Comments on: Warranty Repair and Online Retail Don’t Mix

By: kyle_s10731

kyle_s10731 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:58 +0000

As someone who has purchased stuff from Amazon affiliates and other non-brand name e-retailers with more than a little trepidation, I have to imagine there's an opportunity for a startup in this space to help provide small retailers with ways to present their reputation credentials and trustworthiness to their customers. If it was Amazon's intention to be the solution there (I'm buying it from Amazon.com – it must be safe!) I think they're failing. Brad, have you seen any pitches like that? I imagine there's probably someone (or many someones) working in this space already.

By: bfeld

bfeld — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:54 +0000

I can’t recall seeing pitches like this aimed at the affiliates / non-brand e-retailers. There are several of these – including TrustPlus – aimed at individual users / eBay sellers / other auction participants that seem like they could be easily repurposed for this.

By: Shawn Broderick

Shawn Broderick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:54 +0000

Kyle – TrustPlus allows these sorts of folks to build a portable reputation that can help buyers like yourself use to feel safe. Sellers can pull in their reputation from eBay and craigslist and just about anywhere else on the web and TrustPlus lets them offer it up to you for some very cool network-relevant and context-relevant analysis and inspection. We don't have a deal with Amazon (yet) – tell a friend!!!

By: blennon

blennon — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:54 +0000

I personally would have gone with "cluster fucked" in my title, but "rat fucked" is great too.

By: chase_barf55451

chase_barf55451 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:54 +0000

I am in the tech industry and we have relationships with many manufacturers. Most of them, to include wholesalers, will treat you with great service. However, sadly, the retail (which I consider online stores virtual retail) sector royaly sucks when it comes to good service. We call the process that Ryan McIntyre got the "Bend Over & Grab Your Ankles With No Vaseline" treatment.

By: Mat

Mat — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:54 +0000

I'm finding myself thinking twice about any purchase from Amazon that is actually from an affiliate. I have actually not gone ahead with some fairly big ticket items when I've seen that Amazon is not the vendor.

This has to be damaging Amazon's brand.