There are some things I do without thinking about them. Take, for example, making coffee. I stumble out of bed at some early hour, barely awake, and manage to grind beans, filter water, and pour said water into my coffeemaker all in one motion without opening my eyes. (Ok, not really - but go with me here.) ANYWAY, I'm the same way with my Web browsing habits. There are only a small number of sites I visit daily, and those I do, I'm so used to a certain navigational pattern that I don't really think about what I'm doing. Since I'm pretty much breaking the bank buying books for my dissertation, Amazon has become one of those sites.
SO, Amazon just updated their Gold Box feature, and it's lame. Basically, instead of featuring 10 items randomly chosen from the site's product offerings and/or your wishlist, it now only features one item a day. Since everyone is vying for the same items, things sell out quickly. Apparently, a George Foreman grill sold out ridiculously fast when it debuted yesterday morning.
Today's feature was cookies. That's right, 25 packs of Hit biscuits. Now, I'm pro-cookie (my parents swear my first word was "cookie"), but not 250 cookies worth. Amazingly, the cookies sold out by noon on the East coast.
Amazon's case of cookies offer
The interesting thing is that the Gold Box also features a discussion board where folks can talk about the "great" deals they find. Of course, in keeping with Amazon's ornery (and often hilarious) customers, the comments are a bit less than laudatory. A few samples are listed below:
Hey, these cookies (biscuits?) are actually delicious! The question is, do I need like 250 of them? The answer is probably no.
The Gold Box? Even revised,it certainly doesn't contain any treasures. Before, my personalized gold box tortured me with endless offers of CD's from musicians I would never buy for myself, but because I purchased them as a gift, they were "my favorites". I finally figured out how to eliminate Mark Knopfler, and now you offer me....COOKIES? Come on Bezos--work with us.
you can buy these for a dollar from ikea.
I know Amazon is trying to be all things to all people, but I wish they'd stop with the food products already. For a real laugh, search for "Tuscan milk" and read the billion or so user comments.Back in the real world... I liked the 10-item Gold Box format (now I even look back on the perpetually-sold-out Prada wallet offers with nostalgia). Bring it back, please, Mr. Bezos...
I can't believe I am too late.I was just asking myself: I just got my 25 gallons of Tuscan Whole Milk 128 fl oz (I bought 25 gallons to get to the free shipping minimum and get $10 off with the invaluable but shortlived grocery3 coupon code)...
I know!
25 packs of Hit cookies!
Well, I was hit alright. Hit with a sold out sign.
You people who say this is fine... I suppose cancer, concentration camps, and global warming are fine too.
ANYWAY, after reading all of these comments, I had to check out the whole Tuscan milk debate. The comments are hilarious. Seriously, if you have some time you should read through at least a few of them (there's something like 700+). My favorite find? An ode to Tuscan milk from Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
In Xanadu did Kubla KhanAll of this reminds me of an article by Tiziana Terranova called Free labor: producing culture for the digital economy. Terranova argues that much of the actual value of sites like Amazon is produced by individuals who are never compensated for their labor (in this case, reviews of the site's products, user interface, and functionality).
A stately dairy-house decree:
Where Alf, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man,
Down to a sunless sea.
So twice five miles of fertile ground
the sacred cows wandered and fed,
And there were gardens bright with soft young grass,
Where blossomed many a pound of fresh-churned butter;
And casein scents filled the air,
Engorging the nostrils of naughty milk-maids.A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian milk-maid,
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Cottage Cheese.
Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight 'twould win me,
That with music loud and long,
I would build that dairy in air,
That sunny dome! those cows of wonder!
And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Moo! Moooo!
Her flashing eyes, her swinging udder!
Weave a circle round her thrice,
And squeeze the teats with care,
For she on sweet grass hath fed,
And produced the Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon,
128 fl oz, of Paradise.-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1816
Maybe I'll order some milk and cookies for my coffee.
