Originally Posted by
Sideshow Bob
UPS and FDX have built and refined their systems over decades, populated by guys in the hard core trucking industry that aren't just going to roll over for the hipster dufus golden boy who thinks he's infallible. And there are other retail giants out there like Wal Mart who won't just secede the world to Jeff because all the pimple faced geeks say Bezos is going to rule the world.
Hype is sparkly and novel...business is brutal.
I think you are giving UPS way too much credit. They have enjoyed a duopoly for a very long time and are coasting (and losing market share) on 110 years of momentum. The UPS "guys in the hard core trucking industry" can't even tie their own shoe laces, and don't know crap about aviation matters either. The stories are legendary.
Its not like there have never been successful competitors either. Airborne Express was a decent competitor. Then there was Pittsburgh based RPS. In 10 short years RPS was delivering to every address in the US and Canada and today is known as FedEx Ground after the acquisition.
I see no reason not to take Amazon seriously, especially considering how they reinvest most of their profits in to growing their company - unlike UPS.