> We traded so much for the cheap convenience of fast shipping and a few dollars off.

There's more to it than that. The fast shipping and a few dollars off was a good deal.

But modern Amazon no longer offers fast shipping or a few dollars off. And, separately, they've stopped being willing to provide an amount of packaging that prevents your items from being damaged in transit. They're betting that having provided a good service in the past means they never have to bother in the future.