I find it amazing what one can order through Amazon. I guess folks living on the frontier back in the ages felt the same way about the Sears Roebuck Catalog.
I found an interesting site on the Internet that describes a few odd items that were listed in the catalog, many from the turn of the century...the last one!
Here are some examples from the site:
Leghorn chickens for $ .12, in 1947
A newfangled auto-mobile for $395 in 1909
A cure for consumption in 1898
As a kid I used to love going through Sears, Roebuck catalogs, especially the Christmas toy edition! And, in the early 70's I remember ordering clothing, and going into the order pickup desk at the store to get my order when it arrived. It was magical!
Some time in the late '80's the Mister wanted a modem and Telenet. This would allow him to see a print version of the Sears catalog on our Commodore 64, among other things! (This was before Al Gore claimed he invented the Internet! LOL) Imagine that magic! (And, if Sears had continued to embrace access through technology, just think where they might be today!)
So, now we have Amazon....and all of the other tempting sites out there that sell and deliver, just about everything.
Some time last week the Mister ordered a drag harrow from Amazon. It had free, two-day delivery with Prime.
- He got a message that the package had been delivered to a processing center in a nearby town and would be delivered the next day.
- Then he got a message that the delivery would be delayed
- After that he received a message that they didn't have the package.
So, do we really need it?
He called Amazon and described the situation. They reissued the order.
Surprise! The package from the processing center arrived. The packaging had been cobbled together and taped, and taped and taped.
So, do we really need two?
The next day, we arrived home, and there was a heavy package at our gate. This shipment was appropriately packaged:
Oops...it's another drag harrow. The result of the 2nd order that apparently wasn't canceled by the processing center once they figured out how to fulfill the first order!
The Mister called Amazon, and after going through lots of AI robots was able to talk to a real, live person from the other side of the world. The problem? Amazon wants him to take it to a UPS store to be returned. He explained that the package requires at least two men (better, a fork lift) to pick up. (He may have pulled the 'age' card to explain why he was unable to take it to the UPS store) The gal finally understood the situation and explained that a truck would pick it up within an hour.
That didn't happen.
The Mister called Amazon, again. This time after all of the AI voices he was connected to someone in the US - amazing! He read through the case, and explained that a truck would be by to pick up the package.
That hasn't happened, yet!
I have such fond memories of the Sears and Roebuck catalog as a child. Thanks for the trip down memory road.
ReplyDeleteAs for the double delivery, when I've had that happen, Amazon has told me not to worry about it, and keep the second one, but it's never been anything as big as a harrow, either.
We also have had a few extra items because Amazon doesn't want them back....but you are right, the value of the harrow seems to be a bit too much!
DeleteSears and Roebuck and Montgomery Ward's. Mainstays of life at one time.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! I forgot about 'Monty Wards' as my dad called it.
DeleteAh, yes! Especially the Christmas catalog. Sheer bliss! Our sons enjoyed the Wishbook, too, and had different colored markers to circle what items they hoped for, green for Z and blue for R. When I was a kid, I circled my wished for items in red. I've always thought Sears invited their downfall by discontinuing the catalog.
ReplyDeleteHope Amazon sends only one truck for the extra harrow and not a 2nd truck to get the first one, too! Yikes!
Hugs!
We used to play a game of pointing to something on each page that we would buy if we had a million dollars. The underwear and sock pages often were skipped!
DeleteI loved the Christmas Wish Book as we called it. We wrote our names next to what we wanted...perhaps a few too many times:)
ReplyDelete