It seems odd to talk about some businesses doing better during the pandemic, but the reality is that some are. Amazon is one of them.
Amazon has thrived during the pandemic as consumers buy more goods online and limit their visits to stores. Amazon reported $88.9 billion in sales during its latest quarter ending June 30, up 40% from the same period a year earlier. Net income doubled during the quarter to $5.2 billion.
Amazon Prime Day set for October 13 and 14 – CNN
Those that like to shop online for deals, October 13 and 14 will be this year’s latest Amazon Prime Day. They are a little late with their Prime Day.
Other retailers are talking about moving up Black Friday sales and offering additional Cyber Monday type deals to try and entice customers that aren’t going to physical stores as much to buy.
Am not sure how this year’s holiday season is going to go sales-wise. There are more people back working now, but until we get back to pre-COVID employment numbers, I’m not sure the holiday season will be any kind of historic normal.
We still shop locally for most things. Groceries we don’t buy online, although I do admit some interest in that, my wife is less interested. She likes to pick out what she’s buying by looking at it and pictures on a website — particularly for fresh foods — just isn’t the same. The last TV we bought, and it’s been years, was online. It really just depends on what it is.
An Amazon Prime membership for us was attractive for free shipping, yes, but we sped more time with Amazon Prime Video, which is included as part of the service. I remarked in another article that Walmart+, their new service might have benefitted from keeping Vudu, instead of selling that off to Fandango (see: Walmart Plus launches September 15, maybe they should have kept Vudu)
Of course we do a lot of business online, particularly with entertainment websites, but we still are what some might refer to as “old-fashioned” with the rest. We still enjoy going out somewhere. Outside. The movie theater experience is part of that. Sure, we like watching movies and TV shows at home, too, but getting out of the house is part of our regular interest and flow.
How much shopping do you do online vs. offline?
Movies, Movies, Movies 
I’ve been buying a lot more online, but I always tended to do that anyway. I hate shopping – I know, I have to turn in my woman card. I’ve been disappointed with Amazon prime. We’re still seeing a week to ten days between ordering and something arriving, rather than the two days we used to have. Because of this, I’ve actually used other online retailers besides Amazon where I can get free two day shipping. That was the case for the kayak paddle I needed that I ordered from Dick’s. I went to three stores here and they were all out since June – Dick’s I had it in my hand two days later. That’s why I shop online rather than drive from store to store.
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Walmart+ is offering free shipping on orders over $35. Same day in some cases, next day otherwise. We haven’t tried them, but it seems like they are tooling they’re gearing their operation toward online orders.
The problem we face when we go into the store, like yesterday is if they have any stock in the backroom, the employees are unwilling to look into their own inventory and find products. That’s a real customer DISservice. If we take the time to drive and come into your store and buy something, simply being unwilling to go into your backroom and find it for the customer to buy? Unacceptable. We were even told to go “find it and buy it online.”
Why have a brick and mortar store if customers are told that?
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