I've overheard (people I follow on Twitter for other reasons) many Zappos customers ecstatically receive their goods + emails from Zappos.

Like you, I can't quite imagine how awesome getting clothes could possibly get, from anybody. I've heard the return policy is very accommodating, maybe that's a major differentiator?

Also, customer service interactions can be so dehumanizing, I could see how anything even slightly pro-active would feel radical.

I've never bought anything from them, so I can't comment on how innovative their service is, but I've read enough from people who've toured their offices that I do believe their company culture is something unique (getting paid to quit if you're not drinking their koolaid after training, for example).

I'm always up for stories about emerging work-culture, and one thing about Zappos is that they're not a tech company. It's straight up consumer retail. I'm glad to hear "normal" companies might be rethinking how to create nice places to work that invest in their employees, not just tech startups.

I think it has to do with a trick they pull, which actually kind of cheapens the effect. I almost always buy shoes on Zappos, just because it has the convenience of buying online without the risk of not being able to return (it's free to ship them back). So I ruined a pair of sneakers, and ordered a new pair from Zappos and something like the next day, even though I asked for the free, standard shipping, they send me an e-mail that Lo and Behold! Your shoes are coming! We love you! It was a nice break from usual online retail, but on the other hand, if they're only pretending that it's a surprise (eg they used to guarantee this kind of service) that interaction was somewhat staged :(

Either way, great store and it's really nice to see a company that cares about making me happy even if they cheat a little at it