Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Fifty50
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Fifty50 »

I’ve about had it with Amazon. My latest frustration involves a typical order placed Jan 6. Amazon shows today the order has not even been shipped yet (Jan 15 today) and an estimated delivery date of Jan 26. This is not unusual of late.
stan1
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by stan1 »

akblizzard wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:54 am I’ve about had it with Amazon. My latest frustration involves a typical order placed Jan 6. Amazon shows today the order has not even been shipped yet (Jan 15 today) and an estimated delivery date of Jan 26. This is not unusual of late.
Is this with a third party seller? I try to stay away from those if I can. Sometimes they are a few cents less than Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon alternatives so they show up as the preferred vendor. When I see third party I look to see if there are other vendors offering the same item (Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon).
Warning: I am about 80% satisficer (accepting of good enough) and 20% maximizer
Bacchus01
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Bacchus01 »

The Amazon advantage is dwindling, unless you are Prime. We are not.

Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and Target.com are now usually as cheap and shipping is free and MUCH FASTER through those sites. I still buy some things on Amazon because they aren't carried at those other stores, but it's becoming less and less. I've had basic stuff take a month to receive from Amazon. No thanks.
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EyeYield
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by EyeYield »

No, lately Amazon has been 20 - 25% higher for the products I've bought. I look there first, but with minimal time spent doing price comparisons I can find much better deals.

The mass hypnosis that Amazon is always the cheapest place to shop doesn't reflect my personal experience.
"The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing." - Jack Bogle
Shallowpockets
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Shallowpockets »

Amazon works OK by me. Have Amazon Prime. Also, unlike the BH philosphy, I have 100 shares Amazon stock which is up about 100k. With that in mind, I don't need to shop around for the lowest price ever recorded on an item. If I think the price is fair, that is good enough. Most items we buy are per Prime shipping and usually no more than $50. Convenience is a big factor.
Amazon web site is much easier to use than Walmart's.
Fifty50
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Fifty50 »

stan1 wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:00 pm
akblizzard wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:54 am I’ve about had it with Amazon. My latest frustration involves a typical order placed Jan 6. Amazon shows today the order has not even been shipped yet (Jan 15 today) and an estimated delivery date of Jan 26. This is not unusual of late.
Is this with a third party seller? I try to stay away from those if I can. Sometimes they are a few cents less than Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon alternatives so they show up as the preferred vendor. When I see third party I look to see if there are other vendors offering the same item (Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon).
Not a third party, I stay away from those too. I’m not a prime member, and will never be. That may be part of the problem.
Mike Scott
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Mike Scott »

Sometimes yes and sometimes no; a couple of minutes price comparisons will usually show any differences.
Countermoon
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Countermoon »

I'm surprised to read about these shipping delays. Are some of you in rural areas? I almost always get everything in two days.
inbox788
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by inbox788 »

Amazon is making the shift from profitless company to profitable company. Now that they've cornered the internet superstore market, they are starting to raise prices.

Amazon just turned a profit for the eighth straight quarter
A fast-growing and profitable Amazon is a scary Amazon.
https://www.recode.net/2017/4/27/154517 ... flow-chart

Amazon, Wal-Mart and Apple Top List of Biggest E-commerce Retailers
Company E-commerce Sales (in $US millions) E-commerce Sales Growth E-commerce % of Revenue
1. Amazon Inc. $94,665.0 19.4% 69.6%
2. Apple $16,800.0 40.0% 7.7%
3. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. $14,429.8 8.9% 3.0%
http://wwd.com/business-news/business-f ... -10862796/

I tallied the 50 company sales and got $183,042.30, so Amazon has 52% market share while the other 49 companies in total only have 48%. Their greed will get the better of them and open the door to real competition. But so far, Walmart appears to be the only contender and not a serious one yet. I was surprised at Target standing, I thought they were higher. And I'm a little surprised by Macy's and Nordstroms e-commerce sales. I wonder who's getting credit for the in-store ordered, but shipped to home products (opposite of ship to store which I assume is credited to the online business unit). It wouldn't surprise me if some of these cross-business unit sales are being double counted.

Anyway, what this means is that the hungry companies on this list will be fighting hard for the e-commerce business and the deals will be shifting away from Amazon. Cross shop jet.com (Walmart) and other stores for best values.

BTW, to fight Amazon price matching (which it's been doing for a few years now) -- Walmart was further discounting in-store pickup items even lower. Interesting strategy that might have been helpful in some cases to take advantage of their physical presence.
Angelus359
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Angelus359 »

I've spent most of my life constantly cold

I recently bought an Amazon essentials brand hoodie

I'm no longer constantly cold.

19$
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Ged
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Ged »

queso wrote: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:34 am Amazon was significantly higher than Home Depot so I just did an online pick up in store Home Depot order.
I don't think Amazon has ever been competitive with Home Depot for most of the stuff they both sell. In fact I tell my wife that Home Depot and Costco are the only brick and mortar stores I go to anymore.

Seriously do you think that it makes sense to ship landscaping supplies by UPS vs in bulk in a semi?

I am a Prime customer, and I use it heavily - not only the free 2 day shipping (some times one day) plus Amazon Video, Kindle, and I use an Amazon Drive for data backups. About the only thing Amazon I haven't accepted the idea of is Alexa.

I haven't had an order delivery delay in a couple of years.
tesuzuki2002
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by tesuzuki2002 »

azurekep wrote: Mon Jul 03, 2017 7:48 pm Most everything, especially add-ons, have doubled or tripled in price since I last bought them a year or so ago. When I do find a bargain, it's for Prime only or it's not fulfilled through Amazon. I'm finding it hard these days to find enough to meet the $25 limit for Amazon's free shipping without adding things that seem overpriced.

Are any of you finding bargains at Amazon? If so, what items, types or categories?
my Amazon purchases used to be about once every 2 weeks... sometimes in spurts weekly... I have found better deals at other retailers... I've only had 3 Amazon purchases since July 2017. So as far as I'm concerned the discounted values are getting to be less. It is easy with the internet to find the lowest price on a particular item.
Cheyenne
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Cheyenne »

I shopped for a counter-top microwave oven three days ago. After looking at several offerings at the big-box stores and major retailers where I could pick one up (my preference), I ordered one on Amazon based upon brand name, user reviews and price. I'm pleased with it.
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prudent
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by prudent »

There are a number of chains that will price match to Amazon (typically must be exact item, in stock, and sold by Amazon not a 3rd party). Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples and JCPenney. Office Depot/Office Max apparently just changed their policy last month and no longer price match Amazon. Everything is subject to change, though.

Buying local is ideal for me since I can have it today, no worries about shipping damage or porch pirates, easy returns if necessary, and it helps keep my fellow townspeople employed.
westie
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by westie »

My adult kids bought a number of Xmas presents from Amazon and had them delivered to my no sales tax state 2 hours away.. We have Prime, I like the music and video component too. If something isn't delivered on the day they schedule it, call them, they add a month to your Prime subscription.
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thirdman
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by thirdman »

I order from Amazon once or twice a year. I am not Amazon Prime. I feel like I am treated like a second class citizen. The orders do not ship for 5 to 7 days. I recently bought a rain hat. I thought I would try one size smaller, but when I went to order the price had increased from $45.00 to $60.00 ten days later. Also, the price of a hard drive had increased in ten days, from $55 to $80. I was so pleased with the hard drive I wanted another one.

I ordered a pair of running shoes through Amazon on the same order from a seller. They arrived at the same time as the Amazon order.

I will order from Amazon again, but I have to monitor their prices. They go up and down.

thirdman
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heartwood
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by heartwood »

akblizzard wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:54 am I’ve about had it with Amazon. My latest frustration involves a typical order placed Jan 6. Amazon shows today the order has not even been shipped yet (Jan 15 today) and an estimated delivery date of Jan 26. This is not unusual of late.
We're Prime. I placed an order 12/29 for 3 items, all from Amazon, not 3rd parties. The delivery window was given as 1/5 - 1/11. A couple of tubes of colgate, a bottle of gochujang sauce and an eyeglass strap. One order, three packages, all arrived on 1/10, within the window, but 12 days from order. I should have shopped locally. The packages actually shipped on the 8th.

While expecting the first order I placed a second on 1/4, again solely from Amazon, not 3rd parties. I was given a window of 1/10 - 1/16. Expected delivery is now 1/16. Within the window, but not actually shipped until 1/13. Again 12 days from order to expected receipt.

Frustrated, I called and asked if this was the new expected delivery times, a week and a half from order, for Prime. I got someone who was hard to understand, probably offshore from a non-English primary country on a bad connection. She said that if I wanted it sooner I should have paid for expedited shipping. Even on my orders I already got 2 day shipping, but the orders didn't actually ship for 8 or 9 days.
Upon pressing her about whether I should shop locally in future she offered to extend my Prime or credit $30 to my account against future purchases. I took the later.
Like the OP I'm questioning whether Amazon has lost its mojo.
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Kalo
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Kalo »

My problem with Amazon is that they give too little info about the product you've clicked on, yet lots of ads for other products you may like based on the product you are viewing. Not always but I especially notice this with higher end items. Also, they put things way down below, intermingled with ads for other products, such that it's hard to find info even when it is there.

I rarely buy from Amazon. But not because of price. More because I can't figure out enough info about the product.

Amazon does seem to have the best price on many things, and a matching price on most others. But I'm still not buying except on rare occasions.

Kalo
"When people say they have a high risk tolerance, what they really mean is that they are willing to make a lot of money." -- Ben Stein/Phil DeMuth - The Little Book of Bullet Proof Investing.
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flamesabers
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by flamesabers »

I'm no longer an Amazon Prime member as I don't buy enough to recoup the $99 membership fee with the 5% store card.

I've placed a few orders in the last two months and I haven't had any issues with shipping. Since I pick slowest speed to save on shipping, my order typically ships a few days after I placed the order. Once the order has shipped, I get the package in a few days.
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Toons
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Re: Are you finding any good values at Amazon anymore?

Post by Toons »

I think these flashlights "were" good value.
I paid 13.99.
Next Day they were
17.99


Image

:mrgreen:
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
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