Amazon prices

[dioxide45]

They seem to rearrange their stores periodically
with the intent of confusing their customers, so
we'll wander the aisles looking for stuff.
.

Costco does this on a regular basis and for the same purpose.

 

[VacationForever]

I choose not to support any Walton business. I have also found that when I have gone into Walmart stores they are often disorganized and don't carry much of what I'm looking for.

How is that different from saying that I don't want to support Jeff Bezos because he is a billionaire? I don't like Walmart simply because of the clientele but I do go in if they are the only one who carries an item which I neeed immediately. My husband refuses to go in.

 

[Luanne]

How is that different from saying that I don't want to support Jeff Bezos because he is a billionaire? I don't like Walmart simply because of the clientele but I do go in if they are the only one who carries an item which I neeed immediately. My husband refuses to go in.

We all choose to shop/support or not shop/support businesses for various reasons. Did I ever say you had to support Bezos?

 

[VacationForever]

We all choose to shop/support or not shop/support businesses for various reasons. Did I ever say you had to support Bezos?

Sure, but I don't understand this whole anti-Walton sentiment. A business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally.

 

[JudyH]

When Amazon Prime first started several emails and addresses could be added to an account, and the primary email got all the other benefits like the movies etc. I got “grandfathered”’in on my son’s account and get the fast deliveries. I like the product reviews and not having to drive all over looking for a particular product.

 

[GetawaysRus]

They seem to rearrange their stores periodically
with the intent of confusing their customers, so
we'll wander the aisles looking for stuff.

I hate that Costco does this. I like to do "targeted shopping." Get in, get what you need, then get out ASAP. (Obviously I'm male.) Thank God Costco doesn't change the location of the rotisserie chickens. When I was working, sometimes I would go into the store just to get an easy chicken dinner. There was a Costco on my drive home.

I very much like the Home Depot and Lowes websites. Enter the item you want into the search bar and it will take you directly to the correct aisle and bin. That makes for highly efficient shopping. They also tell me if the item is out of stock, saving unnecessary trips or helping to divert me to another location that does have my item in stock.

 

[WinniWoman]

Used to get he best deals on Amazon. Not any more.
Walmart etc. are mostly better.

Yup. I find I’m ordering more things through Walmart pick up.

It’s 10 minutes away and no minimum on the order. And I don’t have to go into the store.

 

[PigsDad]

A business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally.

Really? You believe that? Walmart had the reputation of paying low wages and purposefully making more employees part-time so they didn't have to give them benefits, which resulted in a shockingly high percentage of Walmart employees on Medicaid. Nothing illegal about that, but you think that practice makes for a "good business"??? SMH

Kurt

 

[VacationForever]

Really? You believe that? Walmart had the reputation of paying low wages and purposefully making more employees part-time so they didn't have to give them benefits, which resulted in a shockingly high percentage of Walmart employees on Medicaid. Nothing illegal about that, but you think that practice makes for a "good business"??? SMH

Kurt

So does Amazon...

 

[b2bailey]

Sure, but I don't understand this whole anti-Walton sentiment. A business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally.

Something in this quote bothers me.
"A business is a good business ..."
I think it's more correct to say such a business is legit.
But "Good" ???
I must have a different standard for use of that word.

 

[Brett]

How is that different from saying that I don't want to support Jeff Bezos because he is a billionaire? I don't like Walmart simply because of the clientele but I do go in if they are the only one who carries an item which I neeed immediately. My husband refuses to go in.

Same here (but I don't dislike Walmart customers)

Like 'em or hate them there are reasons Walmart and Amazon are the largest companies in the world

 

[Rolltydr]

Sure, but I don't understand this whole anti-Walton sentiment. A business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally.

Totally disagree! Being legal and being good are two totally different things. Many businesses use legal loopholes to do bad things.

 

[VacationForever]

Businesses hire people. People have a choice as to who they work for. If I need a job and Walmart is the only one hiring, hell yes I will go there to work.

 

[PigsDad]

So does Amazon...

And? Where did I say that Amazon is a "good business"? (and BTW, Amazon isn't/wasn't near as bad as Walmart on that front)

Kurt

 

[TravelTime]

I used to love Amazon until about a year ago. Their service is terrible and really difficult to deal with. They lost some returns recently and we did not keep the receipt because they do not tell you that they did not receive the returns until months later. I used to buy from them all the time but now I either go to the store to get things or I order from someone else where we can return in person. Even when I do still use Amazon, I stopped using their credit card because I do not want to be pressured to buy from them when we get the rewards points. It is a shame that after 20 years of being a loyal customer that my love affair has ended.

 

[TravelTime]

Same here (but I don't dislike Walmart customers)

Like 'em or hate them there are reasons Walmart and Amazon are the largest companies in the world


View attachment 86184

Wow! I would have never guessed Amazon had so many employees. Walmart has even more! Walmart is my least favorite place to shop. No wonder Amazon quality is down with a negative profit per employee.

 

[TravelTime]

Sure, but I don't understand this whole anti-Walton sentiment. A business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally.

Can you clarify what you mean by “a business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally”?

I have always said things might be legal but they can still be unethical.

 

[VacationForever]

Can you clarify what you mean by “a business is a good business as long as they are doing things legally”?

I have always said things might be legal but they can still be unethical.

As long as a business is following the law and creating jobs is a good business. People need jobs. Companies create jobs. Wage and hour, and tax laws are in place to ensure that business follow the laws.

This is a free economy. People are not enslaved to work in one particular company.

 

[Talent312]

I don't like Walmart simply because of the clientele...

A Walmart joke (that I told an employee)...

A guy goes to Walmart, but he
can't find what he's looking for...
So, he goes home, changes out of his PJ's...
and takes a shower... So he can go to Target.
.

 

[TravelTime]

As long as a business is following the law and creating jobs is a good business. People need jobs. Companies create jobs. Wage and hour, and tax laws are in place to ensure that business follows the laws.

This is a free economy. People are not enslaved to work in one particular company.

Okay I understand what you are saying regarding job creation. I had interpreted the statement broadly. I think many people follow the law but act unethically.

 

[jp10558]

I used to love Amazon until about a year ago. Their service is terrible and really difficult to deal with. They lost some returns recently and we did not keep the receipt because they do not tell you that they did not receive the returns until months later. I used to buy from them all the time but now I either go to the store to get things or I order from someone else where we can return in person. Even when I do still use Amazon, I stopped using their credit card because I do not want to be pressured to buy from them when we get the rewards points. It is a shame that after 20 years of being a loyal customer that my love affair has ended.

I was annoyed by the super slow delivery times where I live (I think Amazon is trying to get rid of me as a customer IDK, but they keep taking the prime renewal lol). But yea, it's also become an issue where "random" things you get with like no support. And it's not obvious on the site.

For instance, I ordered a metal gas can from there, I've bought it multiple times before - Just Rite. It's usually a good can, but this time the one I got had a defect. One of the holes to screw in the pour neck didn't have threading so you could not attach the flexipour thing, so really not that useful. I thought, no problem, I literally just opened the box, never put gas in the can, it's a manufacturer defect, I can return the $100 can to Amazon and they can send me a new one. NOPE. No replacement no nothing possible. Go to manufacturer. Which is crazy, if I bought a defective item *anywhere* else, on the same day I get it, I can take it back and say, look, this one is broken in the box, and get an exchange. I ended up doing a chargeback on that one. It was bullshit.

Second thing that pisses me off is my sister buys a laser cutter from Amazon. No indication that they're not an authorized dealer. I knew this was an issue with things like Bosch Mixers or the like, but SculptFun? So the thing breaks after 4 months. Contact manufacturer - NO WARRANTY because we bought from Amazon! Lets just say now Amazon went from my first stop to my last stop, after eBay for stuff, because at least ebay sellers are straightforward if it's a non-dealer sale (i.e. no warranty), and usually you pay less because of that.

Look, I don't know who's at fault, Amazon, a third party seller, or SculptFun, but I will say - eBay at least has ratings on the sellers, that are obvious. I think it's pretty crazy that eBay sellers now have a better reputation with me than Amazon sellers, but Amazon at this point is about as reliable as Temu for the random third party sellers - but they still charge 2-4x Temu prices! It's absurd, but I think Amazon is going to start seeing some lost sales when their "random Chinese brand" is no longer the cheapest price online with Temu blasting the ads and people seeing their prices. If I want cheap as possible and I don't care about what I get, I'm no longer paying the inflated Amazon prices. And if I want brand name I'm looking at Sam's Club or Best Buy and eating that high price because at least I'm vastly less likely to get a counterfeit.

 

[slip]

Living on Molokai, we use Amazon a lot. We used it while in Wisconsin and we also shopped at Walmart in Wisconsin too. Groceries were and still are bought from local stores.

 

[VacationForever]

My son works for Amazon, started as seasonal full-time. After 6 months, he was told that because it was seasonal and their business was down, they were not converting them to permanent full-time. Six months later my son is now back there as Flex so that Amazon does not need to cover health insurance and other full-time benefits. My son has indicated to management that where there is a permanent full-time position, he wants it. If his position does not convert, he will be working elsewhere. What they are doing is totally legal and not unethical. They are following the law and doing what it takes to turn a profit in that division.

... and you know what, my son just sent me an Amazon gift certificate for Christmas.

 

[Bucky]

Costco does this on a regular basis and for the same purpose.

As far as I’ve seen, they all do it. One of our neighbors is on a Home Depot “reset” team. All he does is go from store to store resetting the shelves and displays. It’s easy to understand. They want people to buy everything they can from them. When people target shop they just go in straight to where they know the item is and get it and get out! But, it’s much better for business when they have to “shop” to find it, picking up other items they hadn’t thought of. I’ve got to the point of asking an employee almost as soon as I walk n where so and so is. Usually it works but sometimes even they are at a los due to a recent reset. If I didn’t know better it was probably covered in Marketing 101.

 

[PigsDad]

I’ve got to the point of asking an employee almost as soon as I walk n where so and so is.

I've started using Home Depot's app -- just search for the product and it will instantly tell you where it is in the store. A lot of other big stores have the same thing available on their app; I know I use the Publix app for the same thing when I'm in the store. Makes for a much less frustrating shopping experience!

Kurt