Yesterday, I boxed up a dress that had to be returned because it was too big. Today, I have to return a drill I bought from Amazon because it wouldn't charge.
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Buying off-brand items of Chinese provenance is like buying pigs in a poke. One doesn't really know what one is getting until one opens the box and inspects the merchandise inside. Sometimes, the product is quite good, and is a bargain. Other times, the product is garbage, and has to be returned. In the case of the drill above, it has a solid feel, but ts construction leaves a little to be desired. For example, this drill is charged using a USB-C cable. But it doesn't come with a charger block that can be plugged into a wall socket. So I connected it to two charger blocks of my own, and it didn't charge. So, back it goes to Amazon for a refund.
Over the past few months, Temu has been spending a fortune on a media campaign to get people to use its shopping app. From having a woman dancing on screen showing off her latest purchases to "authority figures" showing products on Temu whose prices are too good to be true, this firm's business model is built on getting customers used to low prices and cutting Amazon out of the shopping equation. But Amazon has an advantage that Temu doesn't - One and Two day deliveries. If I need a product NOW, I can get it quickly. With Temu, the product has to be shipped by air from overseas, and then delivered to the end customer. They don't have Amazon's economies of scale.
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Even Amazon has its weak points. If I need to inspect an item, try on an item, etc., then Amazon doesn't do much for me. For example, I'd prefer to look at a pair of shoes and try them on before buying them. I'd have saved from many mistakes, had I been able to do this more often. If I need something "yesterday", then even Amazon isn't the right place to buy something. That is why "Category Killer" stores are so useful. I'd never know what products are available (and at specific price and quality levels) without being able to see them in the stores. The blinds in my windows are examples of items I needed to see in person before buying them. And I wouldn't have wanted to have them shipped to me, then have to ship them back if they weren't what I really wanted.
There are some products that Amazon realizes require a hands-on purchasing experience. Their purchase of Whole Foods was a good way for them to see how people buy perishable goods, and apply what they learned to in-store shopping experiences. When I was in LAX (Los Angeles Airport), I saw a store which used Amazon's shopping technology to offer a "Grab and Go" shopping experience. Yes, it may be convenient. But it lacks a human touch. If a product is defective (let's say some foreign product if found in a bag of chips), one has no one to complain to.
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In the end, no shopping experience will ever be perfect. As a TG who straddles both masculine and feminine worlds, I like the ability to find products online that I can buy - all in one place. But I miss being able to chat with store personnel to find out what looks best on me.
But for now, I have to shower, get dressed, and return my drill before my next delivery comes....
