Why Amazon will (and should) put Performance Bike out of business

[Mark McM]

According to this Boston Globe article, e-commerce (like Amazon) is creating more jobs than traditional retailers are losing:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business...hRN/story.html

[mtechnica]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

I work in manufacturing, and we're booming. I believe that specialty manufacturing, not cookie cutter commodity manufacturing, is starting a healthy resurgence in the USA. We shall see.

I also work in manufacturing and my company has recently started doing a LOT of business with Amazon. I'm not even sure how many machines we have shipped to them this year (50+ and who knows how many robots?) because I'm not on that project, but they are basically maxing out our capacity both with the multipack machines and palletizing cells. They are investing heavily and they are not messing around.

[mtechnica]

One other thing, many or most of these companies buying automated equipment aren't displacing workers. They typically keep them and either train them as operators or move them elsewhere in the facility. I have personally installed a machine right next to where 8 people were taping up boxes all day long. These people had a quota of 75 boxes an hour or something, and just stood there in shifts folding and taping boxes. It's a job, but not a job you would want.

I talked to the director of operations of the aforementioned facility, a multi billion dollar company by the way, and he said when it comes to these unskilled, repetitive labor jobs, they have a very difficult time even finding people that will do the job, let alone people that are reliable. Apparently it's a big problem. These jobs are basically last resort jobs for the unskilled, or people that don't make it in other jobs. Everyone talks about automation stealing jobs but there ARE NOT lines out the door with people applying for these jobs.

The real problem, in my opinion, is our society's idea of working and productivity. It's just not going to be compatible with the future and things are going to have to change because at some point there will be very few unskilled jobs. What do you do with millions of people unable or unwilling to do work beyond unskilled labor?

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

Everyone talks about automation stealing jobs but there ARE NOT lines out the door with people applying for these jobs.

Where's Mike Rowe when you need him.

The real problem, in my opinion, is our society's idea of working and productivity. It's just not going to be compatible with the future and things are going to have to change because at some point there will be very few unskilled jobs. What do you do with millions of people unable or unwilling to do work beyond unskilled labor?

Friend of mine is the HR person at her nursery. She's desperate for workers that'll work. Very unskilled positions...

Part of the problem stems from the 50s and the Red Scare. The USSR was graduating lots more scientists and engineers than we were. OMG! The Reds are getting ahead!

Fast forward to today... That 'the path to wealth and/or a 'better life' is education' mindset means that the lower skilled jobs and even some skilled blue-collar jobs are unfilled because they don't fit the narrative.

...but we're veering towards a political discussion, so I'll stop

M

[William]

Well worth a read...





William

[jumphigher]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

One other thing, many or most of these companies buying automated equipment aren't displacing workers. They typically keep them and either train them as operators or move them elsewhere in the facility. I have personally installed a machine right next to where 8 people were taping up boxes all day long. These people had a quota of 75 boxes an hour or something, and just stood there in shifts folding and taping boxes. It's a job, but not a job you would want.

I talked to the director of operations of the aforementioned facility, a multi billion dollar company by the way, and he said when it comes to these unskilled, repetitive labor jobs, they have a very difficult time even finding people that will do the job, let alone people that are reliable. Apparently it's a big problem. These jobs are basically last resort jobs for the unskilled, or people that don't make it in other jobs. Everyone talks about automation stealing jobs but there ARE NOT lines out the door with people applying for these jobs.

The real problem, in my opinion, is our society's idea of working and productivity. It's just not going to be compatible with the future and things are going to have to change because at some point there will be very few unskilled jobs. What do you do with millions of people unable or unwilling to do work beyond unskilled labor?

^Totally agree with this.

[54ny77]

if you live near a fulfillment center, it's mind-boggling what you can get literally same day.

was just announced they're opening one in staten island, creating 2500 jobs.

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

was just announced they're opening one in staten island, creating 2500 jobs.

How many of those jobs are for humans, how many for robots?

Eventually, as robots become more sophisticated, there will probably just be a few humans working in a huge fulfillment center. Welcome to the future!

[andeww]

Amazon just took over a large warehouse next to my office, i am guessing it is considered a fulfillment center. It is actually terrible to deal with.
We have dozens of cars lined up each day blocking our driveway with zero organization. These are the "prime" drivers, that are basically regular people using their own cars to deliver packages. They park in front of our office and smoke cigarettes and re-organize the packages on the asphalt leaving packing tape, boxes and trash all over. Since they are all contractors there seems to be no regulation or consequences for being an asshole.

[54ny77]

i've had prime deliveries from everyone from fed ex to some dude (or woman) rolling up in a random car.

your explanation makes sense to me now.

Originally Posted by andeww

Amazon just took over a large warehouse next to my office, i am guessing it is considered a fulfillment center. It is actually terrible to deal with.
We have dozens of cars lined up each day blocking our driveway with zero organization. These are the "prime" drivers, that are basically regular people using their own cars to deliver packages. They park in front of our office and smoke cigarettes and re-organize the packages on the asphalt leaving packing tape, boxes and trash all over. Since they are all contractors there seems to be no regulation or consequences for being an asshole.

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by fiamme red

Eventually, as robots become more sophisticated, there will probably just be a few humans working in a huge fulfillment center

Already here, no need for robots, just google "lights-out warehouse".

[93legendti]

Originally Posted by Climb01742

Amazon Prime has perfected frictionless buying of almost anything. Including more and more cycling bits. Particularly saddles.

Like an idiot, I ordered a saddle from Performance Bike. They shipped me the wrong saddle. There is no online way to initiate the return. I have to print a return form and fill it out by hand. I must pay, upfront, for return shipping on a mistake they made. And I gotta wait until heaven knows when to have my CC credited for the return.

Compare that to an Amazon Prime return. Go online. Request a return. Hit print. Stick prepaid label on box. Drop off at UPS. The moment Amazon sees the package has been dropped off and scanned, they credit your card. Whole thing takes maybe an hour, on a slow day.

It's not just Performance, though they are strikingly antiquated. So many cycling online retailers are needlessly painful to use and behind the times. It's hard to believe they don't realize that Amazon is setting both the rules and expectations today. One click gets me a product in two days, with free, no questions returns, and a CC credited back in minutes.

Amazon will, and should, consign online retailers like Performance and others to the dustbin. Either step up (like Competitive Cycling did/has) or step aside.

I love Amazon. We use the site for buying so many things.

1. If you call Performance, they will email you a return label. I seem to recall they may even schedule the UPS pickup. At least they used to. My local Performance is 5 minutes away so I haven't needed to do this in a while.

2. When going thru the Amazon return process there is an option to have UPS pickup the item the next business day. Even more convenient and easy.

[cetuximab]

There was a Performance Bike a few block away from my apartment in Denver. There was a Performance in Albuquerque that I could hit with a slightly longer ride home from work.

Some Amazon returns are free, but sometimes the price of return shipping is prohibitive.

The nice thing about an order from Performance Bike was the convenience to return a part if I ordered incorrectly.

[r_mutt]

Perhaps I'm spoiled here in NYC. There are more than a few shops with excellent selection and knowledge (for the most part). As for prices, yes, we all know where to shop when we're are being price conscious, but I've never felt the need to shop online at PB. There are other online avenues with the same or much better prices with a great selection.


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