This is what it's become. I just scribble a line mostly, because most signatures are done on an electronic device (nothing beats good ol' pen and paper). And this is how employees actually feel about a signature.
But when you open a credit card the employee is supposed to verify that the signature matches the signature on your state-issued id, and a basic AI program would only better enable the employee. Seems like such an obvious solution to counter fraud too
Credit card employees aren't verifying anything. All of my credit cards have been opened remotely: online, and through the mail.
And I can count on one hand the time a merchant has actually checked my signature against the credit card. And for charges under $50, most places don't even ask for a signature.
Best to just get rid of the signature entirely and speed up the transaction. It's pointless.
With RadioShack going under, AliExpress is my goto for basic electronic components, but it can be painful when you need to wait 3 weeks for a new part to arrive.
But I don't like how Amazon because of how they treat their workers. Maybe the engineering positions are awesome, but warehouse workers and deliverers seem to be worse off than a Wal-Mart employee 10 years ago
My understanding is that Amazon makes their money from aws, then builds their brand through their eCommerce site and other gadgets/projects. Those projects (like aws) have the potential to make bucko bucks, but as long as Americans income continues to diminish, the profitability of Amazon's core business will stall.
But I agree that Amazon will become the first $1 trillion dollar enterprise, but after weathering another economic downturn. Amazon is the Walmart of today, and is ruthlessly out competing every retailer (retail is in a recessive state, and I'm wondering what happens when SEARS goes under).
To throw a curve ball back, I do think Amazon is politically vulnerable. I don't shop with Amazon, and I tell everyone not to shop at Amazon. The company doesn't treat their average employees well, and should allow all their workers to form and join a union if they want. USPS is a great place to work, FedEx and USPS are pretty great too, Amazon is a garbage place to work---
I don't necessarily think that's the case. Amazon did make more from AWS than their ecommerce business last quarter, but it wasn't a lot more (less than a billion in profit). They will face as much or more competition in this area than in the ecommerce space.
In any case, since a lot (I would say most) of Amazon's market cap is based on perceived value and growth of its distribution and ecommerce business, if the fundamentals aren't there to make larger profits long term, there's no way the stock can maintain its current valuation.
I do shop on Amazon a lot, because I live in a city where the convenience factor is too great to drive to a store, and believe all this in spite of that. I agree that their working conditions are awful, but unfortunately I don't think most people care when shopping. Wal-Mart has taken a lot of flack for that over the years and it hasn't slowed them. In fact it was only about five years ago that there was a best selling book about how Wal-Mart was taking over the world and had to be stopped at all costs. I don't hear that as much these days and in fact it seems that they are viewed as an underdog. Things can change very quickly.
But when you open a credit card the employee is supposed to verify that the signature matches the signature on your state-issued id, and a basic AI program would only better enable the employee. Seems like such an obvious solution to counter fraud too