What's going on at Amazon?

[dmccarty]

I've ordered over a hundred items as a prime member and have never received it the next day. Two day delivery is normal and is worth the $100 but I do buy locally whenever possible so that those stores and their employees will remain.
...

We have received a few Prime packages overnight instead of in two days. It does not happen often but it does happen. My guess is that we placed the order at a time that allowed them to pack and mail it just in time to be sent out AND that the package was sent from the VA warehouse. Being near the warehouse is the big time saver.

A Costco finally opened up near us this year. :cool2: I needed an XMAS present and check Amazon but did not really see what I wanted. Amazon had some things but the price was too high. I noticed they had a Kirkland branded product for a good price so I went to the Costco website to compare. Costco was selling four of the items that were on Amazon for about four times the price. I was kinda surprised the Amazon price was basically the same as Costco. I figured I could use four of the items so I ordered from Costco. Costco did not charge for shipping and said the item would be here in three or four days. The package showed up the next day. :shocked::thumbsup: The package was sent from MD which surprised me. You would think Costco would send the order to the nearest store to the delivery address to ship the order. One would think that would save time and shipping costs.

Costco does not have the product selection compared to Amazon but I will look at Costco in the future as well as Amazon.

Later,
Dan

 

[jerrybob]

Why aren't there any Costco stores in Afghanistan?

Because they are all Targets!

 

[hawkeye08]

RNG, sorry for the delay in answering about delivery. Some items show a guaranteed date when you order.

I like being able to research items and then price shop. If a local store carries it, I will usually buy from them. An alternative to Amazon (according to one of my daughters) is jet.com, she has bought diapers there.

 

[TractorGuy]

"Saved me about $7.00"<<<<Do that a few time and that adds up. One thing I watch for on ebay is where the item is located, lot of times I see stuff in other country's, that could mean a mouth or more to get the item.

This is another rant I have with Amazon. They do not require their sellers to clearly state where items will be shipped from. I ordered a battery 4/2 because it stated arrival to be between 4/4 to 4/7. Got a shipping update on it today saying it just mailed from china.

Probably won't see it for a month.

 

[Travelover]

This is another rant I have with Amazon. They do not require their sellers to clearly state where items will be shipped from. I ordered a battery 4/2 because it stated arrival to be between 4/4 to 4/7. Got a shipping update on it today saying it just mailed from china.

Probably won't see it for a month.

I've noticed this, too. Can get same item on eBay for much less, also shipped from China.

 

[Dadnatron]

This is another rant I have with Amazon. They do not require their sellers to clearly state where items will be shipped from. I ordered a battery 4/2 because it stated arrival to be between 4/4 to 4/7. Got a shipping update on it today saying it just mailed from china.

Probably won't see it for a month.

Cancel the order and reorder from another vendor. I've had that happen before. Amazon is great with those types of things.

 

[TractorGuy]

Cancel the order and reorder from another vendor. I've had that happen before. Amazon is great with those types of things.

They don't let you cancel an item after it has been shipped.

I got into it with an item that was supposedly sold and shipped by Amazon once. tried to cancel 20 minutes after placing the order and it came back saying it had been shipped and I couldn't cancel it. Funny thing was I made three more attempts to cancel the order and the third time was a charm. I emailed them in the interim and told them there was no friggin way they shipped it in 20 minutes in the middle of the night.

 

[CCWKen]

That's why I don't buy anything on Amazon unless the listing at least says; "Fulfilled by Amazon". At least you know it's warehoused in the US.

So, how much did you save ordering that battery from China?

I've cut back on ordering from Amazon and have gone straight to eBay. I was a little hesitant buying a $700 rifle scope but I researched the seller well. Got the scope for $588 minus a $50 coupon and with free shipping. And I got the scope on the third day after ordering! :cool2:

 

[fried1765]

That's why I don't buy anything on Amazon unless the listing at least says; "Fulfilled by Amazon". At least you know it's warehoused in the US.

So, how much did you save ordering that battery from China?

I've cut back on ordering from Amazon and have gone straight to eBay. I was a little hesitant buying a $700 rifle scope but I researched the seller well. Got the scope for $588 minus a $50 coupon and with free shipping. And I got the scope on the third day after ordering! :cool2:

DITTO:
I am not angry at Amazon, but the same item (often from the same supplier) is usually cheaper on E-Bay, or from other internet sources.
I still do use Amazon occasionally, but not nearly as much as in the past.
Amazon seems to have developed a cult following, but the cult followers are paying MORE!

 

[Zerk]

This is another rant I have with Amazon. They do not require their sellers to clearly state where items will be shipped from. I ordered a battery 4/2 because it stated arrival to be between 4/4 to 4/7. Got a shipping update on it today saying it just mailed from china.

Probably won't see it for a month.

From China? There was nothing odd about it? I have never got anything, directly from China. The battery cost $1, might have been a hint. Ha.

 

[Oldpath05]

This is another rant I have with Amazon. They do not require their sellers to clearly state where items will be shipped from. I ordered a battery 4/2 because it stated arrival to be between 4/4 to 4/7. Got a shipping update on it today saying it just mailed from china.

Probably won't see it for a month.

Location location location.....Be interesting to see how long your battery takes, but really dont see it meeting the 4/7 time schedule, unless they sent it by a drone, I did here Amazon is getting in the drone shipping business. I also think ebay sellers are more competitive with each other to help keep prices low.

 

[Pixguy]

I bought a new module on eBay for my Bluetooth headphones and it's being shipped from China. In the past anything that I've ordered from China has generally taken 2-3 weeks and if I can live with that, then I order it. I always look at the eBay feedback and if their numbers are in the thousands and they're about 98%+ then I feel safe.
Amazon has been pretty good for me but I don't like Jeff Bezos and I always look for other sources.

 

[Zerk]

Most really be ripping off copyright if even the Chinese won't sell it in America.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Amazon seems to have developed a cult following, but the cult followers are paying MORE!

It's not a cult, it's just that a lot of us have found out that you really do get what you pay for, especially with Amazon Prime. When buying mail order, there's frequently some doubt if what is displayed on the web page will be what shows up in the box. Prime means free return shipping, and no questions asked refunds. Try that with ebay.

But I have been doing more shopping around for big ticket items to avoid paying sales tax. Combined with free shipping, that can quickly add up to a hundred bux on a single purchase. If the item comes through ebay, I always make sure it's a brick'n'mortar store that has excellent reviews, a telephone number to call if there are problems, free shipping and unconditional returns. That pretty much rules out Chinese sellers.

 

[CajunRider]

Amazon starts to charge sale tax for my state. That's the beginning of the end of my dealing with Amazon.

 

[Dadnatron]

From China? There was nothing odd about it? I have never got anything, directly from China. The battery cost $1, might have been a hint. Ha.

I've never even seen anything on Amazon shipped from China. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never seen it personally. I, however, almost exclusively purchase things on Amazon Prime.

But I agree with other posters, Amazon is certainly not always the cheapest. I check tool costs, etc often, while I'm in the brick and mortar stores, and they are about 50/50 as to cost. However, quite often, I will need something and know that it will take me an hour to go get it, at a minimum, if I have to go to the store to purchase it. I pull out my phone, find it on Amazon, and in 2 days maximum, its on my doorstep. This has made me much more efficient, and if it costs me a bit more occasionally, I guarantee it doesn't cost me my 'my hourly wage' more. Those 2 things are worth gold to me.

 

[CajunRider]

I've never even seen anything on Amazon shipped from China. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never seen it personally. I, however, almost exclusively purchase things on Amazon Prime.

But I agree with other posters, Amazon is certainly not always the cheapest. I check tool costs, etc often, while I'm in the brick and mortar stores, and they are about 50/50 as to cost. However, quite often, I will need something and know that it will take me an hour to go get it, at a minimum, if I have to go to the store to purchase it. I pull out my phone, find it on Amazon, and in 2 days maximum, its on my doorstep. This has made me much more efficient, and if it costs me a bit more occasionally, I guarantee it doesn't cost me my 'my hourly wage' more. Those 2 things are worth gold to me.

This is where Amazon prime make itself worth while. At the end of a long work day, I pull my notes out, see what I need and order it. Then I change my schedule of things to do to match expected delivery. Most of the time, things will be there for me on time to keep my schedule straight.

 

[rekees4300]

Amazon starts to charge sale tax for my state. That's the beginning of the end of my dealing with Amazon.

I thought the same thing for Indiana couple years ago but then realized it isn't Amazon charging the tax it's your state's greedy politicians. What is Amazon suppose to do, either collect the tax or stop doing business in your state.

 

[Dadnatron]

I thought the same thing for Indiana couple years ago but then realized it isn't Amazon charging the tax it's your state's greedy politicians. What is Amazon suppose to do, either collect the tax or stop doing business in your state.

Amazon is required to charge sales tax if the purchase is fulfilled by a facility that is located in your state or, in some states, that have ANY Amazon facility in your state. As rekees states, it is a local/state thing, not an Amazon thing. There was a big push several years ago, and the Democrats keep pushing it every once in a while at the Federal level, to have ALL internet purchases pay the sales tax. Anything to 'find money' that has already been spent.

 

[CajunRider]

I thought the same thing for Indiana couple years ago but then realized it isn't Amazon charging the tax it's your state's greedy politicians. What is Amazon suppose to do, either collect the tax or stop doing business in your state.

I'm not blaming Amazon. I know it's my greedy politicians that are the source. I ain't fighting Amazon! Notice that I said Amazon prime makes itself worthwhile by helping me stay on schedule.