Time for some reflection again. Some of the topics I want to note down today may be random, but I have been reminded of them several times. In no particular order:
- Return Policy - Certainly this comes as no news that the return policy in U.S. puts all other countries to shame. I am not going to discuss at what cost this comes at, but it certainly makes life a bit easier with the return policy of stores such as Costco, Nordstrom and so on where you can return things even years after you have purchased the good and they won’t even ask you why. Try returning something in Europe and you are lucky if they don’t throw you out of the store.
- Availability and Abundance - Which brings me to availability and abundance of it. I have touched on this subject in another post, but the point I have to make here is that I cannot think of anywhere else in the world where (almost) anything is so accessible for purchase. You can walk into a store and buy anything from a Jacuzzi, pool table, mini tractor, or even a small & easy to assemble mini cabin!. And I am not talking about going to specialized stores to get these items. Go to your closest Costco and pick one up! Next after that, most of the well known (clothing) brands that are considered more on the exclusive (and expensive) side elsewhere in the world such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss and so on can be found in piles here in the States which also is a bit puzzling. I guess this works well with the commercial philosophy of U.S. which probably goes something in lines with: ‘People should be able to buy anything they want anytime they want as much as they want and we don’t care how much garbage it will produce, though we can compromise on the quality so the prices are not too high. If we don’t compromise on quality we will charge the customer three arms and five legs to let them understand it is quality stuff they are buying.’
- Junk (paper) Mail - I am still puzzled by how financial institutions (as well as other companies) are so persistent in bombarding your house’s mailbox with offerings printed on thick glossy papers. During the course of last month alone I have had 4 offerings to become an American Express customer and I already have had two cards with them for over a year! (one personal and one for work). Makes me wonder how they run their operations. Actually I have come to realize a big share of the corporate world here who make very good profits and are well known are not running smoothly because they run a lean and efficient business model. They just have reached a stage where they make so much money that they can cover their inefficiencies and still look like they are running a smooth operation.
