General Request to pretty much everybody (or so it seems).

[3Ts]

It's an hour and a half drive one way to get to a decent sized town (not a city). So, I start my shopping with an internet search, then check Amazon for pricing. I fully realize that I'm paying a little more for the product which covers the cost of their service, convenience, customer service and ease of returns. And the "free shipping" :laughing::laughing: the cost of the product is increased to cover that. But, once I find what I'm looking for, I'll then check other web sites for the prices of their products. I've found that certain companies that sell on Amazon also sell directly for less and have better shipping and support than thru Amazon.

 

[aczlan]

I didn't write that I don't deal with resellers aka middle men, but I did express a preference NOT to. Amazon allows no discrimination or options.

You can choose the seller with Amazon just like with eBay, you can also choose between something fulfilled by Amazon (where the seller stores the product with Amazon), or where the seller ships directly to you. I do that with a couple of Amazon sellers where I prefer to buy directly from them (one example is Dollar Radio Sales, but I cut out the middle man and buy directly from them as they program the radio for us).

Are you familiar with the term "skim",, You know, a little off a lot? It's still a lot.
Justify it how you may. You are a sucker for cheating the maker their fair due, and a sucker for paying more for the same item from a different source.

How us the maker being cheated? They sell to (or through) the middleman for a price that they are comfortable with and the middleman uses their connections to sell it for a higher price.

Aaron Z

 

[Diggin It]

Going to buy a bunch of stuff today from Amazon. Love it. The closest town of 4,000 is 25 miles from me. Unless I call, I am not even sure I can get what I want until I get there. So three gallons of gas to make the trip and an hour and half of wasted time, not counting the time on the phone.

I figure it costs me about $.30/mile for fuel, oil and wear and tear on a vehicle. So that 50 mile trip is $15.00. If I avoid only one trip into town every month, that adds up to $180. And I normally get a better or equal price on Amazon. It would be stupid for me not to use on-line retailers.

That's not what I said. I shop the web all the time for the same reasons, town is once or twice a month. But there are a number of other sites to buy from, and I can usually find what I want easily without stuffing Jeff's pockets.

Jeff wants to be the only guy in town and is determined to be. I don't want that to happen.

 

[Industrial Toys]

You guys in the States don't know how good you have it. Amazon CA is a Joke, much like anything else up here!

 

[Rock Crawler]

We spend around $9,000 to $12,000 a year through Amazon. It is our go-to source for most everything but groceries and "need it now" things that you just flat out need NOW.

I have 3 relatives that work from home for Amazon, they make their families income doing HR/Hiring, IT and programming for Amazon. Amazon puts many thousands of Americans to work managing the behemoth database and the huge pool of employees.

They have also now started to hire local car owners to deliver Amazon products from centralized micro receiving centers. I spoke to a driver just this past Sunday, she said that typically she is making around $18-$22 an hour delivering for Amazon and she loves it. She picks her days and decides when she will work and when she will not.

Amazon does absolutely impact small/local businesses, but it is also the way of the world today.

If you do not like the convenience and simplicity of it, you are free to not use it.

Hold on, I need to go order more on Amazon!

 

[fried1765]

I can almost always find the same thing cheaper someplace else with really free shipping, not paying $120/Yr up front.

I TOTALLY AGREE!
Amazon prime is a $120 gotcha deal.
They gotcha $120, and then they gotcha hooked, because you want "free 2 day shipping" (on some things).
It is a marketing ploy.....and a LOT of folks are hooked!

 

[fried1765]

It's an hour and a half drive one way to get to a decent sized town (not a city). So, I start my shopping with an internet search, then check Amazon for pricing. I fully realize that I'm paying a little more for the product which covers the cost of their service, convenience, customer service and ease of returns. And the "free shipping" :laughing::laughing: the cost of the product is increased to cover that. But, once I find what I'm looking for, I'll then check other web sites for the prices of their products. I've found that certain companies that sell on Amazon also sell directly for less and have better shipping and support than thru Amazon.

You are what is known as a savvy buyer.
Many are not!
They just go directly to Amazon, and click on buy.
I sometimes see items on Amazon that can be bought on E-Bay, or other sites, for 1/2 as much.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's probably been mentioned, how Amazon apparently absorbs shipping just to put the screws to their competition. And later, that will change when the competition is out of business.

A friend and good customer, had been getting pretty much everything through Prime. It really pisses me off, as he checks my prices against Amazon all the time. Funny, how I am not that available for him anymore. Oh, and BTW, my Hourly rate is going up again!

 

[ray66v]

I agree with the premise of the OP's post.

We should at least consider how the money we spend is used, not just with goods, but also services, and entertainment.

I'm willing to live, and let live. And, I can accept people have different opinions. But, it's counter intuitive to support people who actively, and aggressively, use the money I spend to oppose what I believe in.

It's not hard to find business, and celebrities, who chose to go public with their beliefs, and what their agenda is today. They generally garner more than their share of media attention.

There is always another option for auto insurance, or a different movie, or another musician, I can support. And, I will.

 

[Industrial Toys]

People always speak like that. Yet, unless you are Wealthy and NOT trying to live on so much money like almost all of us, you spend your money where it costs less. There is hardly anyone out there that will buy a ten dollar item at Joes Mom and Pop store when the same thing can be got for seven bucks across the street at a Big Box Store.