- Mar 7, 2000
- 1,100
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This isn't a hot deal, but Yahoo! News has a story about Outpost.Com titled "Outpost.Com Sees Wider Than Expected Losses." Figured that some of the regulars may want to read.
Yahoo News story about Outpost.com
- Thread starter MisterE
- Start date
I'll be disappointed if they can't survive this. They used to be a B&M establishment back in their Siberian Outpost days then went online only then changed the name. They've always been a quality company.
It's too bad, Outpost was really a good company before. Having eliminated free shipping, I don't see how they will stay alive much longer. There is no incentive to buy anything there. Even though there are shipping fees now, the prices have not come down accordingly. I personally haven't bought anything since their shipping fee inactment. I am about to purchase a lot more new hardware for my office and will skip Outpost just for "payback" in the way they have treated loyal customers.
I agree. I have just moved all my purchases from Outpost to Newegg. I never buy from Outpost or Onvia anymore. Their incentive is now gone.
They still have free overnight shipping, but it is only for items priced more than $100. I bought a laser printer from them yesterday and got it this morning. They still have a good thing going for higher priced items.
Funny they went from free to $100 or over. Why not free for $50 or over? That would put them in line with some other major retailers.
I agree that they should have made it a minimum of $50 and not $100, and probably should have given customers some amount of warning to ease the process a little. I have a feeling that their next quarter's losses are going to be even greater due to the zip drive fiasco 
.
.Lmao, the sense of entitlement some of you feel is amazing. The company is LOSING money. Alert...LOSING money. Obviously the losses were pretty drastic if they were gonna make a change this drastic in their policy.
Yes, they were losing money, because they were using the same flawed business model as most other .coms... i.e. Lose money on each sale to build up a big customer base, then change prices/policies so you're making money...phase 3...profit!
Cept there's not much brand loyalty on the internet... and it's not like one web site is a closer drive than the next... as each of these sites ups their pricing/shipping most people just move to the next one... It -is- kinda goofy for people to complain when a site decides it's tired of bleeding cash with each sale... but no less goofy than the people who thought that model would work for most places anyway.
Cept there's not much brand loyalty on the internet... and it's not like one web site is a closer drive than the next... as each of these sites ups their pricing/shipping most people just move to the next one... It -is- kinda goofy for people to complain when a site decides it's tired of bleeding cash with each sale... but no less goofy than the people who thought that model would work for most places anyway.
Vegetation,
Your buying elsewhere as 'Payback'?
Let's be honest, did you really expect to be able to buy an $8 spindle of CDs with free overnight shipping forever?
While I will buy less from Outpost I will still base my purchases exactly the same way I always did. Find the best price no matter where it is. If I need something that costs over $100 and usually isn't discounted anywhere then I'll still buy it from Outpost. If the item is very heavy and shipping costs bring it over Outposts price then I'll get it from Outpost for the convenience of overnight delivery.
I will still buy items from Outpost tha are similarly priced to Electronics Boutique or Babbages if I want it right away but don't want to have to go to the store.
Would you rather they kept their old policy and simply went out of business instead?
Flagg
Your buying elsewhere as 'Payback'?
Let's be honest, did you really expect to be able to buy an $8 spindle of CDs with free overnight shipping forever?
While I will buy less from Outpost I will still base my purchases exactly the same way I always did. Find the best price no matter where it is. If I need something that costs over $100 and usually isn't discounted anywhere then I'll still buy it from Outpost. If the item is very heavy and shipping costs bring it over Outposts price then I'll get it from Outpost for the convenience of overnight delivery.
I will still buy items from Outpost tha are similarly priced to Electronics Boutique or Babbages if I want it right away but don't want to have to go to the store.
Would you rather they kept their old policy and simply went out of business instead?
Flagg
I wonder if they are going to show up on Deathwatch soon. I'm gonna guess they gonna close within the year.
All those people who think online retailers "owe them" something, be it free shipping, coupons, honoring of pricing errors, etc., are going to be majorly bummed in the coming months.
Within 6 mos., a year tops, there will be no more of the big online discount etailers, at least not the ones operating as they do now. Amazon, BUY.COM, etc., they're all going down. All of these companies have run out/are near running out of cash to operate. And they cannot get any loans, period. No one, not even venture capitalists, is willing anymore to invest money in on-line etailing. Some of the biggest supporters of these companies have lost 100's of Millions of $'s (Paul Allen especially). The few giants that will remain, such as CDW, Staples, etc., all are tied to more successful B&M operations which keep them afloat.
It's almost ironic, but the small independent etailers are going to survive, whereas before, they were thought to be headed for extinction. But at least they had enough sense not to sell themselves to death (ie. selling products at or below cost, free shipping, coupons, etc.).
Within 6 mos., a year tops, there will be no more of the big online discount etailers, at least not the ones operating as they do now. Amazon, BUY.COM, etc., they're all going down. All of these companies have run out/are near running out of cash to operate. And they cannot get any loans, period. No one, not even venture capitalists, is willing anymore to invest money in on-line etailing. Some of the biggest supporters of these companies have lost 100's of Millions of $'s (Paul Allen especially). The few giants that will remain, such as CDW, Staples, etc., all are tied to more successful B&M operations which keep them afloat.
It's almost ironic, but the small independent etailers are going to survive, whereas before, they were thought to be headed for extinction. But at least they had enough sense not to sell themselves to death (ie. selling products at or below cost, free shipping, coupons, etc.).
while trying to get them to honor the $0.00 zip drive i got ina conversation abou the new shipping policy. the lady said the free shippinfg for 4 hours thing was a unadvertised marketing test. and that depending on how orders and traffic increased, they woould determine if they are going to lose more customers than money by charging to ship. from what she said, we may be getting our free shipping back.
You know what, Outpost is STILL a great place to buy.
Instead of being the shrewd customers I know you guys are, one should really look at the HUGE value Outpost provides. I still get my CDrs from Outpost, but because of the free shipping, I just coordinate w/5 or 6 of my buddies who needs CDrs and that way, we all get free shipping, etc.....bottome line is this: If all you netizens out there think that retailers owe you free shipping, great pricing, and exceptional service, then get ready to buy all your stuff at retail outlets because the Net will cease to be a marketplace for PC goods. You cant sell things below cost and make a profit, basic math dictates that. Bite the bullet and pay the $10 on a $200 item once in a while because it ensures a company like Outpost or Amazon, or Buy.com sticks around....since they're everyday prices are usually $10-$100 cheaper than most retail CompUSA, Best Buys, Circuit City's etcetera. Imagine that its the mid 90s again where CompUSA marked up their products so high that you had to take a second mortgage out to buy CD-rs (Remember $2.00 per cd, and spindles? WTF was that?)
Just be thankful that companies like Outpost are out there willing to put their good name, reputation, and entrepreneurship on the line to satisfy you ingrates.
Instead of being the shrewd customers I know you guys are, one should really look at the HUGE value Outpost provides. I still get my CDrs from Outpost, but because of the free shipping, I just coordinate w/5 or 6 of my buddies who needs CDrs and that way, we all get free shipping, etc.....bottome line is this: If all you netizens out there think that retailers owe you free shipping, great pricing, and exceptional service, then get ready to buy all your stuff at retail outlets because the Net will cease to be a marketplace for PC goods. You cant sell things below cost and make a profit, basic math dictates that. Bite the bullet and pay the $10 on a $200 item once in a while because it ensures a company like Outpost or Amazon, or Buy.com sticks around....since they're everyday prices are usually $10-$100 cheaper than most retail CompUSA, Best Buys, Circuit City's etcetera. Imagine that its the mid 90s again where CompUSA marked up their products so high that you had to take a second mortgage out to buy CD-rs (Remember $2.00 per cd, and spindles? WTF was that?)
Just be thankful that companies like Outpost are out there willing to put their good name, reputation, and entrepreneurship on the line to satisfy you ingrates.
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