Shopping on Amazon

[matt819]

There are those who argue that Amazon.com is evil. Puts small business out of business. Unkind to contract workers. Avoiding state sales taxes. Just too damn big. Screws merchant sellers with fees and race-to-the-bottom pricing.

But. . .

I needed a few office things. A cat 5 cable, a box of envelopes, microfiber wipes, and custom stamp.

I would usually head over to Staples (not a favorite but the only office store in town), but since there's no urgency, I thought I'd check Amazon.

Cat 5 cable, 35" - $25.99 at Staples, $7.99 at Amazon
100 envelopes - $10.59 at Staples, $8.49 at Amazon
Microfiber wipes, large - size not available at Staples, $9.98 at Amazon
Stamp - $18.99 at Staples, $8.70 at Amazon

I also needed to reorder some tea. Not in stock at Amazon, but has been between $21 and $23 previously. From the mfr - Tao of Tea - it's $28 plus shipping. Maybe it's fresher tea from the mfr.

I know this is not always the case. Sometimes stuff is not available on Amazon. It happens. Sometimes stuff is cheaper elsewhere, and I'm pretty sure we all shop around, and when we find the less expensive source, or the source we want to buy from instead of from Amazon, e.g., small business, closer to home, etc., we bookmark it and go there next time. So, while I don't necessarily want to catapult Jeff Bezos to become the first trillionaire, saving close to 50% is hard to pass up.

Just some random thoughts before I head home.

[kimbutgar]

1. There are things I want to buy

I go to several stores and can't find them and end up going to Amazon. And yes I agree sometimes you find a better deal at Amazon thenkn a store.

[samnsara]

2. i love it.. i own stock in it. Its a local company so of course i ....

...support it. My elderly parents live almost 100 miles from me and when they are out of heavy items...bags of dog food, etc. for the house I order it and its delivered the next day. Now you wanna talk evil..? that's WALMART! We don't even have one in our county!!!

[LisaM]

3. Obviously some of those price differences are ridiculous...

but I'd argue that the store provides jobs to your fellow residents in your home town, and that shopping locally contributes a lot more to the tax base of the communities where they are located. Studies show that this is true, and it's even more true if you choose a local business over a chain.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/dec/06/shop-locally-small-business-saturday-seven-reasons

I buy almost nothing online (I did finally cave and order some contacts online, but that's mostly because they cut bus service to my eye doctor's actual office and it's hard to get there now to get refills).

I get about 90% of my books from a small indie store. I don't care if I have to wait a little longer or pay a little more - the fact that I have a wonderful, thriving, inviting bookstore where the people who own it know me is well worth a couple of extra dollars per book.

[MontanaMama]

4. I know this isn't popular

but I often start with Amazon. By the time I find enough free time to drive around my town, find parking, shop several stores, talk to clerks who by and large don't know what they are talking about or don't care...it isn't worth my time. I will not shop at Walmart for anything - ever - so there's that. I guess Amazon is a different sort of devil but with Prime, I can find what I'm looking for, read reviews and get most things within 2 days. I'm not driving around wasting gas.

I recycle all their boxes and packaging...hope that redeems me a little bit.

[Corvo Bianco]

5. Well the shoes I just bought were $44 on Amazon and $12.97 on shoeshow.com

I only bought the treadmill, green tea, and toothbrush heads on Amazon today! That'll teach them.

[HipChick]

6. Prime Now....2 hrs to my doorstep...and I don't have to run around town

[Iggo]

16. I still can't get used to same-day delivery.

It's just weird.

[HipChick]

17. I work from home and often can't leave the house...

great for me, if I run out of something..

[Iggo]

18. Sometimes I order stuff at the office, then it's there when I get home.

Sorcery, probably.

[HipChick]

19. I only have a virtual office...

It's a dead giveaway that I am out and about...when I cant mute background noises..

[Iggo]

20. Lol...no doubt.

Traffic noise will give you up every time.

[HipChick]

21. That and the darned alarm telling me to put my seat beat on, or loud arse blinker

like why I need an audio reminder?

[lunatica]

7. I have tendonitis so walking around and lugging stuff is impossible for me

I always liked to window shop and liked going to the grocery store but I can't anymore, unless it's to pick something up quickly. It's difficult and painful to walk for long periods or to stand for long periods.

Being able to shop Amazon, and now get groceries delivered to the house has saved me a great deal of pain and agony.

I imagine there are thousands if not millions of people like me.

[left-of-center2012]

8. I read reviews on Amazon, and buy on eBay.

eBay is often cheaper and often has free shipping.

[elfin]

9. Am an admitted Amazon addict here

Think of what I need around 10 PM - think of hitting the stores the next day amidst construction in the morning and head to Amazon.

This geezer loves it for saving me gas, saving me personal going-out-in-public clean up time, and on and on and on.

Plus the Prime allows videos etc., along with having gifts wrapped sent to others that nearly equals the shipping charges if done otherwise.

I do not use it for big ticket items, or those I know are easily accessible when out and about.

Will never use it for groceries or such sundries unless I become truly housebound due to serious medical infirmities. But good to know it is there if I need it and a relative or friend is not handy to run those errands.

My somewhat guilty pleasure.

Today had delivered new dog tags (saved standing with a cane in the pet store engraving machine), underwear (never know if my size and brand will be in stock at Target), favorite eyebrow powder (no longer at Walgreens), .... you get the picture.

[procon]

10. Online shopping is the norm.

Good or bad, the times are changing and most people don't have the time to drive from store to store (like dear old mom did) hunting for bargains. I don't want to waste several several hours on a shopping trip, the parking is atrocious, it's tiresome, I don't enjoy it, the crowds are annoying, the know-nothing workers are useless. My time is one of the few things I control and I don't want to give it away for nothing.

If I lived in a larger metro area I'd order fresh groceries from Amazon. If they start offering drone deliveries, I'd take it.

A lot of big box stores will either be forced to move to the internet or the competition will slaughter them. The specialty shops will do well selling unique, custom, seasonal and crafted items, luxury goods, foodie places, entertainment and hospitality venues, some of the mom and pop stores, personal services and DIY stores will still need storefronts.

[csziggy]

11. I just ordered a digital audio cable from Amazon

Our several years old, barely used Blu-Ray DVD player quit - it's never worked right, the drawer wouldn't open for a few years, but we wanted to watch a movie we'd accidentally picked up in only Blu-Ray format.

So my husband stopped by Wal-Mart and bought a new Blu-Ray player. Small glitch - instead of using a digital audio optical cable to connect the sound like all our other components, this one uses a digital audio coaxial cable. Which of course we don't have. He went back to Wal-Mart. They don't sell those in the store.

So much for watching Doctor Strange that night.

I went online to see who in town had the cables in stock. Best Buy, no. Target, no. Local audio store, no. Office Depot or Staples, no. Some of them could have one in stock to be picked up by next week. Cost anywhere from $9 to $30.

Checked NewEgg - $7.99 + $0.99 S&H, arrival at my door between September 21 and 26. Amazon Smile popped up a header - same cable made by the same company, $6.99 with free shipping, arrival September 21 to 26.

I ordered from Amazon. I have Amazon Smile set so anything I order through them gives a little bit to Planned Parenthood of the Big Bend (Florida). That offsets my guilt at buying from them.

I try to buy locally, preferrably from locally owned stores and not the chains. But if they don't keep what I need in stock, I will shop for price and for easiest delivery. I don't need to wait a week and the still have to drive across town to pick it up.

[crazycatlady]

12. I was given a hard time here before

But I often check AMazon when I'm in stores.

I'll use the same example I used before--- I needed mailers to ship pussyhats to people (many DUers). I went to Staples and they had them 5 for $10. For $2 more, I was able to get 100 on Amazon. I researched this while I was in Staples by using my phone.

(I've shipped way more than 5 pussyhat orders and I don't want to inflate the price that much to cover the mailer.)

[red dog 1]

13. Kick!

I've been shopping on Amazon.com for years..mostly books & movies (plus a cheap guitar)

One thing I've noticed recently is that their movies on DVD have become more expensive since they bought out Whole Foods...They used to have many, many good movies for under $10;
but not anymore.

[UTUSN]

14. My consumerism is small past subsistance, but 'zon is convenient

for scarce things. l have tried for scores of years to abide by appreciation for localism but what am I to do when a simple black belt 1 1/2" width is just NOT to be found here?!1 Is that too much to ask?!1

[avebury]

15. Sales tax in OKC is 8.375% and about to go up another 0.25%

and is so high because it includes a city sales tax.

I grew up in Maine with a 5% sales tax (strictly state tax). NH has no sales tax. I knew a lot of people who, if they were buying big ticket items, would drive to NH to shop there and avoide the Maine sales tax. It was cheaper to drive to another state then to shop local.

In Oklahoma the sales tax is way to high. Sales tax varies from city/town to city/town depending upon the city tax. As it continues to go up, Oklahoma risks driving more and more people to shop on line where you only pay the state sales tax, can shop from the convenience of your home, and hopefully obtain free shipping in the process.

People who live on a limited income have to do the best they can with what they have to work with.