MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I've no parcels due today and I'm starting to sweat, beep and shake.
No.
Can’t remember the last time I used Amazon for anything, maybe 2009??
HTHs
I try and avoid them. Mainly because they are tax dodging ****s who treat their staff like shit.
It’s not unusual for me to get a parcel daily but then it’s not unusual for me to go a few months without one, I’m a long way off 9 years though.
Nope, I've stopped using them for most things and wont be renewing my prime subscription when it runs out. I still do a lot of online shopping but try to order from stores that maintain a high street presence wherever possible.
Yep, if I need something then first thing I do is look on Amazon. No matter how small or big an item.
Making a conscious effort not to order anything and waste cash in August!
Yeah, I have it bad.
I know they are evil tax dodging corporate whores, but they just make my life so much easier. Their customer service is excellent as well, I would rather buy electronics from them than anywhere else as if I have a problem I have never had a quibble from them returning or replacing an item.
try to order from stores that maintain a high street presence wherever possible.
Coming soon...
Yep, if I need something then first thing I do is look on Amazon. No matter how small or big an item.
Likewise, although in most cases they either don't sell it or it's over priced.
I still do a lot of online shopping but try to order from stores that maintain a high street presence wherever possible.
On first impressions, I like the sentiment but then I think - when did I last go to the high street to buy something? I'm trying really hard to remember when. It genuinely might be a couple of years. If I'm thinking selfishly if the high street in every town closed down I don't think I'd notice.
Edit - hang on, greetings cards (birthday, wedding, anniversary etc) I still buy those in an actual shop. That's now the only thing I buy regularly on the high street.
I do need to spread the love a bit - too much Amazoning here. I have complete double standards - don't go into Starbucks because of the tax thing but I am Amazon's play thing.
convert:
Oddly greeting cards is one of the things I buy online (I'm sooo contrary) I tend to get them from Etsy. The principle of spreading the love still applies as they tend to be hand made* and you're buying directly from the maker.
* This isn't always the case and a little research is sometimes needed to verify that someone hasn't just setup a store front selling mass produced cards that they're buying in bulk if that's a thing that bothers anyone.
but then I think – when did I last go to the high street to buy something? I’m trying really hard to remember when. It genuinely might be a couple of years. If I’m thinking selfishly if the high street in every town closed down I don’t think I’d notice.
Yep, I really wouldn't miss it at all....
Last time I went in a shop was 2010, and that was the first time in years.
Amazon is one of the great wonders of the modern world.
I buy a fair bit of tat on Amazon, mostly if bored on Friday afternoon's - I blame Prime mostly. I don't mind spending a tenner on something I don't need that will probably break in a couple of months but if you ask me to also spend £1+ on delivery then I'm out :p
The Today's Deals bit really annoys me though - they're mostly (99.9999%) not bargains and it's the same shite every day
Can’t remember when I last ordered from amazon.
Was genuinely shocked that they have ‘click and collect’ lockers in hospitals...
They are just the worst.
Was genuinely shocked that they have ‘click and collect’ lockers in hospitals…
I guess if you're in hospital for several days/weeks, and need 'stuff', it makes COMPLETE sense, no?
Or one could order a gift for a sick relative.. Hmm..do amazon stock kidneys..??!
DrP
Yep, always the first place I look.
I reconcile with the tax dodging bit with the fact that they pay all the taxes they are asked to, just kike most people.
Hate the game, not the player.
I guess if you’re in hospital for several days/weeks, and need ‘stuff’, it makes COMPLETE sense, no?
Or one could order a gift for a sick relative.. Hmm..do amazon stock kidneys..??!
Or you work there, do daft hours and hospital reception quite reasonably don't take deliveries. Can't think of a place more suited as a location to be honest.
Does using AWS virtual machines count?
Or you work there, do daft hours and hospital reception quite reasonably don’t take deliveries. Can’t think of a place more suited as a location to be honest
Oh yeah, forgot about staff!!!
DrP
Amazon is one of the great wonders of the modern world.
and Deliveroo! I can just press a button on my phone and 25 mins later dinner just appears...
Absolutely no reason to go into town now, don't need to visit shops and all the restaurants will send via Deliveroo..
I'm as guilty as anyone of ushering in the demise of Maplins etc by the reflex use of Amazon.
However, online shopping is not the pinnacle of existence that it could be. Two weeks after ordering a SIM online from EE, and after they sent me 2 that didn't show up despite calls to their customer service line, I gave up on them and went into the Vodafone shop and had a pleasant experience getting it sorted within about 10 minutes.
I’m as guilty as anyone of ushering in the demise of Maplins etc by the reflex use of Amazon
They did mainly sell over priced electrical tat. I'm amazed they lasted as long as they did.
I might just might be interestes if it weren’t for the fact that their pricing structure is all over the f place oh that and the amount of fake goods.
plus it’s a massive Co. who have an evil ethos towards their staff, avoid paying their fair share of tax.
I’m glad you have the sweats and shakes for supporting the top bosses at one of the big A’s. No doubt you buy the latest mobile and other products by the other big A!
I don't use them much, although we don't go a day in work without one of their boxes arriving, one of the subbies loves them.
I kind of assume they're the online retailer for people who've never used any other online retailer.
I do all the purchasing in work, but I really don't like them. Their site is a mess, they don't sell a lot of stuff I need, which you think they would. The whole prime / business / 3rd party seller via Amazon thing is a hassle I can live without, their sales practices are a joke "This is £150 with Free Delivery" buy "This is £150 with Free Delivery in 4 weeks, or £20 tomorrow".
Oh and despite all their optimization of humans, tax dodging and massive buying power, they're NEVER the cheapest.
I will admit they're good for one thing, Xmas shopping, get a list from the Mrs, buy the lot with one of their 1 month free Prime things, have the lot sent to work, get over the fact I could save money buying else later on.
I use it more than I should. When looking for something I just filter by selecting prime and 4 star rating. That seems to cut out majority of the crap. Only buy stuff that can be delivered to their lockers as I pass one on my way home. Get most things next day as long as I order before 8pm ish. With the free delivery as well I end up ordering things individually that I would normally forget to buy out at the shops like a clothes brush the other day there, a silicon spatula last week, even shoelaces a few weeks before that. It's too easy.
I kind of assume they’re the online retailer for people who’ve never used any other online retailer.
Not really. They are the online retailer for the lazy - and I count myself in that. I could buy veg cheaper and possibly better quality at the market than I do at Tesco. But I don't, because I can't be arsed. Same with Amazon. Example - 5 mins ago I bought a USB charger thingy that you plug into a 12v socket in a car. I need it be Friday latest. I could have gone to www.usbchargerthingy.com but it'll be fine enough quality and it might have been 50p cheaper but it was done faster that it took to type this sentence.
I've noticed a lot recently that Amazon are not longer the default cheapest for certain goods. A lot of the times Argos of all stores comes up cheaper - and actually is easier to get the end product as London seems to have an Argos on every corner.
For example:
Amazon - £59.99
http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7497465
Argos - £49.99
Ironically now online shopping is at all time highs, I'm getting more packages delayed, lost or damaged as couriers try to cut cost in a hyper-competitive delivery market. It's become simpler again to just pop to Argos after reserving something on the way home and get it there and then.
Amazon are pretty good with returns, you can use their lockers. I'll give them that.
I try and avoid them. Mainly because they are tax dodging **** who treat their staff like shit.
Amen. I also don't fear human interaction.
Though I've just moved into a village with *no shops.
And I don't currently drive.
Hmmmmm...
*four pubs and a gin distillery mind.
Are people genuinely shocked that you can buy some products cheaper elsewhere?
Are people genuinely shocked that you can buy some products cheaper elsewhere?
Yeah kinda - one of the big points of online retailers is that they under cut physical retailers by doing away with the nasty business of human interaction, you kind of expect the biggest, most efficient player to be the cheapest.
Yeah kinda – one of the big points of online retailers is that they under cut physical retailers by doing away with the nasty business of human interaction, you kind of expect the biggest, most efficient player to be the cheapest.
Biggest hasn’t never meant the cheapest.
I try and avoid them. Mainly because they are tax dodging **** who treat their staff like shit.
This^^
Amen. I also don’t fear human interaction.
and this^^
Had a friend who worked in one of their depots and from the tales he told I won't touch them with a barge pole.
I also don’t fear human interaction.
Your life has come to a pretty pass when you get your human interaction fix from Wayne, the nerdy bloke at the hifi shop or Jamie, the kid with the acne problem at Burtons. I find actual friends work well for human interaction. Are you that old boy that gets to the checkout at the supermarket one in front of you and it's obvious they've not spoken to anyone other than their cat for 3 days and you're stuck between feeling desperately sorry for them and wanting to vapourise them from the planet?
Are you that old boy that gets to the checkout at the supermarket one in front of you and it’s obvious they’ve not spoken to anyone other than their cat for 3 days and you’re stuck between feeling desperately sorry for them and wanting to vapourise them from the planet?
😂
On first impressions, I like the sentiment but then I think – when did I last go to the high street to buy something? I’m trying really hard to remember when. It genuinely might be a couple of years. If I’m thinking selfishly if the high street in every town closed down I don’t think I’d notice.
I have a wander into town every Saturday afternoon, browse around Waterstones and make a note of any interesting looking books, sometimes buy one, pick up odds and ends from Wilco’s, maybe something from the Tesco that’s run out, or couldn’t get when doing the big shop at Morrisons; they had no lasted sesame oil when we went on Monday evening, so I’ll look in town, rather than make a special trip in the car, ‘cos it’s a rather long walk.
Of course, there are things I use Amazon for, along with other online retailers, but the town centre is a fifteen minute walk, and it gets me out of the house.
Of course, there are things I use Amazon for, along with other online retailers, but the town centre is a fifteen minute walk, and it gets me out of the house.
Aye sums it up and I do by a few things but it tends to be food, toiletries and such more than anything else. That said your Wilko post has reminded it’s half price on pick and mix this week.
Are people genuinely shocked that you can buy some products cheaper elsewhere?
For years Amazon were the cheapest by some margin and pretty much dictated the price of electronics to the wider market. I know websites like eBuyer had scripts that would automatically match Amazon pricing whenever Amazon cut the price of a product, because if they didn't they'd never sell anything.
Loss of the High Street? Nice sentiment but who really cares?
Online gives me wider choice, better prices, excellent service and more convenience. The local Coop is pretty much the only shop I ever go in to nowadays to top up the weekly, online, Tesco order. The nearest decent sized town with choice of shops is 1hr away by train or car, now way would I choose to give up a day to go shopping when I can do it online.
I won't boycott Amazon because of their tax avoidance, it is up to the Government to sort that out, not me.
Loss of the High Street? Nice sentiment but who really cares?
It will just adapt. Our local high street has gone from 100% shops to 50% cafes, bars and restaurants. Absolutely thriving, but from 'experiences' rather than 'shopping'.
These arrived yesterday 😍😍😍
Rachel
You must be my wife Derek.... she orders pretty much daily off either Amazon or groupon.. nothing yet today though.
I got fed up with Amazon when they became a reseller for other companies, you fill your shopping basket, half is free delivery but then you end up paying 3 or 4 delivery charges and everything gets despatched separately.
These arrived yesterday 😍😍😍
Rachel
They're fraying, love - time to try out that famous customer service 😉
It will just adapt. Our local high street has gone from 100% shops to 50% cafes, bars and restaurants. Absolutely thriving, but from ‘experiences’ rather than ‘shopping’.
Same as ours. Its just evolution, innit? We went to a local history exhibition yesterday that showed that back in the days of the mills about half the buildings in the town centre were pubs, then they gradually all became shops as the economy changed. Now it's heading back in the other direction with bars and restaurants and specialist shops.
I've made a deliberate move to stop using Amazon lately (as the bloke who runs it does appear to be an absolute weapons grade bell end). I buy a lot of picture frames, and foamcore, mounting board and stuff for mine and Mrs Binners prints. I used to just order the lot off Amazon. But I worked out it's only actually saving a couple of quid. So now I always use my local art supplies and picture framing store as I'd really miss it if it wasn't there. And as I'm using them on a regular basis, they now discount everything for me, so it's costing the same as an Amazon order would.
And you can't put a price on the opportunities it then affords you to be smug, superior and sanctimonious on internet forums 😉
And you can’t put a price on the opportunities it then affords you to be smug, superior and sanctimonious on internet forums
You win this week's STW Order of Merit....
I reckon I could be addicted... I ordered some 0.0 lager to arrive this afternoon while I'm stuck in the office (my weekend starts tonight)
Your life has come to a pretty pass when you get your human interaction fix from Wayne, the nerdy bloke at the hifi shop or Jamie, the kid with the acne problem at Burtons. I find actual friends work well for human interaction. Are you that old boy that gets to the checkout at the supermarket one in front of you and it’s obvious they’ve not spoken to anyone other than their cat for 3 days and you’re stuck between feeling desperately sorry for them and wanting to vapourise them from the planet?
Well done for pointing that out for 99% of us stw members- nice, real nice 😂😝
Mainly because they are tax dodging ****
I think it would be more fruitful to redirect your ire towards those who allow such tax avoidance to be possible in the first place.
EDIT: Not intending to defend Amazon's actions though either
Was genuinely shocked that they have ‘click and collect’ lockers in hospitals…
I was genuinely shocked by the price I had to pay for a USB charging cable from WH Smith when in hospital. All such items were way overpriced because of the closed market.
I was genuinely shocked by the price I had to pay for a USB charging cable from WH Smith when in hospital. All such items were way overpriced because of the closed market.
Isn't that their business model now? Run shops in motorway services & hospitals where they can charge what they want for stuff rather than being competitive?
Isn’t that their business model now? Run shops in motorway services & hospitals where they can charge what they want for stuff rather than being competitive?
and you think they get a discount in rent for their shop being in a hospital?
Nope, charged more as it's a captive market, so they have to up their prices to break even...
No different to Starbucks / Costa in a train station. Landlord knows its a premium location and the rent reflects this.
All the silly little things I could get from Amazon, I tend to buy from EBay sellers. Mostly little one man and his dog sellers in Grimsby. I feel better about giving them a few quid. Usually cheaper than Amazon too
So global profits announced today - $2.5bn
Clearly massive, but I was surprised how much smaller it was than say Apple which is $40+bn
Edit.
Living out here on the edge of civilisation, LOADS of stuff isn't available locally, so Amazon is a regular source.
However, I've noticed that ebay carries much of the same, cheaper, so I'm gravitating towards that as a first stop...
I usually use eBay for small generic stuff (DIY etc) though also the local shop is pretty good for that. Sports stuff is either eBay or one of the on-line specialists, amazon rarely competes.
So global profits announced today – $2.5bn
Clearly massive, but I was surprised how much smaller it was than say Apple which is $40+bn
I think it has long been amazon's business model to constantly invest into the company and expand to increase share price rather than pay dividends.
I'm addicted, as has already been said, it's often available cheaper elsewhere but the convenience is worth it.
I'm more relaxed on the tax dodging, if they weren't doing it here they'd be doing it somewhere else and not employing a lot of people in the UK. The issue is not the company, it's the law, but you change it and you risk the above.