Funny thing is that the big catalog houses that should have been first to embrace the internet and online shopping world, that had all the infrastructure to dominate that arena have all utterly failed at it. Sears should have been able to crush Amazon utterly - but even now they have a terrible, nearly unusable website that often fails at basic functions and they still don’t understand why they’re failing online. Service Merchandise failed out in similar fashion.
If Walmart had proper foresight they would have never let Amazon get a foothold. They screwed up completely.
A Best Buy is now in the building where our Service Merchandise Store was. I did a lot of shopping at Service Merchandise.
Not too long ago I read a surprising comment about Service Merchandise—maybe it was here?—that they made an honest effort at developing an online service, but somebody high up in the company—maybe even the CEO himself?—was sabotaging the project from the get-go.
Sears would never be able to crush Amazon.
I’m an Amazon Prime member so shipping is free. Once I get a package [yesterday], I start a new order. Today, I started an order to buy a plug for the tub, a 5 pound bag of polenta from Italy, a pricy pair of boots that Nordstrom ran out of, a paint scraper, a 100 pack or red solo cups at an incredible price and 2 bestseller novels.
No matter what type of thing I need, clothing, books, hardware, grocery ... I just put it on my next order. Need spool of orange thread? Bingo!
Not too many stores can cover all the bases, but the do it easily and get the packages to you in record time. I think that’s why they do deliveries until 11PM.