Katie Notopoulos is a senior editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
I really don't get it. She's based in New York. I don't know how many music speciality stores can be found in New York, but my guess is it must be in the dozens.
A bassoon strap sounds exactly like an item you find in a speciality store. Probably in a few varieties and I'd wager a guess that they don't break in 4 month (or if they do a good store will replace it).
I understand the reflex to use Amazon for something more generic, say bass stings. I understand why you would use Amazon if you live somewhere in the sticks with a 200 mile drive to the next shop carrying a meager selection of bassoon straps.
But I really don't get it why you wouldn't use a physical store, with knowledgeable people, very much engaged in the same hobby as you, selling the very speciality item you're looking for when you live in fucking New York!
In addition. By ordering such an item at Amazon you kill exactly those shops on which you depend on when you have a slighly more esotheric hobby and you make the world a bit porer in the process.
Beyond just the normal having to get to a store, it's below freezing in NYC atm, sometimes with rain, not exactly pleasant weather for a stroll.
There are some things which are hard to evaluate online and a physical presence is necessary, straps, even Bassoon straps, really shouldn't be one of them.
Pricing mistakes happen every day on ecommerce sites, the "bargains" websites are full of them.
Amazon really could do better with not allowing the fictitious discounts though. Listing 80-90% off RRP for an item which was never sold at that price is very common on all the daily deals, (and is illegal/unlawful in the UK/Europe from memory), along with all the drop-shipped trash from China (which you can usually get from Aliexpress/Gearbest/etc at a fraction of the price anyway) makes me largely ignore them and Black Friday specials anyway.
6 comments
[ 2.2 ms ] story [ 22.5 ms ] threadKatie Notopoulos is a senior editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
I really don't get it. She's based in New York. I don't know how many music speciality stores can be found in New York, but my guess is it must be in the dozens.
A bassoon strap sounds exactly like an item you find in a speciality store. Probably in a few varieties and I'd wager a guess that they don't break in 4 month (or if they do a good store will replace it).
I understand the reflex to use Amazon for something more generic, say bass stings. I understand why you would use Amazon if you live somewhere in the sticks with a 200 mile drive to the next shop carrying a meager selection of bassoon straps.
But I really don't get it why you wouldn't use a physical store, with knowledgeable people, very much engaged in the same hobby as you, selling the very speciality item you're looking for when you live in fucking New York!
In addition. By ordering such an item at Amazon you kill exactly those shops on which you depend on when you have a slighly more esotheric hobby and you make the world a bit porer in the process.
Beyond just the normal having to get to a store, it's below freezing in NYC atm, sometimes with rain, not exactly pleasant weather for a stroll.
There are some things which are hard to evaluate online and a physical presence is necessary, straps, even Bassoon straps, really shouldn't be one of them.
Amazon really could do better with not allowing the fictitious discounts though. Listing 80-90% off RRP for an item which was never sold at that price is very common on all the daily deals, (and is illegal/unlawful in the UK/Europe from memory), along with all the drop-shipped trash from China (which you can usually get from Aliexpress/Gearbest/etc at a fraction of the price anyway) makes me largely ignore them and Black Friday specials anyway.