Amazon buying 20,000 Sprinters

[OTRA15]

Back to our regularly scheduled programming with this earlier article FYI:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-...ery-1530158460

Wonder if Amazon will eventually order the new 19' with 4WD? Lots of delivery locations would need 4WD, or a drone maybe . . .

Folks on this thread would welcome the 19' 4WD:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ut-184567.html

No easy answers . . .

Happy trails,

Peter

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by pcskier

"Destroying," while accurate, might be a bit dramatic. More like "displacing." He has built a service that clearly, people want. So perhaps it's his customers (dare I guess, you included) who are destroying America's brick and mortar retail industry?
As an aside, I have a Delta shower handheld spray that bought the farm after five years. I bought it on Amazon. I was in Home Depot (hmmm...the 'destroyer' of the Mom and Pop corner hardware stores...) and looked in the bath section for a replacement. They didn't have it in the finish I needed, nor would I expect them to stock *everything* Delta carries. I thought to myself, "This is why Amazon is so successful." Went home and called up my previous order, clicked "Buy Again," and it'll be on my doorstep in a couple days (and that's without me having a "Prime" membership...I'm too cheap and am willing to wait 5-8 days for delivery rather than 2 days...though often it winds up being two anyway.)
Maybe Brick and Mortar needed to be destroyed or displaced, as there are now proven solutions that are simply better.

Sears began shipping items from it's catalog over 100 years ago. People in far-flung places could get goods that had not previously been available to them. They grew fast and expanded their network of brick & mortar stores. Gradually, they abandoned their catalog order sales.

Walmart came along and chopped away at Sears store sales. Then, as the internet became the "catalog" of the modern age, Amazon came along and began sweeping brick & mortar stores aside. Sears's inability to see these changes coming, and their lack of nimbleness to change, made them the biggest casualty. In 20 -30 years, will Walmart or Amazon (or both) be the next Sears? We live in interesting times.


.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by pcskier

....
Maybe Brick and Mortar needed to be destroyed or displaced, as there are now proven solutions that are simply better.

Many people grossly overestimate what small businesses, those salt o' the earth little brick and mortars, actually earn. I know this, because I'm a business owner. A huge fraction of small businesses are there in our society because people like to be their own bosses, not because they are making good money. It's often a decision of the heart, not the wallet.

Good-old-days mythology aside, it's probably easier to make $30K as a Sprinter driver than it is to make $30K as a shopkeeper, as many of them do. I'm betting that the total hours would be fewer behind the wheel. And the work less personally risky due to the lower overhead and smaller cash flow.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Sears began shipping items from it's catalog over 100 years ago. People in far-flung places could get goods that had not previously been available to them. They grew fast and expanded their network of brick & mortar stores. Gradually, they abandoned their catalog order sales.

Walmart came along and chopped away at Sears store sales. Then, as the internet became the "catalog" of the modern age, Amazon came along and began sweeping brick & mortar stores aside. Sears's inability to see these changes coming, and their lack of nimbleness to change, made them the biggest casualty. In 20 -30 years, will Walmart or Amazon (or both) be the next Sears? We live in interesting times.


.

Yeah, I've NEVER understood why Sears got out of the catalog sales business. They owned all the big warehouses, shipping, and infrastructure they needed to be totally in the business before Amazon even showed up.

They just did not have the gumption, IMHO, to get the catalog ordering system on the internet. I guess in the retail business, if you snooze, you lose. Amazon is, so far, a textbook example of how to grab and own the market. I don't want to think too much about how often we order stuff (whatever you can think of) from Amazon.

I am somewhat sad to note that the very last time I actually was in a Sears/Kmart store was when the local one was holding their 'going-out-of-business' sale, and I could hardly find anything I might have even wanted or needed. Even when they were still going, it was a small selection, and was mostly stuff I did not need. Sad.

Even their power and hand tools, once the mainstay of my woodworking and mechanical projects have fallen by the wayside. Their designs and materials got progressively cheaper and cruder, and now, sadly, even Harbor Freight often has better stuff. The older Sears power tools I have are still solid, but will sadly be unsupported if I ever need parts. Most of my stuff was actually made in USA, as well. More sadness.

I now tend to buy name brand power tools from the big box home improvement stores or the local lumber yard, that carries a lot of the pro brands. At least they seem to be staying alive for us folks that actually like to touch and smell the lumber before we buy it...

[Alex AVI]

Despite all the concerns here about how such a big order could delay individual orders by rv upfitters and by extension to those of us ordering newer models, I am looking at this as a blessing. New plant means growing pains for that plant. New generation Sprinter means growing pains for that new van. I would be very content with waiting MUCH MUCH longer for a new Sprinter rv. It is great to have Amazon be the guinea-pig, bug & beta tester for the 1st 20,00 Sprinters coming out of new plant. I am happy to relegate that task to Bezos & Co. That's one heck of a big fleet to have fail if the production line and QC does not get up to speed. By the time they get to deliver to us singular orders, hopefully all the bugs have been wrung out.

[Boxster1971]

The official media release on new plant and Amazon buy.
==============
Mercedes-Benz Vans opens new Sprinter plant in North Charleston - Amazon becomes the world’s largest Sprinter customer

https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaS...l?oid=41048609

[suncoasteng]

I hope that Mercedes fixed the problems with their Sprinter diesel power plants if that is what Amazon is buying. Many fleet operators have walked from them in recent years. Here is some info on why:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fatal...tom-robertson/

[NY24]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

That was such a remarkable news release yesterday that I actually texted it to my husband.

Clearly, the Sprinter is here in America to stay (rumors of its imminent death have been greatly exaggerated).

Sprinter has been "here in America" for ~ 20 years now. Sprinter is doing SO well, that Ford, Dodge, Nissan (and possibly others) are copying the Sprinter form factor. I suspect that it will take some years before those posers are able to copy the Sprinter's quality and reliability.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by NY24

Sprinter is doing SO well, that Ford, Dodge, Nissan (and possibly others) are copying the Sprinter form factor.

NY24 - YES! I have owned many Fords, Dodges, Nissans (vans & minivans). For the most part, I liked them, but the current Sprinter poser offerings from them can't really even be considered in same league as the Sprinter form factor. The one that always makes me cringe is the Nissan NV 2500. I don't even know if it was meant to compete with Sprinters but I bring it up coz it is a van line with high roof option.

[amirm]

Originally Posted by suncoasteng

I hope that Mercedes fixed the problems with their Sprinter diesel power plants if that is what Amazon is buying. Many fleet operators have walked from them in recent years. Here is some info on why:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fatal...tom-robertson/

That's the outcome I am hoping for. With their huge leverage, they will be quite harsh on Mercedes on reliability issues. No doubt they will have impeccable stats on any problems that come up to make their case.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by suncoasteng

I hope that Mercedes fixed the problems with their Sprinter diesel power plants if that is what Amazon is buying. Many fleet operators have walked from them in recent years. Here is some info on why:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fatal...tom-robertson/

Thanks for linking this great article. DEF etc. problems are why we have stayed away from all diesels for the last 10 years or so. The old diesel technology worked, but [because] it polluted like crazy.

Originally Posted by amirm

That's the outcome I am hoping for. With their huge leverage, they will be quite harsh on Mercedes on reliability issues. No doubt they will have impeccable stats on any problems that come up to make their case.

Even if all the stats are a mixed bag, what choice does Amazon [or any other fleet buyer of 20,000 units] have, other than Sprinter? If these vehicles fail after 150,000 miles [per the article], for Amazon it will simply be a cost of doing business to get new ones!

Bezos will have gotten his foot in the door, and will continue to take market share -- the early bird gets the worm.

Simple aggressive capitalism.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you believe that the "owner / operator" suddenly popped up for the first time with this Amazon deal .... you haven't paid attention to the trucking industry for ...errr ... the last 40 years or so. It's a *very* common model in the freight business. Next time you are out and about in your AS look at the writing on the semi's as they go by. "Owner / operators wanted .. enormous paychecks ... short hours ... home every night ... ". Talk to those in the business and ... errr ... not quite what that ad would imply

If the Sprinters are headed out to individuals and Amazon needs yet more warehouses to feed this (they already have ... umm... 300 or so ?) the Sprinters aren't all going to be delivered on the first day. So to the topic of - Sprinter shortages ... probably not from this order.

Bob

[OTRA15]

Hmmmm . . . 300+ warehouses in industrial areas most likely or slightly out of town near major cities . . . hmmm . . .



Can you say "Amazon Boondocking" like Walmart Overnight Parking?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ing-13082.html

Add in a desk for on-site Amazon order fulfillment, and some Amazon Burgers [ "AmCheeBurg Deluxe, please" ] like Ikea stores have a cafe, and you have some burgeoning possibilities IMO:

BezosVille

In addition to picking up your order in BezosVille, you will also stock up on fuel, showers, food, dump station, etc.

Can "Amazon Truck Stops" be far behind? An Amazon credit card with better rewards than AmEx Delta SkyMiles etc.?



Build It And They Will Come!"



PS -- Betcha the Bezos radar screen already has this on the long-range setting IMO!

PS2 -- The United States of Amarica?" [sic]

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If you believe that the "owner / operator" suddenly popped up for the first time with this Amazon deal .... you haven't paid attention to the trucking industry for ...errr ... the last 40 years or so. It's a *very* common model in the freight business. ...

Some of the stats are hyped, as they are in every such case (e.g., workamping is also hyped as some devastating social ill even though many thousands of people prefer it to conventional lifestyles). I have a close friend (female, my age) who is a commercial trucker. She brings home more net pay than I do, and I have a Master's degree in science (= that small business thing again - we don't make as much money as people think). I'm not kidding. Truckers are not all suffering and poor and downtrodden and worthy of our collective hand-wringing. Not even close.

Of course, my girlfriend also works more hours than I do, but it's a different kind of work, such that if one were able to compute some kind of effort metric, our two jobs might be comparable. I read, interpret, and apply local, state, and federal regulations for a living. I can't sustain that level of intellectual intensity for the same number of hours as I can drive my Interstate each day. Driving a truck is not a no-brainer, but neither does it rise to the level of intensive research. The road is there. The rules are standardized everywhere. You just drive it, basically. It's exhausting but it's not a conceptual struggle.

[rowiebowie]

I understand there are emission system complexities with modern diesel engines, and that includes the Mercedes Sprinter. All repairs and accompanying down-time are aggravating. But as far as the cost impact on owner, don't the majority of these repairs fall under warranty and repair costs covered by Mercedes?



.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Hmmmm . . . 300+ warehouses in industrial areas most likely or slightly out of town near major cities . . . hmmm . . .



Can you say "Amazon Boondocking" like Walmart Overnight Parking?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ing-13082.html

Add in a desk for on-site Amazon order fulfillment, and some Amazon Burgers [ "AmCheeBurg Deluxe, please" ] like Ikea stores have a cafe, and you have some burgeoning possibilities IMO:

BezosVille

In addition to picking up your order in BezosVille, you will also stock up on fuel, showers, food, dump station, etc.

Can "Amazon Truck Stops" be far behind? An Amazon credit card with better rewards than AmEx Delta SkyMiles etc.?



Build It And They Will Come!"



PS -- Betcha the Bezos radar screen already has this on the long-range setting IMO!

PS2 -- The United States of Amarica?" [sic]

Hi

Like a lot of places, we have an Amazon warehouse here in town. I've always wondered why they don't at least have Amazon Lockers at the warehouse. The whole process of multi day delivery from 4 miles away kind of boggles the mind ....(and no, not everything I buy comes from that warehouse ...).

Stopping by the local UPS to pick up a package (at least around here) sort of illustrates the issues of mixing retail with industrial. Dodging semi's and simply *finding* the office is a bit of a chore. Once you are there the metal detectors and guards are a bit of a put off ....

So, yes, the Sprinter deal sounds like a pretty good answer to getting Uncle Bob's order of un-needed junk to him really fast.

So ... where will we be on Tuesday ....hmmm ... do they accept mail .... hmmmm.... let's check the lightning deals for pink flamingos ....

Bob

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

...
So, yes, the Sprinter deal sounds like a pretty good answer to getting Uncle Bob's order of un-needed junk to him really fast.
...

My most recent two Amazon orders were for more Odorlos black tank treatment (the only one I found that even remotely works) and Atsko Sport Wash, which is a special solution for washing anti-moisture-treated camping gear such as sleeping bags, down pillows, and Rumpl trekking blankets.

I assure the world that if Amazon did not plop these items on my doorstep forthwith, I would be down the road in a heartbeat to go buy them, because after 5 weeks on the road, they are desperately needed.

I would have to drive 24 local miles to get them, because they're both specialty products located at 2 different stores on opposite sides of my community. And those stores are not near any other retail that I need right now, so I could not combine trips for efficiency.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Indeed there is an order for this and that from Amazon headed towards our next destination. That said, not all of it is essential items. We were in Camping World yesterday and not everything that went in the basket there was essential either ...

Bob

[Alex AVI]

Amazon is now as woven into the fabric of our lives as Google. I have multiple subscriptions for many recurring needs. Local stores have them but not always at same location. It also helps that they have a huge warehouse in LV. The only time this year my order was on-time/as-expected was when my Telesteps order came direct from maker. All my orders are ALWAYS EARLIER than expected. As we commonly say "Google this word", I have routinely heard my daughters say "Hey mom, Amazon this item".

[busb2]

Interesting Reading but

I started this thread out of concern the large Amazon order to be filled in full by the end of 2019 might lengthen the delay of new 2019 based Interstates. On some other threads it has been mentioned that existing orders of the new 19 shorty are already behind schedule and I know from my dealer that any new Atlas orders are expected six to eight months for a delivery. Sounds like Airstream has its own problems and now with a new model Sprinter coming from a brand new MB factory, it could be a very long wait indeed. Anyone have any information from Airstream relative to the situation?