Amazon VS Grainger

[lihpster]

On the 10TH I placed an order with Amazon for 6 books and a can of wax. Then about an hour later I placed another order for 2 items. This was in the wee hours of the morning. They charged my credit card one time for both orders. Everything is in stock and ships from Amazon. So far, they have broken my shipment into at least 4 different shipment and maybe more to come. Some stuff has shipped and some hasn't, according to their website. Estimated delivery date range is a week and a half on some of it. I can't make heads or tails of what is going on. Today I placed an order with Grainger. 2 hours later I get an e-mail that it has shipped and will be here tomorrow. I wish Grainger sold books.

 

[coltle6920]

You're comparing bologna to roast beef?

 

[lihpster]

You're comparing bologna to roast beef?

I get your point. But really, I'm comparing a small to medium size industrial supply company to the biggest online store and shipping operation there ever was. Goes to show that bigger isn't necessarily better. I would naturally expect that the company who has arguably done more than everyone else combined to change the way people buy and sell things on the internet would be better at e-mail communication and speed of processing orders than a bunch of guys who sell brooms and coveralls, but that's not the case.

 

[Narragansett]

WW Grainger has produced catalogs for over 50 years unless they stopped. They have local branches and counter sales. 45 years of dealing with them, no problem

 

[lihpster]

WW Grainger has produced catalogs for over 50 years unless they stopped. They have local branches and counter sales. 45 years of dealing with them, no problem

The millwright's Victorias Secret!

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

One thing to remember about Amazon is that even though they have hundreds of fulfillment centers (here in Jacksonville they have 5) not every center stocks every item and many of their items are shipped from third party vendors.

 

[lihpster]

One thing to remember about Amazon is that even though they have hundreds of fulfillment centers (here in Jacksonville they have 5) not every center stocks every item and many of their items are shipped from third party vendors.

I realize that they have the items in different places, but I made sure all items were shipped from amazon. Still, I would expect that they could round everything up and get it shipped in 3 days. Or at least communicate accurately what's coming, where's it coming from and when will it get there. It is after all what they do.

 

[Narragansett]

AMAZON IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOE EVERYTHING! just my .02

And by no means the best price. Think convenience store

 

[lihpster]

AMAZON IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOE EVERYTHING! just my .02

And by no means the best price. Think convenience store

I shop there for selection, then check price. In this case they were lower. Not alot lower but lower. But yes convenience played a factor.

 

[Narragansett]

I shop there for selection, then check price. In this case they were lower. Not alot lower but lower. But yes convenience played a factor.

Maybe Jeff Bezos will get in that rocket and it will keep going

 

[lihpster]

I do want to make clear that I'm not upset with Amazon. Quite the contrary. Their selection, prices, partnerships with other sellers and distribution network still amazes me. I remember as a kid, shopping for school clothes was look through the Penny's catalog, decide what you wanted, go into town and order it at the store and pick it up several weeks later. This is much better. This is like the annoyance that the microwave is taking to long. Damn thing heats a meal in 2 minutes, I told it how long to run, but I'm standing there watching my Hot Pocket go around in circles and chanting, "Come on. Come on."

 

[Jon651]

On the 10TH I placed an order with Amazon for 6 books and a can of wax. Then about an hour later I placed another order for 2 items. This was in the wee hours of the morning. They charged my credit card one time for both orders. Everything is in stock and ships from Amazon. So far, they have broken my shipment into at least 4 different shipment and maybe more to come. Some stuff has shipped and some hasn't, according to their website. Estimated delivery date range is a week and a half on some of it. I can't make heads or tails of what is going on. Today I placed an order with Grainger. 2 hours later I get an e-mail that it has shipped and will be here tomorrow. I wish Grainger sold books.

Not everything you "buy" from Amazon you are actually buying "from Amazon". A lot of their goods comes through Amazon Marketplace and is fulfilled by an independent vendor - Amazon just handles the online ordering and payment part of the process to make it as seamless as possible for you. This is the reason why you occasionally see "More Buying Options" listed for an item - not everything listed is fulfilled by Amazon itself.

Honestly, Amazon has billions of products - they could never stock all of that stuff.

 

[waffles]

I'm not a huge Amazon fan, but I use it like anyone else. You're trying to compare a logistics marvel to an industrial supply/tool store, and it's quite a different thing.

Also notably, unless you're getting the "prime" shipping, a lot of your books are going to be slower as they can use media mail for them.

 

[Rustyt1953]

We have been Prime members for 15 years. We are well pleased.

 

[smoothshooter]

I’m old enough that it does not bother me to have to wait a week to get something. Most of my life has been befire Amazon and the instant gratification crowd.
I know people who will obsess over the location of some non-essential item they have ordered check it’s travel progress every half hour all through the day and half the night, and raise hell with the shipper if they don’t get their order within 24 to 36 hours ( I know some of you people are out there reading this ).

I figure it will get here when it gets here. I don’t start getting annoyed enough to make a call until a couple of weeks have passed beyond when I should have gotten it.

 

[lihpster]

I figure it will get here wen it gets here. I don’t start getting annoyed enough to make a call until a couple of weeks have passed beyond when I should have gotten it.

Yeah. I've got a holster and belt on order. Says ships in 6-8 weeks. Been 9.5. I'll give it another week and a half then ask them about it.

 

[smoothshooter]

I find it annoying how the word ‘“shipped “ or words “ distribution warehouse “ aren’t good enough for Amazon.

They have flowered the terms up to “ fulfilled” or “ fulfillment centers “.

Change the language / change the culture, I guess.

 

[waffles]

I find it annoying how the word ‘“shipped “ or words “ distribution warehouse “ aren’t good enough for Amazon.

They have flowered the terms up to “ fulfilled” or “ fulfillment centers “.

Change the language / change the culture, I guess.

Not the worst I've seen. I raised a stink in a meeting after our company got bought out by a fortune 50 company, and all of the sudden our CEO and COO started calling workers "resources" instead of "analysts", "QC inspectors", "investigators", "senior analysts", "team leads", and so on.

 

[MRB1]

I've had orders split many times, and it doesn't bother me. Where I live, ordering online is the quickest, and easiest method. I like to watch the shippers tracks, just for fun - UPS and FedEx are OK, but FedEx likes to leave packages on the road, not good. USPS can take longer than the others.

 

[soFlaNative]

I find it annoying how the word ‘“shipped “ or words “ distribution warehouse “ aren’t good enough for Amazon.

They have flowered the terms up to “ fulfilled” or “ fulfillment centers “.

Change the language / change the culture, I guess.

When the boss told me to deliver a truckload to the fulfillment center I thought of a self help or counseling center.
It was a direct mail facility. This was in the mid 1980's.


As one who lived thru the box tops to Battle Creek waiting 6 to 8 weeks I'm good with the current situation.

 

[Old_Cop]

You think Amazon is slow, order from Tyler T Grip.

 

[chief38]

On the 10TH I placed an order with Amazon for 6 books and a can of wax. Then about an hour later I placed another order for 2 items. This was in the wee hours of the morning. They charged my credit card one time for both orders. Everything is in stock and ships from Amazon. So far, they have broken my shipment into at least 4 different shipment and maybe more to come. Some stuff has shipped and some hasn't, according to their website. Estimated delivery date range is a week and a half on some of it. I can't make heads or tails of what is going on. Today I placed an order with Grainger. 2 hours later I get an e-mail that it has shipped and will be here tomorrow. I wish Grainger sold books.

Just wanted to mention that Grainger has a discount Company also. The Company is called Zoro Tools. They sell many of the same items and at deep discounted prices (sometimes 40% less)!
Zoro does not sell everything Grainger does, but still quite a bit so before placing an order with Grainger, check out Zoro!

BTW, If you register with Zoro, they ROUTINELY have sales up to and including 25% off!! I have purchased MANY items from them like Air Compressors, Snow Blowers, Generators, Tools, supplies, etc. and as long as I am not in a rush, I'll wait for the to run a 25% off sale! Over the years I have saved thousands of dollars!

 

[G-Mac]

But really, I'm comparing a small to medium size industrial supply company.....

You can't be talking about Grainger when you say "small to medium size". Grainger is HUGE!

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Never ordered anything from small- medium-huge? Grainger.
Order stuff all the time from Amazon, usually get excellent service.
When the flim-flam does appears, it’s usually related to the shipper.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

One thing you can't beat about Amazon is their return policy. Simple and fast refunds.

 

[lihpster]

You can't be talking about Grainger when you say "small to medium size". Grainger is HUGE!

Compared to Amazon? Or GM? McDonalds? They are huge for an industrial supply company but I don't think they're up to what I would consider the big boys.


Edit: I sit corrected. Grainger is #258 on the fortune 500. That's huge.

 

[smithra_66]

On the 10TH I placed an order with Amazon for 6 books and a can of wax. Then about an hour later I placed another order for 2 items. This was in the wee hours of the morning. They charged my credit card one time for both orders. Everything is in stock and ships from Amazon. So far, they have broken my shipment into at least 4 different shipment and maybe more to come. Some stuff has shipped and some hasn't, according to their website. Estimated delivery date range is a week and a half on some of it. I can't make heads or tails of what is going on. Today I placed an order with Grainger. 2 hours later I get an e-mail that it has shipped and will be here tomorrow. I wish Grainger sold books.

You're really trying to say Amazon doesn't have one of the best logistics chains in the world?

I'd say 95% of their customers would report pretty good service.

They are also resellers of many things. It's possible that the books you ordered are not coming from an Amazon warehouse, but rather from an affiliated company.

If you don't want that to happen, choose products that say "Prime" and usually those are in-house out of Amazon's warehouse.

 

[Neal]

You guys using Amazon should take a look at SmileAmazon.com. It's the same as Amazon, but for every
purchase they donate a small portion of the sale to a charity of your choice from their list. I chose the Gun Owners Foundation as my charity.

 

[lihpster]

You guys using Amazon should take a look at SmileAmazon.com. It's the same as Amazon, but for every
purchase they donate a small portion of the sale to a charity of your choice from their list. I chose the Gun Owners Foundation as my charity.

Done did it I did. Ten characters? Really?

 

[Neal]

Done did it I did. Ten characters? Really?

Trying to understand this post. I assume this means you signed up\
for the SmileAmazon charity donation, but to what 10 characters
are you referring?