I absolutely agree with you. It all comes down to degrees of badness. My first go-to is always a local, Mom-and-Pop store if at all possible, then local big boxes. If I have to order something online, Amazon would be my last option. Wal-Mart is bad, but it's not even close to Amazon bad.

I wish whoever made "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" would update their film based on today's Amazon workplace. Wal-Mart would look like saints in comparison.

Needed a new weed whacker and a deadbolt for a door. I didn't want to go to the store since we have a stay at home order. Home Depot Express delivery was an additional 9 dollars on my order and it was at my door before 9am when I ordered the afternoon prior. Better than Amazon in my opinion.

Even the local ACE is offering 15 bucks for next day delivery and free curbside pickup (they didn't have the trimmer model I wanted).

I suppose nobody minds that UPS and FedEx have a complete duopoly in the US airmail business? I guess as long as they pay really well pilots don’t mind. However if someone could step in and offer the same service for less than 1/2 price let’s see who’s going to be demanding Amazon get broken up. Except maybe UPS and FedEx employees.

Amazon, like Walmart will be judged for antitrust based on consumer harm. If they come in with a better mouse trap and can offer savings to their consumers it will never pass muster in the courts.

I can't help but read your posts in Strong Bad's voice :D

Just glad someone still gets the reference.

Translation:
Delivering to customers now, in crisis, making massive amounts of new, long term, customers takes priority over thin margin delivery.

Once the Covid crisis subsides, they will return to the delivery front with more capital and likely an improved strategy.

Ace is my absolute last choice. It's way overpriced for no reason, and has half the selection. Why pay more for the same item because it's mom and pop. If I'm working on a project that requires wood and paint, Im going to HD or Lowes. If I'm wanting something special, I search all three, and 100% of the time, Amazon is the cheapest, it's delivered to my door, and since I haul Amazon freight, it's a no brainer. WalMart isn't even in the equation.

Maybe they are setting up to buy USPS!

Except (supposedly anyway) the courts look not just at if they can offer savings but what it does to for the consumer in regards to overall competition within that market. Take the sprint/TMobile merger. That’s been fought for years over claims it would reduce competition within that market. If amazon shows a history of entering a market and running others in that market out of business then yeah they might face push back (then again when you’re the richest man alive......). I’m also not sure how keen the government would be (assuming the politicians aren’t bought and paid for 🤣🤣🤣. I know. Hard to say with a straight face) to have one company controlling massive sections of multiple industries. I believe Bezos has said before that he expects at some point the government to break amazon up.

Case in point..... https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-fir...se-conditions/