Amazon's Next-Day Delivery System Has Brought Chaos And Carnage To America's Streets -- But The

[MineralMan]

35. I'm not an evangelist for Amazon.

Amazon exists. Amazon has become dominant in retailing. It is a fact of life.

I don't benefit much from Amazon, aside from having a book that sells a few copies there each month. I use it, like many people do, to buy things. Most recently, I bought two parts I need for my 1996 Ford Ranger pickup. I could get them locally, but when i checked the price, it was twice as much as from a company that sells through Amazon. Worse, the local parts places didn't have the parts in stock. So, I ordered them there. Who would do otherwise? I also ordered a used copy of the Haynes repair manual for that pickup. It's being shipped via media mail from a used bookstore somewhere that sells books on Amazon. So, I'm doing business with a couple of small businesses that use Amazon to market their products.

So, I'll pay half the price for exactly the same parts. That's the difference between $70 and $140. Where would you buy those parts? Why would I look for that used book here? That would mean phone calls or drives to the bookstore, which means burning fossil fuel to do so? Likely, nobody would have that particular auto repair manual, anyhow.

I'm fine with Amazon for the same reason most people are. I get what I need at a lower price than I can locally, and it comes to my door. I save time and money. Why would I do otherwise? Why would anyone do otherwise?