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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,392
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,392 |
I'm not sure about you folks but everything I order on Amazon has tax added now. Used to be a good deal when there was no tax. I am now looking at other online sources that still don't tax Without digging into the details, I think the states went after them because the states weren't getting their sales tax revenues. Previously, it was supposed to be on your honor to pay the sales tax to the state, yeah right, who would do that? Other sites will follow suit, but for now, the states are just hitting the big players, or if there is a brick and mortar facility in your state of residence.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,840 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,840 Likes: 9 |
Businesses have to adapt to changing conditions or go bust. Twas ever thus.
I shop mostly online because I can get exactly what I want or need, not what a store wants to sell me. It used to be that local stores had people on staff that knew something about what they were selling, i.e. Home Depot had former plumbers, electricians, etc that made decent money and could advise customers about what was needed for a job. Those people were let go and replaced with $10/hr drones. Others like Gander Mountain eliminated full-time employees to save money. The full-timers were the ones that knew something.
I get very frustrated trying to call stores to check on what's in stock before I travel 20 or 30 miles to buy. They either drop my call after leaving me on hold for 10 minutes, or tell me they're too busy to look right now, or often just don't answer. Why put up with all that when what you want is a couple of clicks away.
Another reason that stores are being closed is that they deliberately overbuild the market and then close the stores that were poorly placed or run. Can't blame that on the internet.
The brick and mortar stores that make it are the ones that offer extra expertise or service that justifies their higher prices and the trouble it takes to go there in person. Whining about online shopping is just an excuse for bad business practices. AMEN!! I try to support my local businesses, but when their service is pathetic or non-existent, I'm not gonna drive all over town and spend 20% more when I can just make a few clicks on my phone and have it delivered to my door. While we're at it, even at the same price, why spend an hour on the road and burn the gas when you can have it delivered in two days? Groceries, gas, birdfood, powder & primers, liquor, and stuff I need right now gets purchased locally. Most of the rest gets ordered online. In the last year, we've replaced our stove and fridge. Though ordered online, the items were sourced locally and delivered by local guys, so it's not all one way or the other.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179 |
If we boycott every place run or owned by people that we disagree with, the pantry would get pretty bare, along with our backs. So if we don't support the anti gunners we'll run out of food and clothes. I'll be damned. Didn't know that.
Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"
Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 586
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 586 |
I hate to say this, but often times, I'll go to a store just to check something out and get my hands on it. Then I see it online for 100 bucks less and buy it online. So stores are simply becoming preview stations for me. And there you have it, the reason brick & mortar stores are closing. Guys go to the local mom & pop shop to handle the goods and compare features, and then go online to save a few bucks. Just how do you think a brick and mortar store survives?
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,840 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,840 Likes: 9 |
If we boycott every place run or owned by people that we disagree with, the pantry would get pretty bare, along with our backs. So if we don't support the anti gunners we'll run out of food and clothes. I'll be damned. Didn't know that. Not that simple. Almost every corporate entity not involved in the outdoor business (and quite a few that are) is either overtly or covertly liberal. Any time you patronize one of their stores, you're supporting them and if they're actively involved, the liberal agenda. Rather than just staying silently away, I think it's a better idea to engage them via email, comment pages, or in person at their locations with my objections to their political activity. Face it, they're going to do and think what they believe, but if you confront them with the notion that publicly tying their brand to a political stance that may offend a bunch of customers is a bad idea, they may just tone it down a bit. There's also a limit to how much time I'm willing to spend figgering out whether a business I'm going to patronize agrees with me. I'm pretty old and time is short.💀
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,505
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,505 |
when I can I do buy locally, many times I cant get what I want locally so that decision is made for me....for you guys that NEVER support your local businesses remember not to bitch and complain when you cant get good customer service from them because they cant afford to pay someone to take care of you other than a 16 year old that doesnt know a dang thing....
I will gladly pay a little more to have my purchase supported by good customer service instead of calling a help line and having to ask for someone I can understand or who doesnt have a clue about the product they sold you
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945 |
I don't recall ever ordering any food or like dated perishables online myself but I'd imagine when an order is pulled it would most likely be S.O.P. to pick from the oldest stock first.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082 |
A couple of months ago I had a group of 30 somethings on my bus. They were all from large metro areas around the country and they were talking about various conveniences like Lyft and Uber and Amazon. The comment that I remember the most was one young man said " The only stores I will actually go to offer me some type of experience, otherwise I get everything on Amazon." "For me to go to a store, it's got to be a destination." The others pretty well agreed with him.
That is what the brick and mortars are up against.
Last edited by Snake River Marksman; 04/24/17.
Stupidity is expensive
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
Every thing else I order from Midway, or Amazon. Amazon is anti-gun and anti Trump. I'm not sure about you folks but everything I order on Amazon has tax added now. Used to be a good deal when there was no tax. I am now looking at other online sources that still don't tax and I think others will do the same. I think Amazon is reaching a critical mass soon. Certainly isn't worth $907 a share on the stock market with a price/earning ratio of 185. If it comes from your state it gets taxed. Amazon accounts for 40% of ALL ONLINE SALES in the United States. So there's a good chance there will be a distributor in your state connected to the sale. There's nothing here so mine have remained tax free. Dave
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,395 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,395 Likes: 1 |
I’m not sure how they figure the tax. I recently ordered two items from Amazon and they charged tax on one of them – but the puzzler is that Idaho sales tax is 6% but the tax didn’t work out to 6% on either of them, it was a couple percentage points below.
Online shopping has been making me pretty lazy, though. I needed a good replacement lamp for my reloading room and instead of going to Home Depot or some big box store and maybe they had what I needed or maybe not, and maybe it was good quality and maybe not, and maybe maybe maybe. Instead of driving a few miles I sat at my desk having a soft drink looking over a couple dozen likely candidates and reading the reviews and questions answered. Picked out one that got mostly 5 stars, checked out and paid for it and it was delivered two days later. And it’s great – good value and nice bright light – I couldn’t be happier with it.
More and more I think of running out to get something I need and then thinking why? I don’t need it right now today so I’ll just get it online. Google what I need, comparison shop to check a few different prices and pay for it - easy peasy.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082 |
It's 78 miles to Idaho Falls where the closest Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart are. There is a Kmart in Jackson 45mi away and a ShopKo 25 miles away. Online shopping is a whole lot more convenient if I don't need it right now. I still like to buy all of my shooting stuff at a brick and mortar. I also like to use cash for those purchases. I'm a little paranoid when it comes to that.
Stupidity is expensive
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179 |
Face it, they're going to do and think what they believe, but if you confront them with the notion that publicly tying their brand to a political stance that may offend a bunch of customers is a bad idea, they may just tone it down a bit. Gotcha. Go ahead and give em money, then send em a email. Thats a great idea. I wonder why more people haven't thought of it.
Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"
Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
A couple of months ago I had a group of 30 somethings on my bus. They were all from large metro areas around the country and they were talking about various conveniences like Lyft and Uber and Amazon. The comment that I remember the most was one young man said " The only stores I will actually go to offer me some type of experience, otherwise I get everything on Amazon." "For me to go to a store, it's got to be a destination." The others pretty well agreed with him.
That is what the brick and mortars are up against. I don't think us crusty old folks are that different, we just choose different words to express it.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,410 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,410 Likes: 9 |
Much of the argument here is online vs mom&pop. However, the big majority of local purchases are from chain stores with the money going to some big glass office in Los Angeles, Chicago, NYC, or some other liberal city. The only money that stays local is the wages paid to the employees. All the profits go to stockholders scattered worldwide.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,000
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,000 |
I went to local honda shop yesterday to get seat recovered. I prefer to shop local but to re cover the seat they wanted $85 which didn't cover the foam missing. So I asked the cost of a new seat$145. I had checked on line and for the whole seat it was $65 free shipping.
It wasn't a pleasant experience, and I had planned to buy a second atv from them. Someone's business model needs to change.
Similar experiences on different items. Glucose Diabetic test strips, local pharmacy ( with my discount..) $124 per 100...Amazon- $18 per 100.. Unless you are selling groceries or a service ( bike repair etc...) you are about to circle the brick and mortar drain.. first: if amazon is antigun, why do i find stuff on their linking to midway? and i was watching hickok yesterday using one of those limbsaver slip on pads. Quick trip to amazon prime, being delivered to day. I for a long time had my diabetic supplies done through a local super market. Until i finally listened to my wife. Just reordered five prescriptions online, only one i had to pay for. what really ticked me yesterday is i use one of those synthetic insulins with a pen/needle. I ran out of the little needles used on the pen. Reason was doc told me to take it twice a day rather than one so i ran out. Pharmacy said i wasn't allowed to have more needles, until may 7. Otherwise go see the doctor and get a prescription change. Thing is you don't need a prescription, i ordered two boxes on amazonprime. I have ordered, books, medications, chocolate from europe, medicine, holsters, all kinds of gun stuff off of amazon. I sure have a collection of boxes now.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF GERONIMO
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,945 |
Something that I've noticed regarding customer reviews of products is the vast majority are made relatively soon after purchasing a specific product. Rarely are there ever any updates as to how satisfied they are with a particular item long term. And then too there's this: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jan/26/fake-reviews-plague-consumer-websites
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082 |
So often I've read the reviews for products that I actually owned and thought " this review isn't even for this product". Case in point: Awhile back someone was looking for a small flashlight for their daughter. She needed to illuminate a dark hallway outside her apartment. I suggested the Nebo 5519 CSI Edge 50 Lumen LED Tactical Flashlight. The person came back to me saying the reviews said the plastic seemed cheap. I own a couple of these lights. The only plastic is the glow in the dark tail cap switch. The lens is glass, the rest is metal.
It sucks that you can't trust the reviews on the sites.
Stupidity is expensive
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,558 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,558 Likes: 2 |
A couple of months ago I had a group of 30 somethings on my bus. They were all from large metro areas around the country and they were talking about various conveniences like Lyft and Uber and Amazon. The comment that I remember the most was one young man said " The only stores I will actually go to offer me some type of experience, otherwise I get everything on Amazon." "For me to go to a store, it's got to be a destination." The others pretty well agreed with him.
That is what the brick and mortars are up against. I don't think us crusty old folks are that different, we just choose different words to express it. funny because they also view cars differently. The car has to entertain them. They could care less about HP, torgue or style
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,558 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,558 Likes: 2 |
Something that I've noticed regarding customer reviews of products is the vast majority are made relatively soon after purchasing a specific product. Rarely are there ever any updates as to how satisfied they are with a particular item long term.
yea that is a real concern. I was looking at something that I knew had a high failure rate and the reviews were pretty high, Once I started paying attention, most of the high reviews were people who had just got it and used it a few times and all the low reviews were people who had it for 3 or 4 months and it had failed on them.
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,082 |
HP and torque went out the window when gas mileage became the driving factor. Style pretty much the same thing. Shape determines drag, so all the cars look alike. The only thing left is interiors and bells and whistles.
Stupidity is expensive
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!
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