnect said...

Agree 100%, Amazon is the only way to fly.

Anonymous said...

sickest must be an East Coast term.... I was expecting a major slam on Amazon.