When did e-commerce become a casino to get what you ordered?
I have two separate stories in the same month. First, I ordered my kid a video game. Granted it is an older game for the Nintendo DS. What arrives is shamelessly counterfeit, complete with the unbranded microSD card sticking out of the back of the game cartridge.
Then my spouse orders ear buds. What arrives is not what was ordered but a much cheaper set that isn't even the same kind.
And the name of this shady unscrupulous e-commerce retailer that is the subject of both stories? Walmart.
Feb 09 · 3 months ago · 😮 1
6 Comments ↓
🗡️ The_Jackal · Feb 09 at 17:38:
Yeah, it feels very greasy that they don't really mention the fact they're essentially an amazon/ebay just under the name Walmart instead of actually buying the products first hand from their warehouses/stores/whatever you would expect.
I don't like shopping at Walmart as it is, but I absolutely refuse to order anything online from them, precisely for that reason. Most of what "they" sell online is from third-party sellers with way less quality control than the little Walmart already has. If I can't find it in-store, I shop elsewhere.
👻 darkghost [OP] · Feb 10 at 01:16:
Sad state of things that lots of sites online are just dumping grounds for products crapped out but some unknown brand.
🐦 JustASillyBird · Feb 10 at 20:07:
Scamazon is worse, Temu even more so.
I think it just comes down to 'sort by price.' Customers shopping by internet have the ability to easily seek the lowest prices, and will. The lowest prices are achievable only by those who cut corners - lax supply chain policies, substandard materials and construction, dubious suppliers. Any company that doesn't do this is going to be doomed to the fourth page of sort-by-price rankings, and no-one is getting that far in their shopping.
I often forget that these places are marketplaces with tens of thousands of sellers. Think of them like eBay and it makes more sense
🐦 JustASillyBird · Feb 10 at 20:51:
I gather something similar is behind China's construction woes. Corner-cutting has become so accepted that it's impossible for a safety-conscious construction company to survive. Who is going to hire them when there are ten other competitors who can bid half the price for every job? Anyone who did would be accused of squandering money. So the only companies that can survive are the ones willing to cheat a bit. Sure, maybe they leave out a few reenforcing bars in the concrete - but /most/ of their buildings have stayed upright.