Speed of Delivery

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 Remember telegrams that arrived within the hour? What about first class post guaranteed to drop through the letterbox by 8am the next day in an era when there were actually two postal deliveries every morning? Are these memories that make me sound as though I've stepped out of antiquity or am instead posing as a stereotypical senior grumbler? I guess if I was half a century older, I might even recall the day when you could post a letter in the morning and it was delivered that afternoon.

Too often in retirement, no longer caught up in the world of instant business communication and all the pressures that brings, I've had time to witness what seem to be retrospective steps when it comes to longstanding means for connectivity. After all, how reliable even is the telephone system now, with its digital service and voice over internet protocol?

Today, however, I was impressed. There are some things that can match those memories of speedy dispatch and arrival. I speak of Amazon Prime and its same day delivery service.

Now, I know online shopping is derided as the harbinger of the death knell to the High Street, but when you get to 4pm on a Sunday with all shops closed and you desperately need an item, who would have thought that it could be delivered to your door within 4 hours? Perhaps it's another bonus of living in suburbia or maybe progress of sorts, but it's certainly left me feeling overawed.

I hope I'm not being naive and it's not a service based on the exploitation of others. The delivery guy arrived in a suit and very smart car which assuaged my concerns in part, as has a nephew who works in one of its depots and constantly sings its praises. I know there are always accusations of the underpayment of tax (as with so many multinational entities) but with VAT, the deduction of PAYE and employer's National Insurance there's obviously some contribution to the coffers.

Perhaps in my youth, I'd try to dig further with the aim of establishing whether or not a boycott is appropriate. In retirement, I remain principled and open to persuasion but no longer jump straight to conclusions, having learnt that the truth is often more nuanced than we might think. For the moment, therefore, let me revel in my incredulity that speed of delivery exceeded all expectations.

(Image by Bastian Riccardi from Pixabay)

 

 


Comments

www.muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com said…
Yes, sometimes ordering online is the best way to go. I prefer to shop in brick and mortar stores, but they aren't always open when I need them, or stock the item I need. I think doing both is a good compromise!
16 June 2024 at 23:02
Caree Risover said…
I agree, there are advantages with both ways although I often find myself trawling the shops, unable to find what I really wanted but buying items I hadn’t intended instead, before returning home to order that elusive thing online instead!
16 June 2024 at 23:12
Treaders said…
On principal I do try to buy French fruit and veg when I shop but like you say, it isn't always possible is it. Given that our shops close for two hours for lunch (good for them) and knock off around 7.30 pm (and you can forget about Sunday) sometimes Amazon is the way to go - or maybe the only way to go if I can't get what I want here. Mind you, the only thing so far I really haven't been able to find in France is peppermint essence (for making brownies) so I tend to empty ASDA when I go home!
17 June 2024 at 08:51
Caree Risover said…
Yes, Amazon has now become such a mainstream player that it’s hard to imagine life without it sometimes.
17 June 2024 at 12:12
Marksgran said…
I must admit I hate shopping these days except online. I still do all the grocery shopping locally but for all else I love online shopping and Amazon Prime is amazing, that said, other players seem to have upped their game recently and deliver pretty quickly too.
18 June 2024 at 17:23
Caree Risover said…
Yes, and many beat Amazon on price too.
18 June 2024 at 19:48
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