Author Topic: Paying for stuff  (Read 2035 times)

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Offline UMDNats

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #50: October 08, 2020, 04:00:29 PM »
Even Amazon’s 2 day prime shipping is a thing of the past.

 i get stuff delivered same day or next day for 85% of what i order

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #51: October 08, 2020, 04:51:02 PM »
Down here it’s getting stretched out.

I think they realize 2 day outside of major cities is impossibly expensive, but 1 day inside of major metro areas is doable

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #52: October 08, 2020, 04:53:17 PM »
I think they realize 2 day outside of major cities is impossibly expensive, but 1 day inside of major metro areas is doable

It’s Bezos’s way of punishing the red areas and putting  the emphasis on the blue.  :whip:

Offline dracnal

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #53: October 08, 2020, 05:16:52 PM »
It’s Bezos’s way of punishing the red areas and putting  the emphasis on the blue.  :whip:

Not really... Amazon uses third part courier and logistics companies.  As do FedEx, UPS, HP, Dell, and most major corporations with a service time guarantee.  They pay a company to have a warehouse full of parts, and when one is needed, they pull it off the shelf and take it to the destination. That's how they get four hour response times on business critical server hardware, for example. 

As to why they do it for blue areas instead of red, it's simply a matter of population density. Below a certain number of people per square mile, it's just not cost effective. There won't be the logistics or courier companies out that far, because again, no $$$, so they'd need to create their own warehouse of stuff that they fully controlled. Not happening in a widespread way. Pretty much any product that doesn't have a Prime 2 day guarantee is coming from a non-Amazon seller (marketplace) or it's a really niche, rarely ordered thing.

All that said, in the last 10 years or so, there's been a steady erosion of Amazon customer service and now the 2 day Prime shipping really isn't guaranteed. As recently as five years ago, if you ordered something with Prime shipping and they thought there was a hitch in the shipping, they would send a second one from another warehouse. You generally got to keep both, if the items were under a certain value. That just isn't happening any more.

Online varoadking

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #54: October 08, 2020, 05:59:54 PM »
Even when the USPS used to call it "two-day priority mail," the "two-day" part was explicitly stated not to be a guarantee. Delivery in one to three days is still not guaranteed with Priority Mail. If you must get it there promptly, use FedEx or UPS.

It's odd because first class mail seems to get to/from Hawaii as fast or faster than it gets to/from Chicago...

Online varoadking

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #55: October 08, 2020, 06:03:21 PM »
Not really... Amazon uses third part courier and logistics companies.  As do FedEx, UPS, HP, Dell, and most major corporations with a service time guarantee.  They pay a company to have a warehouse full of parts, and when one is needed, they pull it off the shelf and take it to the destination. That's how they get four hour response times on business critical server hardware, for example. 

As to why they do it for blue areas instead of red, it's simply a matter of population density. Below a certain number of people per square mile, it's just not cost effective. There won't be the logistics or courier companies out that far, because again, no $$$, so they'd need to create their own warehouse of stuff that they fully controlled. Not happening in a widespread way. Pretty much any product that doesn't have a Prime 2 day guarantee is coming from a non-Amazon seller (marketplace) or it's a really niche, rarely ordered thing.

All that said, in the last 10 years or so, there's been a steady erosion of Amazon customer service and now the 2 day Prime shipping really isn't guaranteed. As recently as five years ago, if you ordered something with Prime shipping and they thought there was a hitch in the shipping, they would send a second one from another warehouse. You generally got to keep both, if the items were under a certain value. That just isn't happening any more.

Agreed...Amazon has really slipped...though I think a lot of that has to do with more and more independent vendors shipping their goods directly...

For pet supplies though, nothing beats Chewy's...it like they read your mind and the package arrives almost before you order it...

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #56: October 08, 2020, 07:02:56 PM »
Agreed...Amazon has really slipped...though I think a lot of that has to do with more and more independent vendors shipping their goods directly...

For pet supplies though, nothing beats Chewy's...it like they read your mind and the package arrives almost before you order it...


Amazon is loaded with counterfeit crap now- it’s much easier to shop on Walmart or target’s websites and know you get what you pay for (prices often better too)

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #57: October 08, 2020, 07:04:02 PM »
On chewy, I don’t see how they can ship so fast for free without jacking up prices (which they don’t)- 50 pounds of cat litter second day can’t be cheap

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #58: October 08, 2020, 07:08:02 PM »
On chewy, I don’t see how they can ship so fast for free without jacking up prices (which they don’t)- 50 pounds of cat litter second day can’t be cheap

Trust me, it’s included in the price. ;)

Online HalfSmokes

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #59: October 08, 2020, 07:09:38 PM »
Trust me, it’s included in the price. ;)

It’s the same price as petsmart and Safeway :shrug:

Online varoadking

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #60: October 08, 2020, 07:12:26 PM »
Amazon is loaded with counterfeit crap now- it’s much easier to shop on Walmart or target’s websites and know you get what you pay for (prices often better too)

Agreed...Walmart has been GTG the last 4 or 5 times I've used them...$35.00 to get free shipping is pretty easy to do...

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #61: October 08, 2020, 07:41:29 PM »
On chewy, I don’t see how they can ship so fast for free without jacking up prices (which they don’t)- 50 pounds of cat litter second day can’t be cheap

Probably warehouse locations all over the country. They know what sells.

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #62: October 08, 2020, 07:48:31 PM »
It's odd because first class mail seems to get to/from Hawaii as fast or faster than it gets to/from Chicago...
1. Load it on a plane.
2. Take off.

As opposed to trucks, trains...

Offline dracnal

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #63: October 08, 2020, 07:50:57 PM »
It’s the same price as petsmart and Safeway :shrug:

Neither PetSmart nor Safeway are starting with wholesale price as the base. They like to go straight to retail pricing. And since it's pets, a healthy markup to boot.

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #64: October 13, 2020, 07:54:06 AM »
I just ordered a garden hose on Amazon prime, Tuesday the 13th.  Expected delivery is Saturday the 17th.   :wtf:

Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #65: October 13, 2020, 08:10:34 AM »
I just ordered a garden hose on Amazon prime, Tuesday the 13th.  Expected delivery is Saturday the 17th.   :wtf:
I ordered an air conditioner cover Sunday and it comes Friday. So?

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #66: October 13, 2020, 08:18:46 AM »
I ordered an air conditioner cover Sunday and it comes Friday. So?

So much for 2 day prime.

Offline Natsinpwc

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #67: October 13, 2020, 08:22:44 AM »
So much for 2 day prime.
I’m just happy to get a cover. Many of the other brands were not available for a month or so.  You get free shipping so what’s to complain about?  That was after paying for a more expensive cover from another company and then have them tell me three weeks after taking my money that it was on back order until November.

I signed up for a free trial of Prime a couple weeks ago to order soemthing I needed. Will look for some things I need today and then drop it before the end of the 30 day trial.

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #68: October 13, 2020, 10:13:40 AM »
You get free shipping so what’s to complain about? 

It's in my DNA.  :crackup:

Online varoadking

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #69: October 13, 2020, 10:22:11 AM »
It's now $7.75 to send a letter sized envelope by USPS Priority Mail.  Mailed to a Northern Chicago suburb on Wednesday the from the Fashionable West End of Henrico County, VA with an expected delivery date of Saturday the 10th.

That's Priority?

OTOH, my mother mailed me an envelope with $3.00 postage on  it...for what reason I have no idea...from a Northern Chicago suburb on Monday, September 29th, and I didn't get it until Monday, October 5th.

So I guess 3 days is Priority when the option is 7 days...but "Priority" to me should be 2 days...max...  :old:

USPS Tracking shows that the 2 Priority Mail envelopes that I mailed on Wednesday the 7th are:  UNKNOWN

No record of the initial acceptance, movement to destination, or delivery.  Such a deal...

Offline DCFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #70: October 13, 2020, 11:50:19 AM »
USPS Tracking shows that the 2 Priority Mail envelopes that I mailed on Wednesday the 7th are:  UNKNOWN

No record of the initial acceptance, movement to destination, or delivery.  Such a deal...

I sent back my Va EZPass transponder via certified mail as they suggested and it was delivered and picked up today, a day earlier than the post office initially estimated.

Offline wj73

  • Posts: 784
Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #71: October 13, 2020, 06:19:48 PM »
I’ve had a package “In Transit, Arriving Late” since October 7. No location or other details noted.   :evil:

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #72: October 13, 2020, 08:17:52 PM »
All those deep state USPS employees are prioritizing mail-in ballots.

Online varoadking

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #73: October 14, 2020, 09:58:22 PM »
USPS Tracking shows that the 2 Priority Mail envelopes that I mailed on Wednesday the 7th are:  UNKNOWN

No record of the initial acceptance, movement to destination, or delivery.  Such a deal...

Went to the Post Office this afternoon.  Their tracking information indicates that both letters were delivered on 10/9/20, despite Informed Delivery giving me "UNKNOWN" results.

So, all is well...but it does make me question the reliability of Informed Delivery...


Offline Count Walewski

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Re: Paying for stuff
« Reply #74: October 15, 2020, 08:30:15 AM »
Anyone here been involved in a PayPal dispute before? My elderly mother was scammed into sending $50 to China via PayPal to buy an item from a website that no longer exists (3 weeks later).