My new Steam Controller arrived from Amazon in 10 days
The news is not so much my new games controller, but rather that in 10 days from when I ordered it on Amazon it shipped and passed through customs with its duty and VAT added, and was at my front door. My order from Takelot has apparently been delayed by another week (hopefully it arrives next week now).
Which goes to show that if an item is in stock at a local online retailer it will probably be quite quick, but if it is not in stock it could be quicker ordering from Amazon. In my case the Steam Controller was nowhere to be found in South Africa, just like when I went out a week back to try buy a Chromebook (none in any of the retail stores I visited).
Buying local is always my first option but my attempts seem to be rather frustrated by local retailers who don't know what a Chromebook is, don't stock the LG smartwatch, don't stock Google Home speakers, don't stock high-powered Anker chargers, don't do online customisation of T-shirt orders, etc.
It is a global economy now so our retailers should realise there is global competition, but with the small size market we have it may be that the low demand just does not justify diversifying. Well, at least there are complimentary alternatives that consumers do have…