# Great Ripoff Artists



## ManjaroKDE (Nov 28, 2021)

Amazon, I've been aware of the Amazon cycle trap for a few years now, free shipping, no longer 1-2 days now takes a week or more to get item.  Purchased a needed cord replacement, decided Amazon was as good as most.  Ordered a packet of 2 at $12.99, fair price I thought but shipping has become a real hassle.  Shipped out of the distribution center on Wednesday less than 100 miles from home. Tracking information was supplied. 

Arrived in my city on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day, my bad) was scheduled to be delivered Friday, got delayed was sent back to the USPS.  Sent out Saturday was due to be delivered that day.  Somehow got delayed again.  Back to the USPS,  tracking said sorry, it's been delayed, if i don't get it by Tuesday I can request a return and refund.  No delivery this Sunday, (they are making weekend deliveries because of Covid). 

Now we're talking about a package that should be about 6in X 9in at most, light a few ozs.  I went out on Walmart.com looked up the identical item and found 3 to a package, same make, model and color for $12.98 store pickup.  50% more at Amazon, less hassle and no delay in returning item for a refund.  That follows closely on a laptop I purchased last summer.  Kind of been watching because of the price.  I paid $360 now can buy the same for $320, but on Amazon the identical item is listed at $430.  Free shipping with both.  Not buying either.


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## Judycat (Nov 28, 2021)

Went to buy some tops online. They were marked down to $7.99 each. I ordered three. Site said the tops were available in the size and colors I wanted. When I went to check out, small print that could be easily missed on two of them 
said, they won't be shipped until next month and at which time won't qualify for the discount. Always someone trying to rip you off anymore.


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## Tom 86 (Nov 28, 2021)

I've found out that there are many things cheaper at W Mart, Target, Meijers than Amazon.  I can also drive 6 to 15 miles to pick them up.  
When I shop on Amazon, I automatically open several other tabs with different stores to compare prices & shipping or pickup.


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## Lethe200 (Nov 28, 2021)

Manjaro, what a pain for you! We've had something similar happen a couple of times but fortunately got resolved in the end. 

I notice many members here complaining about Amazon's prices. Amazon never intended to follow the Wal-Mart "lowest prices" strategy forever. They always aimed to get people to become regular customers, then Prime members, and be the automatic "well, I'll just order that on Amazon".

*Amazon is now aimed at convenience, not the cheapest prices*. Their target market is high-income urban professionals.

Are many of the items I buy off Amazon Prime cheaper in retail stores? Yes.

Except I would have to drive to several different places, fight traffic, find a parking slot big enough for my mid-size SUV, then schlep through each store looking for where my one specific item is located. Probably would have to find a store clerk - never easy these days - to ask what aisle it's supposed to be in, and hope with fingers crossed the clerk actually knows the store layout.

Example: my fav grocery store hides the toothpicks. Why, I don't know. They used to be near the paper plates/napkins/plastic tableware. Then they got moved, and nobody seems to know where they were moved to. I've been told they're SUPPOSED to be near the paper plates, but unless my spouse and I are both blind, we aren't finding them.

Or I can go on Amazon, type "toothpicks", and order it delivered to my door, no need to waste $4.99/gall for premium. And save myself a lot of time and aggravation.

For the times when Amazon doesn't have what I want, Google finds me a company that does have that specific item, and usually with free shipping - I just have to allow more time rather than the speedier Prime delivery. Cat food, for example, is cheaper on Chewy.com with free shipping, than on Amazon. Same price as the local supermarket, except that Chewy.com has the brand I want *in stock, *whereas the supermarket hardly ever does, these days.

Urban mail delivery remains fairly reliable. We've noticed some slowdown but not egregious yet.


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## Grampa Don (Nov 28, 2021)

There's a reason Bezo's one of the wealthiest people in the world.  He knows how to get your money.  Amazon is my last choice to buy anything.  I've found Walmart is just as easy and fast, and the prices are often better.  And, I always check E-bay.


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## Nathan (Nov 28, 2021)

Yep, Amazon is fantastic, but they are crooked, gotta watch them like a hawk.  Amazon is great about accepting returns, you ought to send that delayed AMZN purchase back when you get it.    

^^off topic^^ Amazon Prime stinks(IMO), unless you use tons of video and audio media....for which(btw) there are tons of free online sources.
Shipping?   I can find free shipping, don't need Prime for that.   Alexa?  Pfft, that's what the NSA is for....


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## Don M. (Nov 28, 2021)

I buy a fair amount of things online.  I usually check several sites, including Amazon....and Very Rarely buy from that site.  I can almost always find a better deal elsewhere.  I've never understood how that site became so large....given the better buys elsewhere.


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## Robert59 (Nov 28, 2021)

Found Amazon much higher then E-bay or even Walmart.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 28, 2021)

Here's a really interesting video about how Amazon has no problem whatsoever selling products that were stolen by manufacturers in a foreign country. The foreign company not only stole every detail of the product's design, they even stole the labeling and packaging, and they sell it for less, causing a huge financial loss for the kid who invented it. Etsy is guilty of this, too, and so is Facebook. They still advertise the stolen product this guy talks about...using stolen video clips, no less.


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## Grampa Don (Nov 28, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I buy a fair amount of things online.  I usually check several sites, including Amazon....and Very Rarely buy from that site.  I can almost always find a better deal elsewhere.  I've never understood how that site became so large....given the better buys elsewhere.


I think a lot of people don't realize that Amazon is not always the best deal.  They've never bothered to shop around because Amazon makes it so easy to buy and it carries almost anything a person would want.  And, they feel that Amazon is a safe place to make purchases.  Whether it is true or not, Amazon has a reputation of putting the customer first.

And, of course if you subscribe to Prime you have an extra incentive to deal with them; that is to get your money's worth.


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## Ladybj (Nov 28, 2021)

So far, no problems with Amazon.  However, I ordered a Christmas gift for my hubby a few days ago and they did not have a delivery date.  I will keep checking.  I may cancel it... but hopefully, I will get a delivery date soon.


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## Tish (Nov 28, 2021)

I bought a phone cover from them last year, the thing arrived a week late and was burnt, I kid you not it had a hole in the plastic and had a burn mark on it.
I requested my money return and that took 4 days.
I will not buy from them ever again.


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## Grampa Don (Nov 28, 2021)

Tish said:


> I bought a phone cover from them last year, the thing arrived a week late and was burnt, I kid you not it had a hole in the plastic and had a burn mark on it.
> I requested my money return and that took 4 days.
> I will not buy from them ever again.


We've bought a couple items from Amazon that were obviously previously returned.  One was an adjustable foot rest that was broken.  I've read of others with similar complaints.

I bought a pair of binoculars from them that were just thrown in a box with no cushioning.  Luckily they weren't damaged.


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## Irwin (Nov 29, 2021)

I've gotten a few defective items from Amazon over the years but they've always been good about rectifying the issues. A few times, they just sent a replacement without having me send back the defective item. I guess since I buy so much stuff from them, they trust me. Of course, those were just products that were under $10 or so. But with more expensive items, even if I bought it by mistake, they take it back and pay for shipping. Not really, since shipping is added into the price, but it is convenient.


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