To follow up on Monday’s discussion of the printing press, let’s take a five minute walk through the distribution process. Specifically Amazon.com.
This video was release last week, but is already a little out of date. Yesterday FedEx announced they are severing their relationship with Amazon. The effort by Amazon to create their own delivery network was the issue cited.
However, this short video is still a good look inside at the logistics of retail distribution.
Note the short part about the “Last Mile” which is the key to all online retail. On the other hand the “Last Mile” is still the strength of the brick and mortar store since the customer comes to the source instead of the other way around.
Enjoy.
Should I Write Genre Fiction for an Established Line?
Most interesting. As always, thanks for sharing something I look forward to every Friday!
Amazon is inexpensive, and it is fairly quick with deliveries. Nonetheless, one of Alean’s and my favorite things to do is to browse the local bookstores. There is something so nostalgic about it that we often incorporate that as part of our date night.
Interesting! I still like browsing in local bookstores, but 4 of our 6 have closed. Gone are Borders and 3 Christian bookstores: Radiant, Christian Publishers Outlet, and Lifeway. We only have Mardel and Barnes&Noble left.
Amazon is handy for many things besides books, things our local stores don’t carry or quit carrying – in spite of their stated policy of ordering what customers want. I also like their speed of delivery, which is free 1 or 2 day since we’re Prime members (watch their movies instead of cable TV costs).
BTW: What do you think of online Bible studies? Today I received a post about 10 books authors need to read (livingbydesign.org/books-aspiring-authors) and wonder if your top 10 choices would be the same?
Crazy.
We also are enormous Amazon customers. I think that at our remote, 7000-ft elevation, drone deliveries are unlikely to manifest soon, but Amazon’s aggressive use of robots, shown in the video, suggests to me that I shouldn’t rule that out. It’s as though Skynet is unfolding before our eyes, not to destroy us but to bludgeon us into consumer submission. I suspect it will win.
Thanks, Steve. Interesting Times.
Thanks for another interesting video.
Shipping and distribution is fascinating to me. Perhaps because I worked in the IT department of FedEx for thirteen years. The ability to get a package from A to B and know where it is at every point along the way was of primary importance. The Last Mile was always a concern because of the cost.
I’ve been at the FedEx hub here in Memphis on several occasions in the middle of the night when packages are flown in, sorted, and flown back out. It’s a world unto itself.
I would love to visit an Amazon distribution center and see how they store, pick, package, and ship books. I wonder if they do tours. I also wonder if I can find out which of their storage centers has my books. ?
Kay, you must have had an interesting perspective on Cast Away.
Yes! Of course, we all had to see the movie. One flaw was that it showed someone drinking wine(?) on the FedEx plane. That’s an absolute no-no. Never could have happened, but it still was a good movie.
Oy.
I am always torn. Jeff Bezos is the first trillionaire in. the. world. Yet, his near-slavery treatment of these workers really burns my bread. While I am happy to see capitalism thrive, this man has put his faith in his money.
On the other hand, I really AM that lazy. I don’t have Prime, however, I can get books from .99 cents to 10 dollars. And I cringe with what a pittance the authors receive. So lazy, in fact, I don’t care that these people have a credit card number and information about what I buy.
I want to get out of the house and support my local bookstore… and yet, well, there it is… me, being lazy. I feel exactly like Paul (while it’s not a sin it is a pull one way or another).
So, here I support the trillionaire while shaking my head at the same time. Pfft.
The GOOD news is that my local stores have picked up on this. I can go there on the web (if I was not… that… lazy). Also, there are a few Christian online bookstores, too.
Because I am looking for instant gratification (ugh!) I chomp at the bit when I order something from Amazon that has to arrive physically. No Prime delivery here! Also no such thing as overnight delivery which could be 3 days.
Lord, help me!
Fascinating!