For anything time critical Amazon Prime is a godsend.
1) Anything PC related I can get shipped to me tomorrow. There is one local computer store and they just repair laptops and phones with absolute rip off prices (£70 for a HDMI cable). Before Amazon it took days to get an order shipped from one of the big PC suppliers in the UK, Payment used to an absolute PITA frequently card gets rejected on dubious grounds. I've had a PSUs die before, I can get one shipped to me tomorrow.
2) I am working on an old car at the moment as a hobby. Working on old vehicles you will find many small bodges or you won't realise until 50% of the way into it you need a replacement part. Almost everyone uses the postal service and the delivery time is 3-5 days or they charge you £15 for next day delivery (which is often more than the price of the part). So any job can be stopped by a missing part and I have to wait 3 days to get a replacement part or be ripped off. I have literally no alternative than to use these suppliers much of the time and it is a major source of frustration because it will take me an extra week to do a job.
I have several options within walking distance that sells HDMI cables for same price as Amazon, and I can trust that they sell a cable that works according to spec.
Amazon uses a 3rd party to deliver here, and their short delivery times is really only available in larger cities if the item is in that particular warehouse. Since they use 3rd party to deliver I can buy from other stores and also have next day delivery, not like delivery times were bad before though. Have several package locker services available as well, next day delivery is common but depends on how far it has to travel.
Can Amazon be better for some niche stuff? Probably, but its unlikely to be in the warehouse close to me anyway. I'd rather wait an extra day than exfiltrate barely taxed money to the US if I can help it.
> I have several options within walking distance that sells HDMI cables for same price as Amazon, and I can trust that they sell a cable that works according to spec.
1) I used to example of the HDMI cable to show how much of a ripoff that shop was. I use Amazon to buy all manner of PC equipment. Alternatives in the UK have poor delivery times, stock or payment is a faff.
2) I don't have any options in walking distance at all and I don't buy the cheap cables from Amazon.
Not all of us live in a city. I live in a countryside town and options are severely limited. The only shop near me is a Nisa General, a Chinese Takeaway and a Hardware Store that has some old guy talking about the Freemasons all the time.
> Amazon uses a 3rd party to deliver here, and their short delivery times is really only available in larger cities if the item is in that particular warehouse. Since they use 3rd party to deliver I can buy from other stores and also have next day delivery, not like delivery times were bad before though. Have several package locker services available as well, next day delivery is common but depends on how far it has to travel.
Good for you this isn't everywhere. I don't have this option. The nearest PC parts supplier is in Manchester which is over an 1 hour drive and closes before I finish work. The other PC parts supplier is 1 hour 30 minutes away in Stoke-on-Trent.
They rip you off on next day delivery (it doesn't cost that much more as I post stuff regularly myself) or they just don't offer it.
> Can Amazon be better for some niche stuff? Probably, but its unlikely to be in the warehouse close to me anyway. I'd rather wait an extra day than exfiltrate barely taxed money to the US if I can help it.
No Amazon isn't good for niche stuff (this stuff I am ordering for my car isn't that niche either). I have no other option for many car parts to either go to Ebay or I have to go to a official parts seller. The main issue as stated is delivery times are slow because most of the guys that are part suppliers are guys in their 60s.
Waiting an extra day isn't an option sometimes. You did notice where I specifically said where I need things quickly right?
> Can get next day delivery to locker even outside the bigger metros here.
Good for you. I don't have that option. You were asking (somewhat rhetorically) why people would want to use a megacorp like Amazon. The alternatives in the UK are either no better than Amazon or objectively worse.
Also the North of Europe is generally much better than the Eastern and Southern Europe for e-commerce. I have lived Southern Europe and they were at least about 10-15 years behind the UK offerings when I lived there. After speaking to some people in Eastern Europe, I understand that they are in similar situation.
> Guess you'll be surprised when Amazon starts gouging you.
The only company that hasn't gouged me so far is Amazon. If they do, I will stop using them.
1) Anything PC related I can get shipped to me tomorrow. There is one local computer store and they just repair laptops and phones with absolute rip off prices (£70 for a HDMI cable). Before Amazon it took days to get an order shipped from one of the big PC suppliers in the UK, Payment used to an absolute PITA frequently card gets rejected on dubious grounds. I've had a PSUs die before, I can get one shipped to me tomorrow.
2) I am working on an old car at the moment as a hobby. Working on old vehicles you will find many small bodges or you won't realise until 50% of the way into it you need a replacement part. Almost everyone uses the postal service and the delivery time is 3-5 days or they charge you £15 for next day delivery (which is often more than the price of the part). So any job can be stopped by a missing part and I have to wait 3 days to get a replacement part or be ripped off. I have literally no alternative than to use these suppliers much of the time and it is a major source of frustration because it will take me an extra week to do a job.
That is the USP of Amazon Prime.