Comment by droithomme | Hacker News Reader

Comment by droithomme | Hacker News Reader

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Very good points. I concur. WalMart's website is very poorly designed compared to amazon, but they generally have the same goods at the same price. WalMart will offer free ship-to-store that I can get faster than waiting for amazon free shipping, and critically, WalMart allows no-hassle returns of internet purchases at the local return counter. Amazon's return policy is good, but it's more of a hassle to deal with boxing, labeling, and shipping than just dropping off. And of course while I'm at a WalMart I'll grab other things as well, which doesn't happen at the UPS counter. So I assume others have had the same experience and that WalMart share of the online market will continue to grow, particularly if they can move their website to the same experience that amazon provides (a steep task). Their logistics and warehousing backend appears to be at least as good as Amazon's, possibly better, though that's an inference from just observing the customer end of it and not based on inside knowledge.

All good points. I think that Amazon sees this issue and working with retailers (Kohls) to set up locations that you can drop items without having to deal with the boxing, shipping etc.

It will be interesting to see how to two bridge the gaps from opposite sides. Amazon moving from online to physical | Walmart moving from physical to online

Amazon already allows you to drop items for them at a UPS store. They pay for the shipping. And UPS will handle packaging the item -- but you have to pay for that.

If Amazon would pay for packaging too, the whole problem would be solved.

agreed, but Amazon can change all this by acquiring Kohls or Target for example.

Amazon offers drop off returns at their retail locations as well. Also at their lockers, but you do have to box it for the locker.

Is re-boxing Amazon products really that big of a hassle? I just re-use the box the product came in, or the box from another recent Amazon purchase.

It's not a big hassle, nor is obtaining the label or printing it, gluing it on, and taping the box.

These are instead several small hassles, many separated in time, each requiring low level focus and effort. Maybe a customer doesn't have packing tape in his house, a cardboard box (since he threw it out) or label glue, so he has to start by to going get those first, after having initiated the return by going to a web site, signing in, finding the right page, and filling out a form.

Customers don't have to do any of that with an in store return. You walk up to the counter at a store you're already going to anyway that day with a receipt and unwanted product and say "This didn't work" "This didn't fit" "I didn't like the color" or whatever, couple minutes, and you're done. WalMart in particular often gives cash refunds, as in actual currency in hand, after a minute or two at most at the counter.

Often analysts will say "It's not a big hassle, the customer shouldn't have a problem with it."

That is true. But what if there is a competitor who offers a product return experience without requiring a series of small hassles? Maybe they instead have a very tiny hassle? Could that difference have an effect on consumer choices? Could consumers perhaps purchase even more products because they are confident that any return won't be met with a series of tiny trifling minor hassles?

Some theorists say yes.

I know this is just a small part of what you're saying, but you don't have to use label glue. I use clear packing tape to both tape the box shut, and tape/cover the label.

But you're still right. No matter how easy Amazon makes it to ship a return, its still easier to return in person. The only exception is if you're not already going to that store, or don't have a car to go back to the store. I could see Amazon's hybrid in-person/online return options being the best of both worlds.

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