in Italy, I believe it used to be a crime to mismanage a company such that people lost their jobs. Anyway, such large job losses would trigger a criminal probe.
No, because a lot of the savings that door-to-door delivery supposedly achieves, I can achieve by simply optimizing for time.
I drop off my kid at Main Street for dance. I pick up my laundry and drop off my USPS in the same plaza
I continue on to Costco, and if gas (I take whichever car is lowest on gas).
Costco has everything you could typically need, but on the way back there are very many stores I can stop at.
Pick up the kid, eat lunch at Main Street.
The whole circuit, round trip is 16mi, but I've done things I would have done anyways, COSTCO adding only 8 mi, but saving me (usually) having to go do groceries. So let's say an extra 4 mi.
Also, my car is far lighter than a utility van, not driving door-to-door so my mpg are much better. Double? So my Costco run is a 2 mi. equivalent.
But at Costco (and Target next door) I can get everything in one big shot. W/ Amazon I'll get very many deliverables.
Frankly, I just don't think it's that obvious picking stuff up myself isn't better.
I commute with a 2.5L Golf, I get 25 mpg in urban mountain driving. Stick shift, it's a blast to drive. However, it's also a massive pain in the ass to get in and out of. Especially since my recent abdominal surgery.
When I slip into my SUV I really appreciate the extra space.
When I load all the crap modern children have (car seats, strollers, pack and play, ect) and lug them 300 miles to their grandparents (which I used to do monthly, now once every two months), I also appreciate the extra room.
Speaking of kids, I really appreciate having an extra 1000 lb of inertia (vs. the Golf) protecting them when some idiot on his phone crashes into me. Fellow millennials! Put the phone down!
If (when, really) I move back to CND, I'll appreciate towing 5000 lb trailer worth of stuff to have while the moving companies does their thing.
And you know the best part of the SUV? The Golf doesn't get much better millage! I save more money from the cheaper tires the Golf takes than I do on the gas!