What's going on at Amazon?

[IslandTractor]

My latest debacle has so far ended with me not getting what I ordered and Amazon telling me the seller has left the system and cannot be contacted. Tracking shows my order was delivered to the wrong state. Good thing this was only a $5 battery. I wrote Amazon and told them it wasn't much money but all the failings were why I have moved much of my business to ebay. I followed up by removing my method of payment from their system.

Just to recap I ordered a 6v sealed rechargeable lead acid battery. The seller listed at 5 bucks and Amazon showed an estimated arrival in 2 days, non prime. Turned out the battery was being shipped from China and no where in the ad did it say that. Amazon tracking shows it was delivered 3 states away, 25 days late, last Friday but the tracking number is not from any US carrier so I can't confirm.

From ebay I can see where the product is shipping from in 99% of my orders and assume the seller will ship in a timely manner. It doesn't ALWAYS work out that way but when it doesn't it is usually something I knew was coming from china and the slow shipping was a possibility. I have been pleasently surprised a few times and got stuff from the other country in less time than expected. In no case have I ever NOT received an item and been told "to bad, the seller has left the system".

I have used Amazon for years and always found them to stick up for me when dealing with problem suppliers. However, I have also noticed an increase in the amount of goods being shipped directly from China using "ChinaPost" which has been less reliable by far than FedEx or UPS. No tracking either. While it is amazing that I can order a small item that arrives by mail a week or two later at minimal or no shipping cost, I don't think I would never trust ChinaPost to deliver any expensive or large or heavy item. I get the impression that the Chinese post office is subsidizing the small stuff and sending it airmail while bigger packages are probably assigned to Camel trains via the Silk Road.

 

[Oldpath05]

(" While it is amazing that I can order a small item that arrives by mail a week or two later at minimal or no shipping cost,")<<<<<If this item is coming from China, that's fast, the last time I ordered something from China, took 6 weeks.
I'm amazed when I order something like this and it only took 4 days from Fl.>> 1 Pack Lynch Pins Quick Disconnect Fastner Spring Loaded 3 Sizes | eBay <<and free shipping.

I got tied of going to Amazon for price checking, so I don't know if lynch pins would be cheaper or not, doubt it, but I do like Amazon for finding what I'm looking for, once I get the exact name/brand, copy and paste to ebay and got it for a lot less, that's the Prime way for me.........

 

[IslandTractor]

(" While it is amazing that I can order a small item that arrives by mail a week or two later at minimal or no shipping cost,")<<<<<If this item is coming from China, that's fast, the last time I ordered something from China, took 6 weeks.
I'm amazed when I order something like this and it only took 4 days from Fl.>> 1 Pack Lynch Pins Quick Disconnect Fastner Spring Loaded 3 Sizes | eBay <<and free shipping.

I got tied of going to Amazon for price checking, so I don't know if lynch pins would be cheaper or not, doubt it, but I do like Amazon for finding what I'm looking for, once I get the exact name/brand, copy and paste to ebay and got it for a lot less, that's the Prime way for me.........

China Post has airmail and surface mail. Small light things seem to go airmail even when shipped "for free". I suspect the government subsidizes that sort of thing. I've received small items like an Apple Lightning charging cord in a week from China in a China Post envelope. Bigger stuff goes surface so weeks and even months is not unusual. I ordered some camping doo dahs on March 16 which were shipped March 20. Still not here.

 

[fried1765]

(" While it is amazing that I can order a small item that arrives by mail a week or two later at minimal or no shipping cost,")<<<<<If this item is coming from China, that's fast, the last time I ordered something from China, took 6 weeks.
I'm amazed when I order something like this and it only took 4 days from Fl.>> 1� Pack Lynch Pins Quick Disconnect Fastner Spring Loaded 3 Sizes | eBay <<and free shipping.

I got tied of going to Amazon for price checking, so I don't know if lynch pins would be cheaper or not, doubt it, but I do like Amazon for finding what I'm looking for, once I get the exact name/brand, copy and paste to ebay and got it for a lot less, that's the Prime way for me.........

Sounds like an excellent method!
Think I will try that myself!

I just had Amazon prime for one (free) month.
It is over now!
Why would I pay $132 per year for free 2 day shipping?
I am almost never in a hurry.
I just save items in my wish list until I get to $35, or buy from an E-Bay free shipper.

 

[Oldpath05]

Sounds like an excellent method!
Think I will try that myself!

I just had Amazon prime for one (free) month.
It is over now!
Why would I pay $132 per year for free 2 day shipping?
I am almost never in a hurry.
I just save items in my wish list until I get to $35, or buy from an E-Bay free shipper.

So you can get a nice warm fuzzy feeling by contributing a little extra dinero to the US economy which creates more tax revenue so the government won't shut down, diverting a national disaster, I feel better already.
Lot of times when I order something from around the NJ, NY, Pa. area, I have in two days, now that's sure better than the Pony Express....

PS, I don't give a rats donkey about Donald Trumps taxes............

 

[Oldpath05]

China Post has airmail and surface mail. Small light things seem to go airmail even when shipped "for free". I suspect the government subsidizes that sort of thing. I've received small items like an Apple Lightning charging cord in a week from China in a China Post envelope. Bigger stuff goes surface so weeks and even months is not unusual. I ordered some camping doo dahs on March 16 which were shipped March 20. Still not here.

I bought a few things couple years ago from China, that was two months, the flashlight I ordered back in Nov. took 6 weeks, must of come by boat or bamboo raft, so I'm still a little reluctant to buy something from China, Hong Kong, Ting Ting Tong.......

 

[mike69440]

Ordered OREGON 91VXL052G. replacement chain for my little Home-lite trimming saw. Instead this is what I received, a Pkg. of 12 Mustard 77135-BR Fishing Tackle Snap Hook mislabeled OREGON 91VXL052G. Robots bring down the supply chain costs and boost profits, but Amazon need to hire more unskilled semi literate humans and less robots.

 

[IslandTractor]

Ordered OREGON 91VXL052G. replacement chain for my little Home-lite trimming saw. Instead this is what I received, a Pkg. of 12 Mustard 77135-BR Fishing Tackle Snap Hook mislabeled OREGON 91VXL052G. Robots bring down the supply chain costs and boost profits, but Amazon need to hire more unskilled semi literate humans and less robots.

Imagine the chagrin of the poor fisherman out on the lake who opens his package to find a chain saw blade!

 

[Oldpath05]

Ordered OREGON 91VXL052G. replacement chain for my little Home-lite trimming saw. Instead this is what I received, a Pkg. of 12 Mustard 77135-BR Fishing Tackle Snap Hook mislabeled OREGON 91VXL052G. Robots bring down the supply chain costs and boost profits, but Amazon need to hire more unskilled semi literate humans and less robots.

So you got some free fishing stuff, might come in handy next time you go to Zimbabwe, Bad robot. But what about the saw chain, did the robot compensate you for that?
Amazon wont hire me because I want $30/hr with cost of living increases, 15 paid holidays/yr, 10 weeks vac time/yr, 100% free healthcare like politicians have, 5k annual Christmas bonuses with 3 paid weeks off at Christmas time and 20k sign up bonus, I can start tomorrow.

 

[TractorGuy]

I suspect what i just encountered was a scam. Seller probably listed a bunch of stuff cheap, sent empty envelopes to wrong addresses, then canceled account after collecting on some sales. I am not going to bother trying to recuperate 5 bucks so they got away with it in my case.