I’m glad Prime Day worked for you. However, reality is that a lot of people were unhappy with Prime Day. I’m one of them. I tried for 3 items and got one–the one I wanted least. I wanted to try fo 5 items but Amazon made that impossible by putting me on the equivalent of hold fo 20+ minutes.
I don’t buy much stuff on line. However, I used to think that whenever I did, Amazon would be the best deal or at least close to the best price. Increasingly, I’m finding that’s not the case. Sometimes items “on sale” at Amazon are on sale at a better price on the company’s own website.
And, increasingly Amazon is making lower price items “add ons” so there is effectively a price floor for “free” shipping.
I got my Amazon prime membership as a gift and I don’t think I’ll renew because I don’t save $99 a year shopping on the Amazon site. I’m incredibly disappointed with the Prime Video “free” stuff. I thought I’d be able to watch lots of PBS stuff but most of it still costs. For example, I like Inspector Morse. It’s from 1987 but I have to pay 99 cents to see it–and I don’t need Prime for that.
So, yes, I’ll give jet.com a try. And maybe if Amazon has some competition, it will go back to offering the best prices with “free” shipping on everything.
I was extremely disappointed in Prime Day. I think it was a pretty spectacular failure but I don’t think for a moment that it is in anyway reflective of Amazon’s future.
I still love prime and will continue to be a loyal customer.
Jonri, I never wrote that Amazon had the best prices in every case. That is why it pays to do comparative shopping! What I did say is that it remains the best online retailer! This is similar to discuss Trader’s Joe or Costco. None of those two have the best prices in every article and none of the two have the best quality every time as TJ shows its parent company stripes (Aldi is one of the worst grocers but uber cheap) and Costco relies on cheaper white products between higher quality. For instance, Costco switched from a decent supplier for its Chrismas Belgian chocolates to a low cost wannabe. Same box - different product.
I never said the sale was a great one. I said it worked for me as I grabbed cables, Chargers, a Fire stick at 24 dollars, and a few things I use up regularly. Again, yesterday was better than last July 15th.
All in all, Amazon is not perfect but is the best retailer in most cases when one balances everything. I am happy to pay 8 bucks a month for what I get, and would be HAPPIER if they charged 150 and stuck to FedEx and happier if they stopped subsidizing the junior memberships to better enforcement.
Regarding add-ons, it has been an issue on perhaps a handful of purchases in a decade, and one easy to deal with by adding a couple of cheap stuff one uses anyway. Need pens as add-on … just add a ream of paper!
I have bought products with better prices through places such as NewEgg, Tiger, Walmart, or BBB but had to play the silly coupon games. Does one really enjoy chasing Kohl’s Bucks all day to save 20 dollars? Does one enjoy spending hours with Sears to get them to replace a stolen item because they used the dumbest shippers?
In an age in which we spend hundreds of dollars on cellular services, Internet and cable, and are hit with endless fees when traveling, I find Amazon to be a great tool at a very reasonable fee. It is just a company one is happy to patronize.
Please tell me if you find many that are better at what they do?
Jet is offering free one year memberships.I have one and I was sent 5 giftcards for 1 year memberships to give away (already given). They officially launch in a few days. As for amazon, I am doubly disappointed as what I bought supposedly on sale, 50% off, for $15, I saw at Costco today for $10.
I will say, there is one item that we got that I’m very excited for: hearing aids. I got them for my dad though if they work well for him, I might get a pair later on. We’re both borderline for needing hearing aids but I’ve adapted to my hearing loss as it’s been around since a very young age… his has come on with age so it’s been a hard transition. His insurance won’t cover them because his hear isn’t bad enough, but it is definitely affecting his quality of life.
Anyway, there was a pair on there for either $40 or $50 and I bought them before he could protest. I know they’re not going to be super great but even if they can just get him back to where he can have a semi-normal conversation (ie where we don’t have to repeat everything five times), it’ll be a great boost to his life. So we’ll see…
Great news about the hearing aids for your dad! I wear them but paid alot athough my insurance finally pays part. I have a very neat "looP’ device that marries with my aids and so I can listen TV at the same level as H. He loves it!
I am in Ziggi’s playing sandbox. I love Amazon. Today alone I received my new mini cover. I looked at 3 stores and did not find what I wanted. Amazon had exactly what I wanted for $13 Prime. Office Depot had almost what I wanted for $28. I would never find many of the items, such as our remote control drapery rod, without them. Why, because while we are in a large city these things cannot be located. As long as I can send it back at no cost, they have me. I try out things that I would never if I had to pay shipping. We buy soap and such and think we should by more.
Fish oil --as is the ONLY place I can find that carries the small capsules
SMINTS that I love and cannot buy any place at all except Amazon
Glycerine Soap–same price when we can find it which is not often
Just all so easy
The only other online GOD for me is Zappoes.
I order 10 pairs at a time and sometimes keep none or one.
In a year I might order dozens and dozens and keep 5.
I keep wondering when they will cut me off but so far so good. I love them.
Package arrived. Very disappointed, but not worth the hassle to return it (plus I used discovercard credit so thats a hassle too). I received 6 rolled up pr of undies in an unmarked plastic bag. Eww.
Hearing aid update: apparently it’s not a hearing aid but a sound enhancer?? I’m not sure what that means but he put them on and could even hear whispers. He was so reluctant but after a few minutes he said “I’m going outside! I want to hear things I haven’t heard in a long time!” … and then came in a few minutes later with a headache haha. Baby steps.
We also got a Smart TV because ours is biting the dust. $200 for a 32 inch isn’t bad and perfect for our room. Set it up and so far so good. Also got a few things for the dog… she’s unsure about them.
I ordered something from Walmart.com on Wednesday morning and it was at my home on Thursday by 11:59 am. I was blown away.
I did buy 3 things from Amazon on Wednesday. They all came today. One of the items was something that I had been put on the WL for…and I had gotten a message that it would be unlikely that I would get it…but about 5 minutes later a pop-up told me that it was available and I needed to buy it in something like 15 minutes…and I did.
I love free shipping. I also love subscriptions…I now have many regular purchases coming by subscription - 5 items - so I get an extra 15% off.
My not sale travel book arrived with a few bent pages and seriously looked as if a truck had run over it with the tire marks and all. Good book though.
