Bryan Pieper's Blog : E-Commerce

Happy New Year! May you and your family be blessed in 2010 and the years to come! To start off the New Year, I wanted to list off some random thoughts in the tech and online world that have impacted me.

Do you own an iPod, iPhone or a Mac? A decade ago, that idea that one would choose a Mac over a PC was unthinkable. In 2000, I was a PC (and a Linux geek). Today, I am still a Linux geek, while I use a Mac at home and at work. 

The Mac and OS X transformed the consumer computing experience. This transformation has inspired a decade of new ideas and devices making Apple undoubtedly the most influential brand.  As I wrote earlier about the Apple Tablet, it could easily alter the mobile computing space again. Would Windows 7 be what it is today if it wasn’t for Apple?

Online search has changed dramatically. Yahoo is no longer numero uno. Have you used a metacrawler lately? Do you need to “Google it?”  We will see what Bing does this coming decade and what comes about from real-time search.

Goodbye Delta, hello LUV! Thank you Southwest Airlines for not making me pay a fee to bring my luggage.

Last month, we traveled to Omaha to visit my northern relatives. I researched this trip for about 3 months looking for the best deal. I finally found a flight on Southwest.com. The deal was not only cheaper than the rest, but it didn’t include hidden fees to bring my clothes.

Seriously, why is it that most of the other airlines want to discourage you from bringing your luggage? Doesn’t the traveling experience most often include a suitcase or two? It is nice to know that LUV is still focused on the customer. They even let me chose my own seat... double bonus! Southwest, you have gained a customer today for not charging me to bring my luggage. Way to go!

What are your thoughts on bag fees?

Have you shopped online recently and come across a retail website selling items with no prices?

A few weeks ago, we needed to buy a new stove. So, being a Tampa Bay resident, I wanted to check out the local appliance retailers first to see what their deals were.

My first stop was Famous Tate.  They sell various home items from appliances to bedding. They have eight stores throughout the Tampa Bay area… basically they are a major retailer.

Here is a shot from their website: