Will Amazon's Sunday Deliveries Be Popular?

by: Bijoux Dragon

In a business sense and a big picture society sense, I think this is a really bad precident.

As a rural American who is concerned about losing Saturday delivery, Sunday for cities, even if it is just a few companies who pay for the service, is a slap in the face.

Also, this society is already way too oriented to immediate gratification and is fast becoming like a bunch of spoiled children who want everything now.

by: pace306

While eBay sleeps, lies about postal discount (YOU try getting %32 off your shipping costs), kicks sellers off for no reason, shill bids, VEROs you and rips you off by finding new and innovative ways to nickle and dime you to death ... AMAZON swoops in and makes the deal of the century.

Amazon +1
eBay -1

Same old story, different day ...

Maybe JD needs another THINKING day?

by: Will

eBay wishes they had this deal going.

You can see it now: JD hitting his head against the wall - "Why couldn't I have implemented this program? why Why WHY?"

by: Bloggo

With the exception of a small number of large cities, this would be an instant money-loser.

by: AgendaSwallowsAll

I'm lost, what has become of us as a society? Was there anyone out there REALLY in so much of a rush for instant gratification or is this simply a generation of companies trying to tell us it's what we need as a marketing campaign in the hope of what would most assuredly be a fractional sales increase.

It insults every last shred of my intellect, Sunday Delivery? Returns-Money back including shipping for any reason whatsoever guaranteed by an entity that holds itself responsible for nothing? The list goes on and on and on, are we as a society REALLY looking for and/or expecting this, do we REALLY live such a feeling of entitlement?

People need to understand this, there are entities out there that are giving their best attempt at making us ignorant and/or entitled, I just don't know the why of what would be behind such an attempt.

I read somewhere that all it takes is 9% of the buying public for an entity to flourish. Although the Sunday delivery is an enigma to me for reasons stated, maybe Amazon has or is on its way to corralling that 9%. ebay on the other hand has made moves over these past near 6 years directed at a 4% ignorant and/or entitled.

I'm just at a loss for further words, it's all simply an enigma to me.  

by: Bloggo

The same types that are responsible for the DotCom Boom & Bust are behind these insane policies. It's all about the ''Big Idea''. No thought is given as to whether or not this lunacy is sustainable.

by: bb6

Why is everyone so negative? If your a business selling, don't you want to make more money. If any percentage more than what's already buying my products goes up because of the Sunday delivery then I'm in and so should you. You have other stuff to do on Sundays. That's on you. People have things to do on Saturdays too but the packages still move. Your not home on the weekends or you need a breathing day, maybe it's time you get another job or time to get an employee to cover your day off. I'm all for something that's going to help build my at home business grow and make more money.

The only thing I don't like is that the usps isn't doing this for all businesses. Just the ones that pay. Don't want to send a carrier out to pick up my packages, fine but at least let me drop off my already paid for packages from my website. All you would need is one worker to be there to take my package and scan the scan sheet.  

by: Basset

In step with many of the other replies above, it DOES seem like a crescendo is building - and a crescendo only builds to a point then falls.

As a consumer, I am being spoon-fed a line that tells me I need ''stuff'' immediately, shipped free, returned free, etc…. When I have never asked for it. If I needed something THAT bad I would expect to pay for the service. I rarely need anything THAT bad.

Never been guilty of sitting around the house thinking ''Gee, I wish I could get mail on Sunday.''  Actually, Mr Basset & I have discussed that we would not miss it on Saturday - even 4 days a week would work!!!


I have almost daily contact with people who have fallen off the merry-go-round. People who have worked all their lives, too young for retirement and too old to likely make it past a face to face interview, or even GET an interview if their resume reflects too much experience. Then, there are they younger twenty-somethings who are trying to enter the job market & are stuck at the turnstile. All BARELY getting by.

Much of our consumer driven society is kicking these people to the curb while furiously dancing to the tune of ''Fast & Free '' stuff priorities.  

by: KathleenJohnson

Honestly, this year, it is targeted for two of the largest cities in the United States only - not country wide. Very very small focus considering the scope of the market nationwide. As it expands, if it does, it is only targeting large population cities.

Amounts to no more than marketing "hype" for Amazon and the USPS at this point as, practically, this can not be made fiscally viable for small towns and rural areas.

Personally, being in a small rural area -  I would rather have access to USPS Post Office on Saturday afternoons to drop off packages and pick up packages.

by: Al G

Why not?

It used to be that your supermarket was closed on Sunday, along with everything else but the theatre (and that was closed during the early part of US history as well).

IF people choose to accept this form of commerce it will be successful and incorporated into contemporary society - another option in the complex web of life.

If not, oh well!, another "New Coke" idea, but without the major social ramifications that one caused.

Life goes on & we have to improvise, adapt and overcome the bumps put in our path & ignore what does not work for us.

Do I need Sunday delivery of a whatsit for the Aunt Martha's birthday party - no - but somebody may. Not my problem mon, but it would make some one else's day.

by: Rexford

Regardless of whether or not it is popular, what it CLEARLY shows is that Amazon is an incredibly innovative company.

Donahoe might want to refrain from those newspaper truck snarks. While choking on Bezos' dust he'll likely get run over by one of them.

by: pace306

Im in NY so it impacts me ... happier customers makes me more money - more power to AMAZON.

But my point wasnt whether or not immediate graditude was right or even if it should be sontinued in other cities - it was simply:

Amazon beat out eBay AGAIN. eBay has all those co-branded boxes, claims to have such a tight relationship with USPS (all those magical new money saving rates) but yet when push comes to shove - AMAZON not eBay got the post office to expand thier deliverys.

Maybe if JD, Rich, Lyin Ryan and all the other brain trusts at eBay had spent time thinking about how to help sellers (increasing delivery ddays does just that) instead of speding time trying to steal from them, something like this would have happened with them and not Amazon.

If it works, great - if it fails, sorry - but its a good idea.

But the best part is ...ITS NOT EBAY

by: Philip Cohen

In Australia, although just about everything else is open all hours, seven days a week, there has never been mail deliveries on Saturdays or Sundays; regardless, no way I am going to be sitting at home on Saturday or Sunday hoping for the delivery of a parcel ...

by: thebobman

I can see it being useful to a point. Maybe you were waiting for that part to fix your car or lawn equipment so you could get something done when you have time.

Most times, things I ship on Thurs, Fri or Sat. arrive on Monday.

What would be cool is if the post office had an outgoing pickup late Sunday afternoon... I could get my orders together...drop them in the slot and they would be on their way... possibly getting delivered on Tuesday...instead of Wednesday.

by: FIERCEI

@pace306, I agree 100% with your post. Kudos to Amazon for getting this deal!  

by: Mr. Me

So the postal centers are supposed to open, the workers to report to work and postal trucks on the road Sundays just to satisfy the wishes of coddled "got-to-have-it-nows"?
Amazon loves to pamper its whiny customers. ..... just charge the bill to the sellers !!  

by: Tula

I suspect most customers will like this. For sellers, it means more work and one less day off - though most sellers already seem to work 7 days a week; this will just make it more imperative to get packages posted sooner. I have to agree with others, though, that it would be great to have more options for dropping off packages to ship out. The PO could save loads of money if they'd set up some automated kiosks or windows at the PO building where we could deposit our packages and scan a scan sheet or label. That process really doesn't need human intervention most of the time. It's sometimes difficult to make it to the PO during their limited business hours, especially if one has to work a day job.

by: Bloggo

''For sellers, it means more work and one less day off''
You can still take your day off. This is deal between Amazon and the USPS. It's not for the rest of us.

by: Orwellwasright

In response, Ebays Seller Suspension Superman took a thinking day then restricted  5000 more sellers.

"Whew"  the Diva of Disruptive Destruction was quoted as saying, "almost got left behind there, lets see Amazon top that! .."

by: Linda

If a program like this was to run just thru the holidays, I can see it working but not during the summer slumps.
And don't both UPS & FedEx already deliver on Sat & Sun thru the holidays? (I could be wrong on that)