Amazon delivery drivers put me off making high value purchases from Amazon

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I’m planning to buy a MacBook. It’s 10% cheaper if I buy it from Amazon. It would be a pain to have to travel to the nearest Apple Store or to John Lewis.

But Amazon don’t employ their own drivers and the white van guys that make the deliveries seem sketchy. I appreciate it’s a terrible job for them too, maybe that’s another reason why the company shouldn’t be supported.

They also often leave items outside the house where anyone can see them. Some Amazon items don’t come packaged either which makes theft more likely.

There have been stories of delivery drivers stealing high value items or replacing them with printer paper etc. Amazon or the credit card company will eventually refund but it can take weeks.

It might also increase your chance of being burgled as these sketchy randoms will now know what you’ve purchased.

AIBU for this to put me off Amazon for high value items? Am I better off paying the extra £150 and buying in person from John Lewis or the Apple Store?

the white van guys that make the deliveries seem sketchy They are just trying to do their job! What do you mean they seem sketchy? Do they wear balaclavas?

If you're uncomfortable with it that's fine get it elsewhere it's a choice.

But Amazon don’t employ their own drivers and the white van guys that make the deliveries seem sketchy. I appreciate it’s a terrible job for them

delivery drivers stealing high value items

chance of being burgled as these sketchy randoms

If your so judgemental of people trying to earn a living go to a shop to save yourself the worry

just pay on your credit card for s75 protection, and if you’ve got a video doorbell that’s all you’ll need.

honestly the fuss…

This too, make sure it says sold by Amazon and not a third party. Good advice.

This. I wonder what it is about these 'sketchy randoms' that is so antagonising to the OP.

Never had a problem with Amazon deliveries; one or two haven't turned up, but have all been credited without question (although that could be because i'm such a regular customer)
Because of security issues in my apartment block, I often get things delivered to my local Waitrose.

I second this. Amazon are the very best couriers in my area. 100% reliable tracking. Royal Mail, on the other hand, will claim they've attempted delivery when they have not as excuse to deliver parcels day after promised date.

Amazon is rarely the cheapest I find - it often appears cheaper but often the spec is not as good.

Meant to say, I was buying the item as a present... obviously this advice can be applied even if you're buying for yourself! 😁

I bought some computer equipment recently from Amazon and it needed a code, it literally said in the email it couldn't be left, not even with a neighbour. Chill out, make the purchase on a credit card, youll be fine.

John Lewis deliver. You can also collect it from Waitrose if there's one near you.

But to add, I'd be surprised if Amazon really was the best value way of buying a MacBook. Especially with cash back sites etc.

Tomorrow’s

Okay but for MacBooks there’s very limited variety so it’s easy to make the comparison between retailers.

I think more powerful models for example with up to 32gb memory are only sold directly by Apple but I don’t need that.

Can you not get a John lewis purchase delivered to your local coop food?

Sorry phantom word

Yes I may well do that, or to Waitrose as a pp said.

Do they not offer the standard Amazon tracking if they're using non-Amazon van drivers?

Usually - if it's a day when you/somebody is in - you can watch it so precisely that you can be waiting at your open door when the delivery person arrives, so no danger of it being stolen by a street pirate.

Also, can you select plain Amazon packaging - they usually offer this so as not to spoil surprises with presents for other members of your family - so the driver would have no idea that it isn't just a ream of paper, a set of chopping boards or something else relatively boring and low value?

Finally, yes there are some dishonest Amazon drivers - like in every job - but the vast majority are decent people who just want to do an honest day's work and go home with an empty van for their (not amazing) pay.

Is it worth paying the extra to get Apple Care or often with JL you get a longer warranty than other retailers. Using JL repair services in the warranty period for me has made it worth the extra outlay initially.

Thanks yes, the usual Amazon tracking would be available. I’ve experienced deliveries being cancelled on the day before though and I think I’d worry on the day of the delivery. Shoving a camera in the drivers face when I open the door and filming the delivery would definitely be a bridge too far for me, I couldn’t imagine doing that.

Side note but is it generally agreed that a MacBook Air is a better purchase than a Windows 11 laptop?

Also the fraud happens when customers refund things.

Customers are returning items, putting things in the boxes to mimic the weight. Or with games consoles, iPads iPhones, they put their older ones in the box,

My friend used to work in Argos and had to take longer when customers wanting refunds on certain lines. Had to make sure the serial number on the box matches the one on the item (sometimes had to switch the device on to check) and other things listed on Argos' staff pages.

As what happened at another Argos was a member of staff noticed the box was torn on an PS4 and inside was kids books.

As to OP with putting stickers on the product without packaging, I doubt they do that with laptops and high value items. I ordered a bag for gym use and that was delivered with an address label stuck on the outer bag. That was about £6.

Who is the seller? Is it Amazon, or a different seller who markets through Amazon?

It's the random sellers that I'm more suspicious of than Amazon drivers. I'll buy high value items from Amazon itself with no qualms, but not from sellers I've never heard of, via Amazon.

Also if the seller is Amazon, John Lewis will match their price.

Surely, though, if they have to cancel the delivery, they reschedule it - and refund you if they can't fulfil it for some reason? They would know that they haven't delivered anything, and thus you wouldn't be charged.

You don't necessarily have to hold your phone under the driver's nose to film them - if you don't have a camera doorbell, you can buy very cheap tiny cameras and could just discreetly attach it next to your door on the delivery day.

If you did get a dishonest driver, there would be more chance of filming them doing something incriminating before you open the door, rather than when they know that somebody is standing there.

If its Amazon selling not a third party via them, its more than likely to be delivered by Amazon.

Many reasons to try to break the Amazon habit but it's peak Mumsnet to do so because you're suspicious of the "sketchy drivers" (is the implication that working-class people are all dodgy?) rather than because the drivers (and other workers) are horrendously treated and underpaid.