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Old 05-13-2016, 10:08 AM   #1
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Amazon vs Retail

We buy many items thru Amazon. First because often our local retailers do not carry the product or they are way more expensive. We fought this at first but gave in a while ago, when we bought the stock.

I've often said that a BIG expense for Amazon is the cost of transportation and delivery to each home via FedEx, UPS or USPS and that some day they would come up with a better method. I suspected it would be something like Uber, where Amazon would have signed up people to deliver and send out a broadcast email with a payment schedule and then first one to answer got the delivery job. I had not thought of what happened to us today.

We ordered a small item on the 11th it was delivered today the 13th via an Amazon van. Handed to me by an Amazon employee who said he started work two weeks ago and was hired from FedEx.

And the world continues to change.
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Old 05-13-2016, 10:34 AM   #2
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We are also fequest amazon shoppers. We live in a relatively rural area, and the are no big stores nearby. We can most often get exactly what we want at a good price in two days. The money and time that we save shopping Amazon is substantial. We have embraced the technology. These are great times that we live in.

Brian
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Old 05-13-2016, 10:34 AM   #3
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I/we have started using Amazon more often, especially for Christmas and Birthdays. I go online find the item and push the button to purchase. 2-3 days later the item is here. I just got my 88 compressor, Diclor caulk and Fantastic vent cover all the while sitting on my ....... I did not have to drive all over looking; saved time and $$$$.
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Old 05-13-2016, 10:41 AM   #4
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I'm waiting for the day I order Pizza on my smartphone and it is dropped in my yard from a Amazon drone.
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Old 05-13-2016, 10:46 AM   #5
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Yep, drones are the wave of the future.

Love Amazon.


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Old 05-13-2016, 11:20 AM   #6
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I am becoming less of a fan. Amazon prime? Uh.... seems the great bargains are going to be eroded by pushing the "membership" concept. You LOOK at the price and forget that you pay the membership even on months when you don't buy anything.

And a part of me likes to look and feel and touch before I buy.

One thing that just totally irks me is that some products have the model and features SO badly described that you just cannot figure out what to choose. In a moment of a mildly manic swing I considered getting a Roomba - totally stupid for an RV, but daily sweeping is a pain too... So off to Amazon I go. So many models and ZERO feature by feature comparison charts. NO SALE. Kindle? Cripes I finally settled on a paperwhite but nothing told me that the cover from my old one wouldn't fit the new one. So I never got one. I use a tyvek/bubble wrap envelope ($.79) - which actually works better and weighs less than something I might have paid $40 for.

And watch out for PRIME - you can easily sign up by accident.
Don't appreciate sneaky merchants.

Paula
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Old 05-13-2016, 11:30 AM   #7
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I love prime. I save way more on free shipping than it costs me. And as others have posted, there are plenty of times when no one near me carries the product I want, like the Mcgard lug nuts that are coming today from Amazon. With free shipping. I also like the fact that if I need to return something, it's pretty easy to do and no questions asked.

Right now I'm vacillating over buying a Precision Instruments torque wrench from Amazon, for $173... Or Tools discounter.com for $139 + shipping. Amazon has the tool on back order, the other place has it in stock, but the other place has negative reviews from people who had some problem with their order. Probably go with Amazon, just in case...

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Old 05-13-2016, 11:31 AM   #8
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I have always resisted membership fees, but Amazon Prime is just too good to pass up. We also live in an area with restricted shopping so we are "prime" candidates for Amazon and Prime shipping. I cannot think of the number of times I have just ordered from Amazon just to avoid going over to Lowe's, Target, or Wally's. I would love to order my regular groceries from Amazon.
The streaming service is barely OK, not as good as Netflix was, but I canceled them when they doubled the cost to have DVD and streaming. My personal boycott.
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Old 05-13-2016, 11:32 AM   #9
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Amazon is great. There are some things where they are more expensive. But it is very convenient. They started same day delivery in Tampa. I ordered some Pizza Snacks just to try that out. Ordered at 9am, delivered by 1pm. Weird. But cool.
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Old 05-13-2016, 11:34 AM   #10
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We have been Amazon Prime members for a number of years now. For a long time, it was $70 a year. More recently, it has gone up to over $100 a year. I just looked at our account. During 2015, we made 97 purchases through Amazon. So far in 2016, we have made 37 Amazon purchases. At this rate, Amazon prime really pays for us. We also like the added benefit of the included Amazon Prime Video. We are finding that we watch and enjoy most the the Amazon television. We especially liked the Amazon Original detective series Bosch.

Brian
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Old 05-13-2016, 11:41 AM   #11
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If you have an American Express card, you get a ShopRunner membership for free.

https://www.shoprunner.com/americanexpress

With ShopRunner you get "unlimited free 2-day shipping, free return shipping, member-only deals and much more"

I use ShopRunner all the time! I like that you get to shop at different stores, such as Drugstore.com, NewEgg, Lord & Taylor's, Bon Ton, Avon, and more. And they have excellent service. Again, membership is free if you have an American Express card. Even if you have Amazon Prime, this is a good second option to do your shopping.
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Old 05-13-2016, 11:54 AM   #12
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Thank you for the tip on ShopRunner.

Also check out Jet.com. Free shipping on orders over $35. Good pricing, too.

As much as I liked Amazon, recently told them to buzz off when their CEO started revealing his political purposes of his businesses.


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Old 05-13-2016, 08:08 PM   #13
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It's a tough market out there for people who want to sell products on their own. Amazon provides such great customer service, and you feel a reduced risk of being ripped off, since you've already trusted them with your credit card number and they haven't ripped you off yet. Many times I want to buy something new, and look on Amazon to see if it is listed there, because I'd just as soon not give my credit card number to some company I haven't bought from before. OTOH, it's not such a great deal for sellers, who have to accept a reduced profit margin.
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Old 05-14-2016, 07:41 AM   #14
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I've been a customer of Amazon for many years, signed up for Prime 1.5 years ago. I was a casual customer at first but I'm finding I shop online, especially Amazon. Some things I can still find locally but it seems that the local stores don't carry the items I want or need. At Amazon I can put items in my cart then 'save for later' so I don't forget them or to see if the price goes down.

The big box stores must do all their reordering by computer now. Walk into one big box and if you can't find what you need, no sense in going to another, they won't have it. Now they offer ship to store for free so I'm using that option, but if Amazon has what I need, it's usually at a lower price and they bring it to my door. For some purchases I still go to the local brick and mortar store to check it out. I'll use my cell phone to get the reviews off Amazon but purchase the item locally if the price is close.

Prime not only saves me shipping costs, I don't have to wait until I total more than $35 to get the free shipping, which is 5 days. I order what I need and it's there in 2 days or less, often, next day. I've ordered items at 9 PM and it's at my door before lunch.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:19 AM   #15
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I try and shop local when ever I can, but for things that are not available locally, or when local prices are unreasonable, Amazon is the first place I look.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:21 AM   #16
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My experience with Amazon is not only as a customer but also a Workkamper in Campbellsville, KY for the last 3 Xmas seasons. It continues to be a great experience and I have been able to meet so many full-timers. This year they are hoping for 600 campers for the upcoming season in KY. I will be returning again this year.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:35 AM   #17
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While the free shipping for items under $35 is attractive I always wait until I have enough purchases to qualify for free shipping and most of my purchases are more than $35 anyway. I don't mind waiting for the shipment which typically is 3 to 5 business days. Can't see paying $100/yr for almost instant gratification.

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Old 05-14-2016, 01:43 PM   #18
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We've had both good and bad experiences with Amazon Prime, but overall we like it. We rarely are in a place where we can take advantage of the streaming video, but then we don't watch all that much television anyway. Being able to have an item in a couple of days is really great - when it works.

Our last purchase was our only really bad experience, and Amazon did all they could to make it right with us. Jo Ann ordered an item to be delivered in two days (Prime membership). Someone goofed, and it was sent UPS ground (delivery in 5-7 business days). We had it sent to the place where we were, and where we will be returning briefly, so if it hadn't arrived before this little trip we could still get it. The package got within a couple hundred miles before it disappeared. Amazon first extended our membership, then reordered the item with a 25% discount, and told us that if the first one arrived we should just keep it. The replacement was sent here, and was waiting for us when we arrived. The original item ended up far, far away and has finally gotten back to where it started.
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Old 05-14-2016, 02:00 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulnGina View Post
As much as I liked Amazon, recently told them to buzz off when their CEO started revealing his political purposes of his businesses.
Yeah, don't you just hate it when people use their own money to support equal treatment for all people. Not very Christian of him, eh?
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Old 05-16-2016, 06:24 AM   #20
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The real purpose of my initial post as OP was to see if anyone else had witnessed and or experienced an Amazon owned and operated delivery truck to their home or business. I did not clarify that in my original post. To date several people I've talked to have had deliveries via the Amazon delivery service.

In the near future I suspect if this continues Amazon will not just lessen if not eliminate their dealings with FedEx, UPS and USPS but in fact compete with them as their own delivery service for individuals and businesses that have items to be shipped, even those not purchased from or thru Amazon.

Bud
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