Amazon prime? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 07-19-2018, 10:51 PM

Is this something I want or is it one of those things they give you "free" but you have to cancel later if you don't use it...?

Mike D · #2 07-19-2018, 11:07 PM

It all depends on how much stuff you order from Amazon. I use it quite a bit as they almost always have a "free 2nd day delivery" deal.

Yes, you have to cancel it after you use it before the end of the trial period or it's one of those subscription deals.

Bezos didn't get to where he is by giving stuff away.

rocky raccoon · #3 07-20-2018, 06:57 AM

I do not order from Amazon anymore. I started, then cancelled my account when they abused my email inbox. It was far more difficult to stop getting email from them than it was to start.

t walgamuth · #4 07-20-2018, 08:29 AM

Thanks guys! I think I'll pass too.

Mxfrank · #5 07-20-2018, 11:34 AM

Twenty years ago, Amazon was a cheap discount bookseller. Because online offered low overhead, they under priced traditional retailers and dominated the market. Then they forgot about books, and reinvented themselves as the retailers of everything, the E-Bay alternative, the rocket boys, the giant computer timeshare service bureau, the grocery store, and a bunch of other stuff. None of which they do particularly well. Nor are they any longer particularly cheap. Their main stock in trade is logistics. By dominating transportation and delivery market share, they dominate all markets which depend on transportation, which is to say all markets. Like Standard Oil in the 1890's, it's not about the price of the goods, it's the way they manipulate shipping cost. Why it's tolerated I couldn't tell you.

Their prices are routinely 10-20% higher than the shop-around competition, and worse, the price may vary based on customer profile. It's really astonishing that they have so many ardent defenders.

tbomachines · #6 07-20-2018, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

Twenty years ago, Amazon was a cheap discount bookseller. Because online offered low overhead, they under priced traditional retailers and dominated the market. Then they forgot about books, and reinvented themselves as the retailers of everything, the E-Bay alternative, the rocket boys, the giant computer timeshare service bureau, the grocery store, and a bunch of other stuff. None of which they do particularly well. Nor are they any longer particularly cheap. Their main stock in trade is logistics. By dominating transportation and delivery market share, they dominate all markets which depend on transportation, which is to say all markets. Like Standard Oil in the 1890's, it's not about the price of the goods, it's the way they manipulate shipping cost. Why it's tolerated I couldn't tell you.

Their prices are routinely 10-20% higher than the shop-around competition, and worse, the price may vary based on customer profile. It's really astonishing that they have so many ardent defenders.

No. Their main profit center is web hosting and services. It's like 97% of their profit. AWS is an industry juggernaut.

davidmash · #7 07-20-2018, 09:51 PM

I use their streaming service quite a bit. I do order a fair amount from them. I shop around and their prices seem quite competitive to me at least on what I shop for. Their shipping and return policy more than makes up for any price difference in my opinion.

lorainfurniture · #8 07-20-2018, 10:40 PM

For $125/year

1. Amazon version of Netflix (including the real top gear)
2. Amazon streaming music
3. Free delivery on everything.

If you have Netflix for $15 a month you are already paying $130/year for that. Everything else is bonus. It is true, amazon gets your with the convenience. Some items are particularly expensive but if you know what your looking for you can avoid the convenience traps.

I use it for my business. It’s cheaper for me to pay an extra dollar for toilet paper than to send a$15/hr employee to the store to buy it, which will certainly take him an hour at least.

At home my wife is stuck with the kids and most times it’s easier to pay an extra dollar than load up the kids and unload them etc. for a single item. Amazon is so big because they are doing it right and th customers are deciding with their pocket books.

As a brick and mortar store it kind of hurts me to say it. Amazon will eventually put me out of business as soon as they decide to sell appliances.

Diseasel300 · #9 07-20-2018, 10:55 PM

How you use Amazon dictates whether or not Prime is worth it to you. If you only use Amazon a few times a year it totally isn't worth it. If you shop from their store often (at least twice a month) or you use their streaming services, then Prime is worth it. In my area there's really only Wal-Mart or Lowe's/Home Depot as any sort of a big-box store to go to. I absolutely despise going in the prior and will go out of my way not to shop there unless I have no other choice or time constraints prevent shopping elsewhere.

If I want to shop anywhere else, it's pretty much an hour's drive. It's all about where you live and what your options are. If you're in a city you have choices that those of us in more rural areas don't. Paying for Prime and getting things shipped to me that I can't get locally is a major benefit. Certainly less expensive than that 140 mile round trip every time I need something I can't get locally. If you're smart and you shop around on the site, you can often find things with Prime shipping for the same cost as competitors but without freight costs and without sales tax (though that may change before long).

Mxfrank · #10 07-20-2018, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

No. Their main profit center is web hosting and services. It's like 97% of their profit. AWS is an industry juggernaut.

No. It's like the blind men and the elephant. AWS can be accurately regarded as their logistics chain for virtual products. The goal there as with physical delivery is market dominance. And since when did they give a hoot about profit? As long as the next fool is willing to shell out ever more for stock, they don't need no stinkin profits.

tbomachines · #11 07-20-2018, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

No. It's like the blind men and the elephant. AWS can be accurately regarded as their logistics chain for virtual products. The goal there as with physical delivery is market dominance. And since when did they give a hoot about profit? As long as the next fool is willing to shell out ever more for stock, they don't need no stinkin profits.

"accurately regarded as logistics chain for virtual products". That makes no sense, can you explain? They own and have developed AWS over quite a few years. Some homegrown some acquisition, but their platforms are very widely adopted and well established.

tjts1 · #12 07-21-2018, 03:22 AM

I buy a lot of the "used" stuff from Amazon which usually means open or damaged box. If I don't like it I ship it back for free. You can't beat Amazon's return policy.

A few examples from the last couple of months:
Driver's side w124 front control arm lemforder $36
LG LCRT2010ST microwave $93 ($199 retail)
Castrol 0w40 synthetic 5qt $18 (prime day)
Bosch 5275WS w203 air filters $5/ea
Lemforder w203 transmission mount $7
KYB 553178 w124 rear shocks $18 ea

People abuse the hell out of Amazon's free return policy and most of that stuff gets resold as used for much less. The prime subscription pays for itself in no time. Add to that the 5% back on the Amazon card and it's a no brainier.

Given enough time and effort you'll probably find a physical or online store where any given item is cheaper than amazon. The thing is my time is money and Amazon saves me a lot of time. If I can wait 2 days for any item I'll buy it on Amazon and save myself a trip to the store.

jplinville · #13 07-23-2018, 11:07 AM

I began a Prime member when they showed me that I had spent $350 on shipping costs over a 12 month period. I decided that their $99 a year membership for free 2 day shipping was worth it, considering what and how much I bought. The first item I bought from them on the Prime plan paid for the membership for the year. I bought a large fire and water proof gun safe, for the same price I would have had to pay from the manufacturer, minus the $130 shipping cost. It was a no brainer for me on that purchase...Prime did it's job.

I've been a member since the year after it came out, and haven't looked back. In my home, it saves me money.

strelnik · #14 07-23-2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

Twenty years ago, Amazon was a cheap discount bookseller. Because online offered low overhead, they under priced traditional retailers and dominated the market. Then they forgot about books, and reinvented themselves as the retailers of everything, the E-Bay alternative, the rocket boys, the giant computer timeshare service bureau, the grocery store, and a bunch of other stuff. None of which they do particularly well. Nor are they any longer particularly cheap. Their main stock in trade is logistics. By dominating transportation and delivery market share, they dominate all markets which depend on transportation, which is to say all markets. Like Standard Oil in the 1890's, it's not about the price of the goods, it's the way they manipulate shipping cost. Why it's tolerated I couldn't tell you.

Their prices are routinely 10-20% higher than the shop-around competition, and worse, the price may vary based on customer profile. It's really astonishing that they have so many ardent defenders.

You have to shop around with them.
For a while I bought diesel purge through them, then a guy on Ebay started selling it for 6.00 a can so I switched.

barry12345 · #15 08-06-2018, 05:16 PM

Big companies negotiate minimal shipping rates. Damaging other on line retailers of medium and smaller size. I believe it is so competitive some of their shipping suppliers reduced costs to get the contracts. Then are downloaded onto increasing individuals shipping rates.

I only buy from ebay USA or ebay Canada. If I am really desperate for an item now. Or the item is shipped from the orient for almost nothing. I live in eastern Canada. . .Many things are five percent of local retail including shipping from the orient.

Delivery though Is usually slow. A little quicker out of Hong Kong usually. Last week outside mirror led light assembly for the jetta. Fifty dollars ebay. Plus ebay will want their cut on shipping to Canada.

Five dollars including shipping from China. Could be a knock off but that has not been a general experience with most things acquired there by me in the last year or so. Before that there were far more knock offs.

Unless pretty obvious. Seem now to be the exact same parts the original manufactures used in production. Or what they sell you as replacements. Volkswagon does not manufacture these units as they are seen as fitting many brands of cars in the listing.

If nothing else it is ten percent or less the cost of American vendors listing the part on ebay. Their part will be the exact same part in most cases.