I agree that we have all become a bit spoiled by Amazon Prime. I work in distribution, and to have virtually anything you want on your doorstep in two days is ridiculous. Consider these three things; price, speed/service, and availibility. The customer gets to pick two, but the supplier gets to keep the third. 90% of my orders go through BMW, and I only go elsewhere for something special, like a pump mount from B3, or the oxygen kit from Williams that comes with the SS wand.
I think it is universally accepted that Ed has the best prices on the internet, and his shipping terms are also unbeatable. He also has every grain, yeast, hop, and piece of equipment you would ever need sitting on the shelf, waiting to ship (take a look at some of the other big suppliers, and see for yourself how much is out of stock). Following my rule above, he is already giving you the advantage of price and availibility. However, I think you can make a strong argument that his customer service is on par, if not better, than anyone else online. E-mail him with an issue, and see how quickly you get a response. I think the guy sleeps with his Blackberry.
I think it is important to remember that as the customer, you are always getting the best end of the deal; if he is so busy that it takes him an extra day to get the order shipped, so be it. If anything, it is a testiment to how much people support the company.
Joe
