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.

[Astella22]

My Sis got fake skincare products form Amazon so none of us use it for anything like this since. I’ve also noticed a big drop in quality and delivery times

[Ozanj]

@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.

Filter your search to only display Popular brands. Problem solved. I got Roxy board shorts for £20 the other day, Teva Hurricaine sandals for £15, most of my Puma gym kit comes from Amazon too at lovely low prices. All sold and dispatched by Amazon

[CounsellorTroi]

Amazon is very useful as a research tool, if you are looking for something, want to know if it is available to begin with, and roughly how much it costs, even if you end up buying somewhere else..

[Ourlady]

@How2Help

I admit I was wondering why you were buying a pot noodle from amazon.

I need to buy some reading glasses, maybe not from amazon.

Ha ha same and I have my glasses on

[mafted]

I've had prime membership for years and years but recently have been considering cancelling it as I just don't use it.
Prices aren't competitive,
delivery is slower,
you have to trawl through pages of crap, prime day and Black Friday are poor compared to years ago,
They've changed the music option on Alexa so you can't ask for specifics unless you pay extra none of us use an Alexa anymore.

I'm basically paying £7.99 a month to watch This Is Us and for the kids to watch the odd film here and there.

[Maverick197]

Amazon prices have been creeping up. I used to order big bags of pet food from them, but can now get the same food lots cheaper elsewhere.
I never buy from Amazon anymore without making a price comparison and 90% of the time I can get the item cheaper elsewhere.

Also agree that lots of the items are just cheap junk from China.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

I get my stuff next day no problem
I buy only from uk sellers.
Only gripe is that sometimes when shopping it says "same day" but then as soon as I pay it says next day. As a realistic person though I count on next day anyway

[Mol1628]

I’ve fallen out of favour with Amazon as well.

So much cheap rubbish from China and I’m not sure what I’m buying anymore.

I tend to go to specific shops now, online still, but I’m happy to pay a little delivery to know I’m getting something genuine.

For example my sons swimming trunks I used to order on Amazon. When I needed new ones last month when I searched I couldn’t work out easily which were genuine and which were coming from China etc So I just ordered from sports direct instead. Then I know what I’m getting is genuine.

I do still like Amazon for books though.

[QueenOfDuisburg]

I have cut down on using amazon a lot recently. Realised some of their 'excellently reviewed' items were pretty dodgy once I started using them (plus came with Chinese - only instructions) so I now never buy anything that isn't from a brand I recognise. I also only buy if it's something I need urgently (I have Prime at the moment) or definitely can't find cheaper elsewhere, which actually isn't very often nowadays!

[MarleneDietrichsSmile]

Yes they are now the more expensive for almost anything… started years ago

More like ebay too and full of scammy stuff from
China that takes 3-6 weeks delivery (and is nothing like the picture)

[MarleneDietrichsSmile]

There are companies that literally have factories full of workers writing positive reviews

[clickychicky]

@CounsellorTroi

Amazon is very useful as a research tool, if you are looking for something, want to know if it is available to begin with, and roughly how much it costs, even if you end up buying somewhere else..

This is what I use it for.

[Wroxie]

This was always the point - to sell things below cost at times (especially once free shipping is factored in) and to make the convenience of shopping through Amazon completely seamless and ubiquitous so that it pushes every other outlet aside and becomes basically the only option for sellers and almost the only option for buyers. Now that step 1 of the plan is complete, they can raise prices, lower quality, increase seller fees, and tell anyone who doesn't like it to pound sand.

You don't have to use Amazon*. I don't. It probably doesn't matter at this point because the damage has been done.

*I don't use Amazon for shopping, e-books, or entertainment. Unfortunately I still have to use their web services (servers) through work as they control most of the infrastructure of the internet. Which is absolutely fucking terrifying.

[Wroxie]

Also it's kind of dumb to say "cheap rubbish from China". First of all, your phone, your computer, your TV, most of your clothes and shoes and bags (including the expensive ones), all of the nice high-quality things in your home - the vast majority of that stuff will be manufactured in China. "Made in China" is no longer shorthand for "low-quality". It's just... where stuff is made now. Some of it is better quality some of it's worse quality. It's clueless at best and xenophobic at worst to continue to equate cheap rubbish with China.

[lillylemons]

The prices on Amazon are crazy a few weeks ago I wanted something for ds birthday it was out of stock in Argos so thought i'd try amazon and the item was £7.00 more.
I used to use Amazon for ds nappies but noticed the prices are always going up.

[Maverick197]

@Wroxie

Also it's kind of dumb to say "cheap rubbish from China". First of all, your phone, your computer, your TV, most of your clothes and shoes and bags (including the expensive ones), all of the nice high-quality things in your home - the vast majority of that stuff will be manufactured in China. "Made in China" is no longer shorthand for "low-quality". It's just... where stuff is made now. Some of it is better quality some of it's worse quality. It's clueless at best and xenophobic at worst to continue to equate cheap rubbish with China.

I think you missed the point- of course not all products made in China are rubbish, many are referring to the low-quality counterfeit items which are produced cheaply in large quantities in China.

[WrongWayApricot]

I'm able to order a pool noodle for next day. Was it a specific one? Or maybe you're having warehouse/delivery issues in your area?

[WildSwimming101]

Amazon really are one of the biggest problems with this world.

Jeff is now so rich he's taking 18 year olds on trips to space.

It's fucking madness.

They will take over the world, along with China if we don't pull our heads out our arses and start caring about this world a bit more!!

[Elys3]

Alternatives to Amazon:

Books to buy online that also support high street book shops:
www.hive.co.uk
uk.bookshop.org

[CoffeeWithCheese]

Etsy's full of Chinese mass made stuff as well now - it's become a huge problem on the site (I used to sell on there).

[helpfulperson]

Quick look on amazon brings up a few noodles with delivery tomorrow and a couple for Monday. Also tells you if it's 'fulfilled by amazon' or another seller. You just need to check the descriptions carefully.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@CoffeeWithCheese

Etsy's full of Chinese mass made stuff as well now - it's become a huge problem on the site (I used to sell on there).

Yeah. Itbused to be more unique. Now I see quite a lots of things you can get bit cheaper on amazon so Inam guedsing new sellers came in just flogging standard stuff for small profit

[secondbellini]

I have not had any issues. I filter to prime and it comes the next day.

If it is something really expensive like a household appliance I will compare it to buying from other places before buying.

[HarebrightCedarmoon]

Nope, always find it really good.

[User56439876]

If I want something that is not urgent I put in in saved items and only buy when it is a good price, I done this recently with Le Creuset saucepans and got about a third off, I also use the filters to only get the brand I want. I use CamelCamel Camel to check pricing so I know what stuff has sold for in the past