An Open Letter to Amazon.com
In our grand tradition of offering free advice to infinitely more powerful and influential organizations, DLB declares: Amazon's Super Saver Shipping Strategy is a Super-bust.
Dear Amazon.com,
Hi, I’m Paul: Long-time fan, first time complainer. First of all, I want you to understand that I know shipping is getting more expensive, and that it’s cutting into your profit margins. Especially, I am sure, as concerns your long-standing offer of free Super Saver Shipping. But a nag?!?
I just ordered two books from you, with Super Saver Shipping, and I now see on my account that they’re (a) in stock, and (b) not going to depart from Amazon for ten business days. What else could this be? It didn’t used to take ten business days to ship my purchases to me!
Again, in sympathy, there are way better ways to handle this. For example, why not just charge me a dollar a book for Super Saver Shipping? Then I could get my books on time, your profits could equalize, and we could both be happy? As it stands, neither of us are. At least you could have the decency to just tell me that part of the new Super Saver deal is a shareware-esque nag. I might have just upgraded my shipping plan if I knew what I was in for. As it stands, I’m just cranky.
Gripingly,
Paul
Comments on this post
1.
I’ve actually had the exact same experience the last time I ordered from Amazon. I’ve long been a fan of the Super Saver shipping, and I thought it was a pretty effective sales tool for them, since the majority of the time I’d have to pick up an extra item to meet the “over $25″ mark. It seems to me that the most sensible options for coping with increased shipping costs would be to either a) raise the price of merchandise generally or b)make the minimum order greater than $25. Actually, it would seem like both of those are inevitable due to inflation. You’re definitely spot on, though, that Amazon is really playing this one the wrong way.
2.
Karl, agreed: either of those would be better.
Particularly, I think you’re on to something with the former. They could have easily pulled off a slight decrease in the Amazon-brand savings probably without my even noticing, and at any rate without raising my hackles.
Now that I think of it, for all I know, they already have.