I've always had someone else do all the buying for the home. First my parents and then my wife. And so had no clue as to how many items are needed in a home. Initially in setting it up. And then on an on-going basis. To add to my troubles there was the setting up of a office and the on-going requirements. Yet another something I had never done. There always was someone else to do it. And the fact that I hated shopping didn't help.
So when we needed something, Reia and I would go shopping over the weekends and get thoroughly confused. And we would finally buy some stuff and find that it was available at a significantly lower price elsewhere.
The first time I realized the difference in cost was when we needed a whiteboard for our office. We has seen it in Staples for over $100. And saw it was available online for around $60. Interesting and just about to purchase until Al, who I work with heard about it and said we were stupid. He was getting one and it cost him $23 including shipping. And in all cases it was the same size. There may have been some difference in quality, but its just a whiteboard. How different can they be. Lesson one. Buy online. But do compare shopping even online.
And that was the beginning of the Amazon experience. I started with a Kindle, which was awesome. And then registered for Amazon Prime, which provided free shipping for a zillion products. And strangely enough whatever I needed was available and in most cases the effective cost, which is cost plus shipping turned out to be the most cost effective on Amazon.
In the last 3 months I've already gotten several products and Yes, the first purchase ironically was a book, Amazon's original business model, a Kindle, and varied items from a laptop case to a graphing calculator to an ironing board to a light bulb change kit to a office table and chair, to simulator equipment, to luggage to a Gatts jar.
And Amazon is now getting into the digital movie business, I guess their next step after digital books. The Amazon Prime membership which costs $79 and includes ability to borrow digital books, although they have limited it to one a month and provides a variety of TV shows as well as movies. At last count they had over 40,000 titles and were signing up for original content creation. All in all, the Amazon Prime, seems to be a good deal and I guess Amazon's ability to continuously add services and products is what drives their phenomenal growth.
Their next step would be delivery of fresh groceries. And guess what. I'm not kidding. They are currently doing test runs in a few selected areas. Seems like Amazon wants to do in the real world what Google wants to do in the digital world. Monopolize.
So when we needed something, Reia and I would go shopping over the weekends and get thoroughly confused. And we would finally buy some stuff and find that it was available at a significantly lower price elsewhere.
The first time I realized the difference in cost was when we needed a whiteboard for our office. We has seen it in Staples for over $100. And saw it was available online for around $60. Interesting and just about to purchase until Al, who I work with heard about it and said we were stupid. He was getting one and it cost him $23 including shipping. And in all cases it was the same size. There may have been some difference in quality, but its just a whiteboard. How different can they be. Lesson one. Buy online. But do compare shopping even online.
And that was the beginning of the Amazon experience. I started with a Kindle, which was awesome. And then registered for Amazon Prime, which provided free shipping for a zillion products. And strangely enough whatever I needed was available and in most cases the effective cost, which is cost plus shipping turned out to be the most cost effective on Amazon.
In the last 3 months I've already gotten several products and Yes, the first purchase ironically was a book, Amazon's original business model, a Kindle, and varied items from a laptop case to a graphing calculator to an ironing board to a light bulb change kit to a office table and chair, to simulator equipment, to luggage to a Gatts jar.
And Amazon is now getting into the digital movie business, I guess their next step after digital books. The Amazon Prime membership which costs $79 and includes ability to borrow digital books, although they have limited it to one a month and provides a variety of TV shows as well as movies. At last count they had over 40,000 titles and were signing up for original content creation. All in all, the Amazon Prime, seems to be a good deal and I guess Amazon's ability to continuously add services and products is what drives their phenomenal growth.
Their next step would be delivery of fresh groceries. And guess what. I'm not kidding. They are currently doing test runs in a few selected areas. Seems like Amazon wants to do in the real world what Google wants to do in the digital world. Monopolize.
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