The biggest problem for me is the waiting. Another thing I don't like is there's no easy way to shop only things sold by Amazon. I'm not going to cancel my membership or anything I just don't buy anything from them I need in a hurry.

I try Ebay first, but if I'm unable to find what I want there, I will go Amazon. Other than that, my wife has an Amazon Prime account for her teaching career. It had its benefits.

My next door neighbor orders from Amazon every day, and at least one truck shows up there daily. They are a family of three, but due to all of the orders, their trash can is overflowing each week.

The husband told me that his wife's habit does take a toll on their finances. My daughter is similar, but just not to the extent of my neighbor. Addictions are addicting!

Chase Amazon Prime Credit Card works for me. Cash back for Amazon purchases. Handy.

2 X 12 blister packs SUREFIRE CR123A, next day delivery, I'm in.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
I live in a town of around 4000 souls, an hour’s drive from the nearest Walmart. No store in my town sells shoes or boots my size (14), and the only stores (Tractor Supply and another feed store) that sell clothes that sorta fit a 3XL Tall man have damn little to choose from. As a consequence, I (and most of the other denizens of Jerkwater) do a hella lot of business with Amazon. So, I’m in the “yea” camp.

EXACTLY this but size 15 shoes. And no town.

Yes, there are a number of things I get from Amazon on a regular basis. Some items even arrive on the same day they are ordered.

I tend to order something daily. Over many years of shopping Amazon they've screwed up only a handful of times, and then, always quickly and easily made things right.

Compare that with Walmart Plus, which wants to be an Amazon competitor. I get a free membership through my AMEX card. I've ordered half a dozen times from Walmart Plus and literally 50% of those orders arrived damaged, came late, were delivered to the wrong address, or just plain cancelled from their end with no explanation.

Yea, especially since I moved to a much smaller town that has MUCH fewer specialty stores. I'd prefer to buy from local retailers, there just aren't many of them around here. I dropped Prime a couple months ago when they started putting commercials in shows I've been paying to see without them for years. I'll likely wind up paying more in shipping that I would have been for Prime, but it's a matter of principle.

Like Tatertodd, I'd be considerably happier about it if they would clearly mark whether stuff is made in USA or not. Like Walmart, if it isn't explicitly marked Made in USA I assume it's chinese.

Mostly yes. It depends on what I need to buy.
For hardware, electrical, plumbing, lawn care, food I'll buy local.

I prefer not to use Amazon, but will do so from time to time. I like to go out and buy things myself. That is getting harder to do nowadays though.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Yea, but having retired, I don't buy work tools any more. There is little else there that I can't get locally.

Retired? Congratulations. I know you turned wrenches for many years. Best wishes to you.
.

Yea for me

Source of last resort.

I have received chicom junk instead of TORO parts, which ruined a gas weedwhacker. Grill cover which wasn't water-proof, just resistant. Got another one sent after poor review which of course still leaks. Review doesn't show up either. Lots of mishaps and delivery delays in my hole-in-the-delivery donut causes, so prime is of little value. Lastly dislike Bezos supporting the other side.

Mostly yea. Its convenience can't be understated and so we use them a lot. I use Prime Video more than I care to admit to. However they at times do play the grossly annoying role of overbearing nanny with regards to us locals.

They won't ship a lot of "gun stuff" (holsters, air guns, smithing tools, etc.) to WA residents which is BIG nay. This might be due to WA's liability law regarding their potential exposure to litigation in some yet-to-occur future shooting. But a nay is a nay, and Amazon is indeed a stinker in this arena.

They also won't ship more powerful insect killing agents as well, including my preferred ant killer that I'd previously been buying from them for years. Even some of the less powerful brand name products are verboten, even though I can climb into the car and drive down to the local Home Depot and buy the same bloody stuff!?! Never mind that the state itself says such purchases and usage by state residents is in fact legal and that this has been unchanged for ages. However Amazon has taken upon itself the task of keeping such 'evil' chemicals out of the hands of its own state's citizens ("naughty naughty, people"). So domyown.com gets my money instead and Amazon again lays a rather rotten egg.

And of course there's Amazon's rather sketchy record of pruning counterfeit merchandise and their sellers out of their inventory and sellers' marketplace. They've done better in recent times but the crap junk still shows up. Buyer beware, and all that.

I hate it and try to avoid it. But I use still use it for various reasons. If there is a non-leftist alternative for what I'm trying to buy, I will try to use it.

I've stopped cold turkey Video and moving away from Music. It's just for product purchases.

Many times I use Amazon. Retailers did it to themselves instead of taking the challenge. Selection has gone down while prices have gotten out of hand.

Case in point. Deck belt for my JD X Series lawn tractor. One local lawn equipment dealer wanted almost a hundred dollars for a OEM deck belt. Amazon, sixty seven dollars and free shipping. And while I was “there” I ordered oil, two fuel and oil filters. Local dealer is using matrix pricing, I understand some “price bump” but almost forty percent above retail?

Another thing, HP Steak Sauce. The few times I have beef especially on burgers I love that brand. Nobody carries it locally, Spartan, Kroger, Meijer, Wal-Mart. You ask the department managers and crickets is all you hear. I’m four miles one way and seven miles the other way from Wal-Marts. They don’t even have the same food items available at both stores both house brand or national brands, and I expect them to order a specialty item?

Nope, Amazon filled a void. Bezos was smart enough to pounce.

I long for this 60's when 8 stores have 75 %
If everything we needed.

And one of 16 people coul answer most questions,
And assist with an concerns or problems.
And what couldn't be found could be ordered for you.


Sales staff cared about customers.
Shops closed on Sundays, and at 6:00 five days a week.

And their was no fee or "club "to join .


Now I shop Amazon six times a year.
But
I know who shop it five times a month.

As an Amazon shareholder, Prime member and Credit card holder, yes, yes and yes. I do not miss going shopping, driving all over town and maybe finding what I am looking for. I needed a new dashcam holder, order in the evening and had it by lunch the next day. My Dad needs a car part or lawn mover part, same deal, order and usually have it within 24 hours. Evenings watch some great shows on Prime or if I feel like a book just read my Kindle on my phone. If they had firearms and ammo they would be perfect.

Amazon makes itself pretty irresistible with returns policy, and nowadays often same-day shipping either for free if over $25 or for an extra $2.99.
My wife is leary about ordering supplements from Amazon, though; they have been reported to have counterfeits; I'm less worried.
For more expensive items I usually prefer Costco if they have it.
Walmart has gotten very good at two-day delivery on things like Premier protein shakes.

87 orders so far in 2024. Not a single error. And if I dont like it, I can send it back with little to no questions asked.

Prime Visa tied to my account gets me 5-6% back on every order.

Without a doubt the best way to shop. I don't have to go anywhere at Biden's gas prices...