DON'T JUST ASSUME AMAZON'S PRICES TO BE THE BEST! A LEARNING CURVE!!

[chief38]

I guess I can attribute the fact I have become a much better online shopper to Covid19! As we all know running out to the local store for non food or non essential items has become a thing of the past or at least something not necessary now. As much as it's a shame to say, online prices for the same or better products is just fact most of the time.

I find all too many times people just ASSUME that the best internet price is going to be on Amazon - ABSOLUTELY FALSE! I have purchased from Amazon, but 75% of the time find much better deals at Walmart.com, Homedepot.com or Zoro.com on the exact same item!

I just bought my Daughter and Fiancé a cordless vacuum cleaner that was $259.99 on Amazon and the IDENTICAL vacuum on Walmart.com was $136.75 freight free! Almost half the price! I read the description 3 times - same item, same warranty, both brand new, same, same same - just almost half the price. BTW this is NOT the first time this has occurred. I've encountered this same scenario many times - with Home Depot also selling items they do not carry in their stores.

I just wanted to alert the guy and gals who have not discovered this yet. Amazon counts on you getting familiar with their website and wants you to think that they always have the best deals - NOT SO! Do your do diligence before hitting that "place order now" button.

 

[Telecaster]

Amazon stopped having the lowest prices 20 years ago. You’re buying fast delivery, not low prices.

 

[df06]

I agree, they are often not lowest price. Shop around.

 

[dave1918a2]

I know Chewy is cheaper.

 

[GypsmJim]

I determine what I want to buy and get the part number. Then I google that number. Sometimes EBay has the lowest price, sometimes Amazon. I have even found Sears and WalMart to come in lowest at times.

Right now Amazon accounts for about 50% of my purchases. Its usually the higher priced items that come with free shipping. No sense in buying a $5 item and have to pay freight. Prime is a joke - I can't believe people pay a monthly charge that usually exceeds ship cost anyway.

 

[moosedog]

Thanks for the reminder. It does pay to do your home work.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Amazon not always the cheapest but usually the easiest.
Just search it, find it, select it and hit Buy.
It’s too easy !
You never bought anything with a casual Button push that you shouldn’t have?
Well I have!
And you can cancel it before they ship.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Amazon....... Savings?

Yes every time..... "my time" and gas!!!!!!!
Most "stuff" in two days delivered to the house or the lake depending on where I'll be at the time of delivery.

Range of products.... almost unlimited.

Can't count the times I've gone to Lowes or Home Depot only to learn that a product isn't carried at that particular store. Low volume or not an item used locally.

Running to Lowes at the lake..... currently $6.17 in gas.... round trip drive time about 30-35 minutes + shopping time.... so say an hour minimum

 

[ladder13]

I guess it depends on where you live. Wanna be in some out of the way place with your thousand acres, scenery, solitude, and the nearest Costco 200 miles away, pay up.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I’d buy Walmart if they shipped internationally. Unfortunately I need Amazon for that, although most of the time I need to go through the different Amazon suppliers as not all will ship down under.

It still usually works out cheaper than buying local here.

 

[Bekeart]

GREEDY SELLERS to blame - not Amazon

GREEDY SELLERS to blame - not Amazon.

Always check with See All Buying Options
Looks like some sellers set a higher price and hope that you do not notice that others are selling cheaper.
Sellers set their price.
You can see a wide variety of prices for the same item.
Just checked a 4 ft Werner ladder .
18 sellers prices from $63.70 to $78.17 for exact same item.

 

[Onomea]

... Prime is a joke - I can't believe people pay a monthly charge that usually exceeds ship cost anyway.

Keep in mind, though, that in addition to the "free" shipping, you get a boatload of movies, TV series, etc., to watch, often quite good ones. E.g., Bosch. I have Netflix, too, but have seriously thought of cancelling Netflix because I spend far more time watching Prime. (Except the past coupla weeks I'm watching a cool Russian robot series, Better than Us, on Netflix...)

I’d buy Walmart if they shipped internationally. Unfortunately I need Amazon for that, although most of the time I need to go through the different Amazon suppliers as not all will ship down under....

While unlikely to save you money, there are subscription mail drop/shipping services in the US whereby if you want stuff from companies that won't ship internationally sent internationally, they'll do it. I use one called St. Brendan's Isle.

I've also read articles on people setting up businesses to do this. E.g., you're in Nigeria and you want to buy an iPhone from the US because it's cheaper/not available in your country. Or, if it comes via the post it'll get ripped off. So, you have it shipped to someone's apartment in, say, New York. A courier swings by the apartment once a month, loads hizzer suitcase with iPhones etc bound for Nigeria, and unloads at the other end. Nigerian you gets the iPhone safely, and pays a bit extra for delivery. Works for small, expensive items.

Or, seems to me we came across a Japanese person who was doing this as a biz from the US. Japanese people would have stuff sent to her, and she'd forward it on to Japan to them for a fee.

Maybe you figure out how to do this most efficiently between the US and NZ, considering the environment and market in NZ, and making it part of your US tour biz...?

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I’m a Prime Member.
Just the other day, was looking at Rifle Socks on eBay.
The buy now price was pretty good, proceeded to buying.
But when they added their shipping which was more than the item,
It’s a no go!
Go to Amazon, find some, Buy.
It’s a Prime item, no added postage.
Better price than the EBay with postage.

 

[fordson]

They are not the best price by a bit, but you can return for a full refund pretty much hassle free and free shipping with Prime. So there is that.
Shop around.

 

[chief38]

They are not the best price by a bit, but you can return for a full refund pretty much hassle free and free shipping with Prime. So there is that.
Shop around.

On the vacuum I purchased as a gift for my Daughter, it was half the Amazon price, fully returnable either by mail or at any local Walmart store.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Remember Walmart and the Box stores get "Name Brand" stuff built to a "price point"... may look the same but it's not always the same.

 

[PatriotX]

I recently played an order from Walmart, as it was just a touch cheaper than Amazon’s price for the identical item.

Amazon delivered the package.

 

[mmb617]

No seller has the lowest price on everything. If you want the lowest price you have to do a little searching. Most won't bother and opt for the convenience, which of course has a price.

 

[straightshooter1]

I think it's all been said, but, in any event, I am an Amazon shopper.

Yes, sometimes I find the item cheaper on eBay (I don't use Walmart or Sears), but the convenience is notably different.

My wife insists we be members of Amazon's Prime, so shipping is usually free and sometimes I even get the item the same day. If not, then the next.

And the ability to return items that don't meet my expectations is priceless, and sometimes I get credited for the $ as soon as I drop off the return at the nearby UPS Store.

I may have to turn in my Man Card for admitting this, but over the last few months we have been re-doing our home and have found a lot of kitchen items we "needed" on QVC and they are cheaper than Amazon. No problem 30 day returns and clear explanations as to how the item operates/works.

Bob

 

[deadin]

Another benefit of Amazon Prime not mentioned is if you get a Prime Credit Card and use it with your online orders, you get an automatic 5% credit that can be used for anything else on Amazon.
(The 5% is also given on anything else you charge on the card...
Gasoline, food, anything put on the card....)
I pay the card off every month, so the are no interest charges..win/win.