Should trim the trees on the roadside nicely. As for the phone poles and elec wires I think they will win.

 

 

If I have learned one thing from reading the biographies of Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs, it is that their company strives to control the entire customer experience from start to finish.

One place that Amazon has never had control over is the shipping segment. Amazon controls everything from the website where you make your purchase to when the distribution center puts your package on a UPS or USPS truck. But they have no control over it from that time until it reaches your door step. That will change someday.

Just look at what happened with UPS this Christmas. Although it was ultimately UPS that screwed up, Amazon will no doubt receive some of the blame as it did not deliver their packages as promised.

UAV's in the national airspace are coming. There's a congressional mandate requiring the FAA to study it and then make it happen. Do you need to worry about this tomorrow? No. 5 years from now? Not really. But at some point in the future, I can see UAV's being used for shipping a reality. Like anything else, there will be some market segments where it makes sense (premium dollar, fast delivery), and probably some segments where it still may be cheaper to deliver by truck (large furniture that isn't time sensitive). And there is always the possibility that FedEx and UPS can jump into that market too.

 

Amazon already does in house or sub contract delivery of a lot of its local "distribution center" products. I assume they think it is more efficient. Some guy with a laser local name tag and a white dodge econovan jammed with packages would make deliveries in my neighborhood. Probably 40% of my Amazon deliveries came this way. So I guess my three main points are:

1. Amazon has found ways to cut FDX and UPS out of some of their deliveries.

2. Still does not make the drone concept economical. The white van probably made one round trip and 200 deliveries in 4 hours to local apartments.

3. Just kidding about 3 points.

 

I don't think ups or FedEx worried as much about Amazon as we think. Remember ups & FedEx were just as big 10 yes ago when there was no amazon. Drone or laser delivery or whatever they called just remember amazon needs these 2 as much as they do amazon if not more.

 

This is a reflection of all large corporations and their desire to automate as much as possible and reduce human workforce as much as possible to increase the bottom line. This will in turn bite them because unemployment will increase & less people will be able to buy their products.

Greed.

 

That is why I only buy American buggy whips.

 

Can't find the like button so +1. Once again proof that we are our own worst enemies.

 

Exactly, great post!

 

Non sequitir. Logical fallacy. Unemployment does not necessarily follow technological advancements.