Comment by adlpz
2 years ago
What truly set them apart wasn't inventory. Any large physical retailer could match back them.
It was inventory plus ease of use. Which is customer obsession.
One click purchase. Next day delivery. Flat fee shipping (prime). No questions asked drop-off returns. True, useful reviews. Good algorithmic sorting. Best in class logistics.
It was really much better than anything else online.
Now reviews are shit, searching products is a nightmare of sorting through clones and knockoffs, marketplace returns are hit or miss... and that's why it's worse.
Amazon's logistical side is still solid. Pretty much the only reason why I still give them any business... but independent stores are catching up on that front.
I can't say I've ever used one click purchase or next day delivery, but I'd argue prime is a great example of enshittification, not a positive customer experience. The service is effectively subsidized by the USPS and the customer probably shouldn't pay a dime.
Prime was worth it when it started. The enshittification was Amazon gutting their own golden goose, degrading (and eventually removing) all of the benefits that it originally conveyed.