The Amazon Economy on NPR's On Point

BenG · 07-13-2012, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Amazon.com has become so familiar it seems like no big deal. An online bookstore. An online department store. Yes, it killed Borders Books and probably a lot of others, but so it goes. Well, it’s about to go a whole lot further.

Amazon has quietly become the back end of a huge number of businesses on and offline. Amazon takes their orders, warehouses their stock. Amazon ships what you buy – from them. Its infrastructure is ginormous. Its next target: same-day delivery. It may be the knock-out blow for physical retail as we’ve known it.

You can listen to the discussion here:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/07/12/the-amazon-economy

It's about 50 minutes long.

If you want to download it as a podcast, check out Ways to Listen on the sidebar.

BeccaPrice · 07-13-2012, 02:17 PM

No, Amazon did *not* kill Borders. Bad management, over a long period of years, killed Borders. The economy and Amazon didn't help, but at core, ti was bad management.

RainingLemur · 07-13-2012, 02:40 PM

I'll have to give this a listen. Thanks!

ucfgrad93 · 07-13-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

No, Amazon did *not* kill Borders. Bad management, over a long period of years, killed Borders. The economy and Amazon didn't help, but at core, ti was bad management.

Agreed. Borders died from self inflicted wounds.

tubemonkey · 07-13-2012, 04:26 PM

Can't wait to see a fleet of black Amazon trucks scurrying about the city delivering our goodies. Lookout UPS, there's soon to be a new kid on the block.

And Walmart, how will you counter Amazon's same-day delivery?

taustin · 07-13-2012, 04:27 PM

If Amazon wants to compete in the brick-n-mortar world, they will do so against companies that have decades more experience than they do. And unless there is a major, major change in their corporate culture, they'll get their asses kicked. Even same day delivery isn't a new idea. It's been around for centuries.

And this isn't what Amazon does, and their customer service culture isn't suited to it at all.

Fbone · 07-13-2012, 04:53 PM

Same day delivery in the NYC area is what I suspect is the reason Amazon is opening 2 warehouses in my state (NJ). I cannot think of another reason why they would do so in a high tax, high cost and sales tax free locale.

fjtorres · 07-13-2012, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Can't wait to see a fleet of black Amazon trucks scurrying about the city delivering our goodies. Lookout UPS, there's soon to be a new kid on the block.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: don't be surprised to wake up one day to the news that Amazon has merged with UPS.

It makes perfect sense.
Both companies are focused on logistics and have extensive B2B operations--UPS in the physical world and Amazon in the online world.

(At a minimum, expect a tight partnership. It's not as if Amazon does *eveything* themselves; they are not adverse to subcontracting out when it makes sense.)

StoryEnthusiast · 07-13-2012, 08:09 PM

I feel that over time Amazon may become the largest retailer in the world. It's going into various product fields.

Apache · 07-13-2012, 09:55 PM

I doubt I could get same day delivery in South Georgia.

Apache

BenG · 07-13-2012, 11:34 PM

They're building a new facility near me in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just across the river from Louisville and the big UPS hub in that city(I think the UPS airport terminal here is bigger than the regular terminal.)

StoryEnthusiast · 07-14-2012, 02:43 AM

Very interesting interview. Thanks for the link. Couldn't image in years to come that we'll do most of our shopping in the virtual world.

Kumabjorn · 07-14-2012, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoryEnthusiast

I feel that over time Amazon may become the largest retailer in the world. It's going into various product fields.

Someone is going to be the largest retailer in the world. I suppose Wal-Mart holds that position presently.

rhadin · 07-14-2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

No, Amazon did *not* kill Borders. Bad management, over a long period of years, killed Borders. The economy and Amazon didn't help, but at core, ti was bad management.

As a former Borders employee, I agree. Bad management more than anything killed the company.

taustin · 07-14-2012, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoryEnthusiast

I feel that over time Amazon may become the largest retailer in the world. It's going into various product fields.

It's possible. I wouldn't be surprised to see Walmat send out hit teams to prevent that, though.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The Point -- New Short Ghost Story at Amazon & Smashwords	TonyR	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	4	02-08-2012 12:46 AM
Will Amazon make phones at some point?	Kubizo	Kindle Fire	13	10-22-2011 09:51 AM
Amazon: New $189 Price Results in Tipping Point for Growth	kjk	News	67	07-23-2010 09:37 AM
NPR story "Amazon Removes Books from Kindle"	rlparker	News	12	08-04-2009 02:21 PM
Adobe executives point the finger at Amazon Kindle	Alexander Turcic	News	21	12-04-2007 12:23 PM

07-13-2012, 02:17 PM	#2
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	No, Amazon did not kill Borders. Bad management, over a long period of years, killed Borders. The economy and Amazon didn't help, but at core, ti was bad management.

07-13-2012, 02:40 PM	#3
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I'll have to give this a listen. Thanks!

07-13-2012, 04:26 PM	#5
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,762 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Can't wait to see a fleet of black Amazon trucks scurrying about the city delivering our goodies. Lookout UPS, there's soon to be a new kid on the block. And Walmart, how will you counter Amazon's same-day delivery?

07-13-2012, 04:27 PM	#6
taustin Wizard Posts: 1,358 Karma: 5766642 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	If Amazon wants to compete in the brick-n-mortar world, they will do so against companies that have decades more experience than they do. And unless there is a major, major change in their corporate culture, they'll get their asses kicked. Even same day delivery isn't a new idea. It's been around for centuries. And this isn't what Amazon does, and their customer service culture isn't suited to it at all.

07-13-2012, 04:53 PM	#7
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,288 Karma: 101697116 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Same day delivery in the NYC area is what I suspect is the reason Amazon is opening 2 warehouses in my state (NJ). I cannot think of another reason why they would do so in a high tax, high cost and sales tax free locale.

07-13-2012, 08:09 PM	#9
StoryEnthusiast K. C. Lee Posts: 584 Karma: 3652522 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New Zealand Device: Android phone	I feel that over time Amazon may become the largest retailer in the world. It's going into various product fields.

07-13-2012, 09:55 PM	#10
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	I doubt I could get same day delivery in South Georgia. Apache

07-13-2012, 11:34 PM	#11
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	They're building a new facility near me in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just across the river from Louisville and the big UPS hub in that city(I think the UPS airport terminal here is bigger than the regular terminal.)

07-14-2012, 02:43 AM	#12
StoryEnthusiast K. C. Lee Posts: 584 Karma: 3652522 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New Zealand Device: Android phone	Very interesting interview. Thanks for the link. Couldn't image in years to come that we'll do most of our shopping in the virtual world.

Advert

Advert