[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Tom M

I believe many places (Walmart, Best Buy, etc. will price match whatever you see on Amazon). If you're in the store and see it on Amazon for lower, bring your phone to a manager and they'll price match.

Yes—I think Best Buy adopted that policy specifically because of showrooming.

[Tvflguy]

We are not Prime members but Amazon is our go-to. It’s simply too easy. Too efficient. Too fast. Too everything.

Still amazes me that I can order roach bait, a magnetic door catch, eye drops, and a spool of wire.

3-5 days later, it’s all boxed and delivered nicely to our front door with no shipping charge. How they can sort all innocuous items and get her in one box still amazes me.

Yes, Amazon is too easy.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by ithos

I highly recommend checking with Home Depot and Lowes online before ordering from Amazon. Usually no shipping charge.

If they have it in stock locally, you will probably get it quicker than from Amazon.

That may be true for some items, but generally, Lowes and Home Depot cannot compete with Amazon on deliveries. Almost all Amazon deliveries are free, sometimes the same day. Lowes and Home Depot both charge a delivery fee for a delivery within less than 3 days.

I recently ordered some 3M Command strips from Amazon and got them the same day with free shipping. The Home Depot same day delivery fee was $8.99 for an $11 item.

[rrdsg]

Target will also price match Amazon.

[Nucky]

Third party sellers are ruining Amazon. Remember the good old days when Amazon was flawless? I do.

Amazon chooses to use these sellers, they cause a whole lot of problems and effort to straighten out the boneheaded things that they do. In the end it actually works out nicely for me. They pay for the time I spend trying to straighten out the foul ups, bleeps and blunders. I get an amount added to my gift card account for each trip to return something that is disappointing to me. If it doesn’t do the exact thing that it promises in the description then it’s game on.
I give you my word that in the last seven years we have not paid for Prime for six of those years. I document everything and read it all back to the agent about two or three weeks before The Yearly Prime Payment is Due. I am always prepared to cancel the account if they don’t do what I request. One year I had to do just that, cancel. No big deal. Opened an account the following week in my wife’s name.
Don’t mess with my time Amazon or you will be paying us.
I prefer to buy locally but admit that I’m an Amazonaholic!

[ldj1938]

They have a senior discount on prime.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by ldj1938

They have a senior discount on prime.

Not true. From the Amazon website:

Amazon Prime does not offer a senior discount. However, those with valid EBT or Medicaid cards are eligible for $5.99 a month for a maximum of four years. To see if you qualify for the discounted membership, visit amazon.com/qualify.

[Boomer]

Of course, I use Amazon.

I hate the fact that Amazon has put so many bookstores out of business, but have I been ordering books from Amazon for years? Guilty.

I hate the fact that so many suburban areas are now full of empty retail space in strip malls and in big malls. But do I order clothes and shoes online? Guilty.

I hate the fact that the modern need for instant gratification has been so perfectly played by Amazon, wiping out more of the competition every day. But do I keep on ordering from Amazon? Guilty.

Amazon has grown so many arms and legs that there will be no catching it and then it will be ONLY AMAZON. But, here I am. Guilty.

………I have wondered about the effect Amazon has had on REITs as investments. I have never been into REITs, but I remember when people talked about REITs as a good investment. (I also remember when people thought if they individually owned commercial property in the ‘burbs or small towns, they were set for life. Now?)

One of the reasons I never liked REITs was because for the past 12-15 years, I have observed more and more bleak and barren retail space. So how are those retail REITs doing?

And speaking of REITs, the working from home thing has been working so well that people do not want to go back into the office. There was a story recently on one of my hometown news sites that talked about the big hit office space was taking. REITs are invested in office buildings. How is that working now?………..

But I digress…..that sure was a leap to REITs…….


Boomer the OverThinker

[Garywt]

I try to avoid Amazon as much as possible. If I am ordering online I always try Walmart and Target etc first. Unfortunately Amazon is the only place to find some items.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Of course, I use Amazon.

I hate the fact that Amazon has put so many bookstores out of business, but have I been ordering books from Amazon for years? Guilty.

I hate the fact that so many suburban areas are now full of empty retail space in strip malls and in big malls. But do I order clothes and shoes online? Guilty.

I hate the fact that the modern need for instant gratification has been so perfectly played by Amazon, wiping out more of the competition every day? But do I keep on ordering from Amazon? Guilty.

Amazon has grown so many arms and legs that there will be no catching it and then it will be ONLY AMAZON. But, here I am. Guilty.

………I have wondered about the effect Amazon has had on REITs as investments. I have never been into REITs, but I remember when people talked about REITs as a good investment. (I also remember when people thought if they individually owned commercial property in the ‘burbs or small towns, they were set for life. Now?)

One of the reasons I never liked REITs was because for the past 12-15 years, I have observed more and more bleak and barren retail space. So how are those retail REITs doing?

And speaking of REITs, the working from home thing has been working so well that people do not want to go back into the office. There was a story recently on one of my hometown news sites that talked about the big hit office space was taking. REITs are invested in office buildings. How is that working now?………..

But I digress…..that sure was a leap to REITs…….


Boomer the OverThinker

The best way to make money with an REIT is to start your own. Write a prospectus, name yourself as the general manager with a huge salary, find a broker to sell shares, and let the investors take all the risk. That has always been my issue with REITs. No risk or accountability for those who create it and operate it.

[Triker]

Shopping in TV is very hard, it’s very limited here. Most of what I find on amazon comes from a seller in China. (Annoying) there fore I won’t order it. If the selling company isn’t in US I don’t buy it. I truly prefer the option ships and sold by Amazon. Shopping online is so time consuming, to me it takes more time. Then if you have to return……. UGH.
Then you factor in the annual amazon rate i have to pay vs the people who only have to pay $5.99 a month. Grrrrrrr


I just get aggravated give up and take off in golf cart.

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by Nucky

Third party sellers are ruining Amazon. Remember the good old days when Amazon was flawless? I do.

Amazon chooses to use these sellers, they cause a whole lot of problems and effort to straighten out the boneheaded things that they do. In the end it actually works out nicely for me. They pay for the time I spend trying to straighten out the foul ups, bleeps and blunders. I get an amount added to my gift card account for each trip to return something that is disappointing to me. If it doesn’t do the exact thing that it promises in the description then it’s game on.
I give you my word that in the last seven years we have not paid for Prime for six of those years. I document everything and read it all back to the agent about two or three weeks before The Yearly Prime Payment is Due. I am always prepared to cancel the account if they don’t do what I request. One year I had to do just that, cancel. No big deal. Opened an account the following week in my wife’s name.
Don’t mess with my time Amazon or you will be paying us.
I prefer to buy locally but admit that I’m an Amazonaholic!

We sail on the same ship.

[New Englander]

Be careful, if Amazon feels a person returns too many items they may close that persons account.

[LuvNH]

I have not had to return anything yet and I have been shopping with them for years.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

just put in new granite counter tops in NE house. . . we are putting in the backsplash or maybe someone else. .
but finding the right color pattern?

can't do that online, both HD and Lowes had actual tile. BUT HD also had online tiles for incredibly cheap. . . BUT whole box sales only. and only a sample on the wall which was was not able to be taken home and examine the patterns against all the other patterns. can buy a sample on line, but takes two weeks to deliver. . . tried taking pictures on the phone, not good enough. Tried on line, never sure hue saturation and all the other RGB monitor adjustments match reality of the tile. Without the counter tops installed, we picked out 4 different patterns. . At lowes buying samples, i just grabbed one which looked interesting subconsciously, (without conscious analysis) while at the store which we never considered . . turns out that one vs the others we ruminated over with several visits might be the one. .

So there will always be times when b&m store is the best. . .but the simpler the life, the less b&m stores are needed. .
except for food. . . fresh food is the one area of debate. .

Yes, life has changed since the pandemic and the mobile phone at the fastest pace in human history in a positive way. .
The down side is that the entire world is connected to you directly digitally. . .