Buy-local, the failure of customer journey
After a typical day of July, comfortably installed on a NYC roof, we are watching the special 4th of July fireworks. It is big. It is colorful. It is touching. It is an institution as the thanksgiving parade. Both provided by Macy's. A private company, offering to its host city an entertainment since decades.
Despite that the fast days of retails are long gone, it is still Macy's sponsoring those events. Not any GAFA, not Amazon.
We are big Amazon fan, and it is most likely reciprocal. As great client, Amazon was even inviting us to participate to pre-test some new services. I remember with emotion the gizmo allowing to order Amazon Fresh product on its beginning.
Back to the fireworks, that day, the already known fight of the legacy retail vs the onliner on the last mile came back to my mind with force. Why did I enjoyed the show while not spending much at the shop? That day changed my online experience. I starting the Buy-Local initiative. Converting the household to a new concept. And it partially failed.
We gave a chance to all the big brands; and they sucks. The customer journey was terrible. From beginning to the end. Lack of inventory, painful online experience, unfriendly checkout, delivery delays, return policies... Nothing was as good as my first love, nothing was Amazon.
As a good e-citizen i shared feedback, proposed enhancements, and gave another chance, and another chance and another chance.....
Years later, we are not there yet. I should say they are not there at all. The customer journey is even improving on Amazon while still terrible on the others. But I managed to balance my purchase among few providers, some local, some regional, and some GAFA.
In addition to my buy local effort i make sure that product as well as distributors are local. And it is hard. No retailer highlight the source of the product. it is a difficult information to look for. It seems that the corona crisis will help to change it. And it will make sense. Even for Amazon.
Today I had hard time to find my new power strip. Simple product in all household. APC seems to be part of the rare one still building it in the USA.
What a journey !
Think encore.