AIBU to think that Amazon has gone to shit?

[SophieGiroux]

It now seems to be full of third party sellers from China. You used to be able to get stuff delivered next day but this seems to be a rarity these days. All I wanted to buy was a pool noodle but it seems this is not possible without having to wait about 3 weeks. It feels just like eBay now and you can't guarantee anything you get is genuine, I've heard of a lot of people getting fakes. I don't know if it's just the things I've been searching for but not much is now supplied by Amazon, just delivered by them.

I'm not particularly worried as felt a bit like Amazon were taking over the world but with this business model I can see sales only declining.

[ThinWomansBrain]

filter to prime only for prompt delivery

[Missedopportunity]

I never understand people expecting Amazon to be the cheapest store. Of course some things with them are cheaper, but some are more expensive and you can buy them cheaper elsewhere. It's for you to look around for the best deal. It's called shopping. Surely everyone searches online to see if it can be bought cheaper elsewhere? That's what makes shopping so enjoyable, sniffing out the best deal.

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

@SnarkyBag

Yeah I’m also finding that they’re no longer always the cheapest either. DS wanted a sandwich toaster and it was actually over £5 cheaper in Dobbies garden centre which as a rule is always over priced! Same for a milk frothier thing DH wanted.

Yes!!!!

For more than a decade I’ve been used to Amazon being the cheapest retailer for household stuff, books etc by a country mile. But over the last few weeks I’ve been looking for random bits and pieces- Playmobil, Usbourne books, brabantia bin liners and they’re all cheaper to source in local bricks and mortar stores.

It does make them slightly easier to boycott…

[DinosaurDuvet]

I sell on Amazon (also have a website that I sell from) but was surprised to see one of my main competitors selling on Amazon with a 15% mark up on their stuff. It's because Amazon charge a ridiculous commission per sale and a monthly fee 🙄

Also for the delays, it's ridiculous - since covid its hard to get stock and postage is very slow & unreliable this last 6 months.

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

@Missedopportunity

I never understand people expecting Amazon to be the cheapest store. Of course some things with them are cheaper, but some are more expensive and you can buy them cheaper elsewhere. It's for you to look around for the best deal. It's called shopping. Surely everyone searches online to see if it can be bought cheaper elsewhere? That's what makes shopping so enjoyable, sniffing out the best deal.

Because them being the cheapest was their major USP, and for a very long time that was the case?

[earsup]

we ordered 3 star wars light sabres...all different to the pics so got refund etc but seller changed the pics after we bought them..!!
i rarely use it as treats the workers like slaves...10 hour days and only 1 hour break etc.

[Waferbiscuit]

Agree. Biggest issue for me is the search which now seems to prioritise products that pay to be listed first over accuracy.

Just say you search for Yankee vanilla candle. It used to show the Yankee brand vanilla candle at the top of the list as that is the most accurate and correct search. Now a zillion unbranded or other brand vanilla candles show up first before Yankee. Not because the search is poor but because those companies paid to get higher on the search list. It sounds trivial but is immensely irritating as it means all the crap quality shit is always on the top of the list and it's increasingly hard to find what you want.

[Missedopportunity]

@TerribleCustomerCervix

Because them being the cheapest was their major USP, and for a very long time that was the case?

I don't think they've ever been the cheapest. You've always been able to get some things cheaper on ebay and other sites. What they do do is make delivery fast and returns very easy. That's their USP and they're really good at it.

I have noticed that some things are more expensive, though. They always sold hada labo the cheapest but it went up by £8. So I googled shopped and I can get it at the original price from superdrug. But its my choice if I want to pay extra and get it the next day, or pay less and wait a few days. That's shopping.

[kwiksavenofrillsusername]

I always find it weird that people state that Amazon is the cheapest. I rarely find that it is. Plus you pay more for Prime items, so essentially you’re paying a postage charge anyway. So many items are full of fake reviews and I’ve had some shockingly crap products from them lately. Most recently a ‘pool cover’ that ended up being a round cut out piece of bubble wrap.

MIL uses them more than anyone I know because it’s the only website checkout she knows how to use. She refuses to learn to use other sites so pays through the nose for stuff. I reckon that’s probably a lot of their customer base nowadays. People who are just comfortable using the site and won’t switch.

[Omronron]

@DarkDarkNight

I agree. I have Prime and a few years ago I’m sure they had an option where you could opt to get it slower for about £1 credit and I used that most of the time. That option seems to have gone now but when you actually need something next day it just doesn’t happen.

Twice I’ve contacted them recently because it pissed me off so much. I specifically filtered for Prime only, it said next day delivery on the main page, it said next day delivery when on the shopping basket page then mysteriously changed to a different estimated delivery when actually checking out. It’s really misleading. One of the items was sent from Germany and I had to pay for the return. Shipping costs were refunded when they received the item but if you filter for Prime products only you should only get things genuinely available for next day delivery.

This infuriates me!

[ProfYaffle]

I found if you filter by Prime, very often it only applies to 1 product in a range, eg one particular size of T shirt and not to the rest.

I cancelled it because I was paying the subs plus an inflated price for the item to qualify for 'free' (not next day) delivery.

[UseOfWeapons]

Hardly even use it.
I recently wanted some books that are part of a series, and Amazon price was £2 cheaper for one, and £4 more expensive for the other 3, compared to Waterstones. I popped into town on my bike, and less than an hour later, had my books, cheaper and faster than Amazon. When I order from Waterstones, books take 48 hours or less to come in and I can pick up at my leisure.
Amazon deliveries difficult, as I I have nowhere it can be safely left, no one to take deliveries on my behalf, Amazon lockers usually full… for me, it creates more angst that’s it’s worth.

[delilahbucket]

I hardly buy anything on there now. At one point eBay was my go to place to buy things and it went to pot, then Amazon became my go to. Now I just Google. I use Etsy and Not On The High Street for gifts but NOTH have a better handle on the quality of products sold.
I sell on Amazon, eBay and Etsy. Both Amazon (this year) and eBay (over the last three years) I have seen a significant drop in sales so I know there are less buyers and more sellers of cheap tat to compete with. You are far better off searching out the small independents who have their own website, as long as you are aware of the Consumer Contract Regulations and check the company in question is compliant so you know that the company is more likely to do right by you if something goes wrong.

[BarbaraofSeville]

It's very variable these days and delivery times and prices are sometimes good, sometimes not.

But the problem with a pool noodle is that it's a cheap item that probably has disproportionately high postage costs and takes a lot of room up in the warehouse so they might not keep them in stock.

Can you get to a Decathlon, Sports Direct or bargain store in a holiday area to buy one in person over the weekend?

[brokenbiscuitsx]

Yeah it’s grown too big, they can’t control it it seems (or don’t want to) there’s too many weird sellers on there and products with no obvious price (until you click through and then it’s £50 for one picture hook that usually costs £2!)

A lot of the reviews are fake too, even the verified ones might not all be real.

I try and buy from independent sellers now on Etsy. I know it’s not exactly the same and you can’t get the same things but it’s so nice received hand wrapped items from smaller businesses

[MildredPuppy]

Yes. It took just enough hold to put all my lical alterbatives pit of business and has now gone downhill

[worktrip]

I find them still very good, but you have to be more careful. Not had any duff or unusually expensive stuff. I always price compare anyway

[brokenbiscuitsx]

@Waferbiscuit

Agree. Biggest issue for me is the search which now seems to prioritise products that pay to be listed first over accuracy.

Just say you search for Yankee vanilla candle. It used to show the Yankee brand vanilla candle at the top of the list as that is the most accurate and correct search. Now a zillion unbranded or other brand vanilla candles show up first before Yankee. Not because the search is poor but because those companies paid to get higher on the search list. It sounds trivial but is immensely irritating as it means all the crap quality shit is always on the top of the list and it's increasingly hard to find what you want.

Yes this!! This what happens when you put profit first. It all goes to shit.

I can’t see Amazon being around another decade if I’m honest, not that Jeff cares, as long as he’s got his $ out of it I’m sure that’s all he’s concerned about.

[GnomeOrMistAndIceGuy]

Yes! It feels like a bloody jumble sale at times. You can still get some things quickly and reasonably priced, I find, but for other things it's like wading through a sea of tat.

[Branleuse]

its pretty much the entire capitalist business model. Make sure the rest of the market cant compete, ruin everyone elses trade, and then once you have a monopoly more or less, you put prices up and reduce quality.

What do you think happened to all our british industry? sold off and outsourced from other cheaper countries, who then do the same thing, because they can

[MandarinLime]

If there was a problem with a seller you used to be able to contact amazon but now they've made it impossible

[Fernando072020]

Same. I used to buy quite often but it's been 2 months since I've last purchased (which is a long time for me!) I've gone back to actual stores

[Kinneddar]

I love Amazon. Buy most stuff on it & have had no problems getting next or even same day delivery. Totally worth £7.99 a month

[HappydaysArehere]

So far loving Amazon Prime. Had really good buys. Regarding prices they often alter from one site to another so look carefully.

[CornishGem1975]

Yep delivery is not what it used to be, prices have gone up, up, up and too much fake stuff and fake reviews.

I still have my Amazon Prime but I notice things aren't always as quick delivering now as they used to be. Also if I order and it's on the 'before 1pm' delivery option, it NEVER arrives until much later in the day.