[ASAP]

...bcuz amazon coerces people into having it... how they didn't get hit w a fine by the DOJ is beyond me... i remember when prime was just coming into light, if you didn't have it... they would sit on packages for 3-4 days BEFORE they were even shipped... so its not even a 1 for 1 in terms of shipping time, they just purposely sat on non prime packages... either way, at least from a product standpoint, amazon appears to be heading the way of ebay to me... with cheap chinese junk sold on most of the site by 3rd part resellers... and its easy to get an amazon price match anywhere

[MoeTE87]

Love the Amazon Prime membership. It's always quick for my wife and I. Only a few times have the packages taken a bit longer but it's been amazing to have for my currently basement remodel project for the tv, Nintendo switch, sound bar area. Needed longer HDMI cords, battery powered LED light strips and other things to make my install easy. 9/10 of my items were either delivered same day (if ordered in the morning) or at my door step the next morning.

No complaints to be honest. I do take my time and order quality parts and try to weed out the junk while searching. Returns are easy. Not been a fan of the $1 return fee to UPS though. I feel like that is a joke.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by MoeTE87

Not been a fan of the $1 return fee to UPS though. I feel like that is a joke.

I've never experienced this. I just print my label, drop it off, and I've got my refund as soon as it's scanned. They're charging you a dollar to drop it off or pick it up? Pick-up has never worked for me, so I drop it off every time.

[MoeTE87]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

I've never experienced this. I just print my label, drop it off, and I've got my refund as soon as it's scanned. They're charging you a dollar to drop it off or pick it up? Pick-up has never worked for me, so I drop it off every time.

They are charging me $1 to drop it off. So they will take it off the original price of the item you are returning.

Here in Cincinnati, OH, you have to go to Staples to be able to return for free. They are slower than shit there. I would much rather pay the $1 for them to scan at UPS and I hand over the item and leave. It's more for convenience and time. But I hate the fact that they decided to nickel and dime their customers. Been meaning to look into it and see if I can get around the $1 charge.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by MoeTE87

They are charging me $1 to drop it off. So they will take it off the original price of the item you are returning.

Here in Cincinnati, OH, you have to go to Staples to be able to return for free. They are slower than shit there. I would much rather pay the $1 for them to scan at UPS and I hand over the item and leave. It's more for convenience and time. But I hate the fact that they decided to nickel and dime their customers. Been meaning to look into it and see if I can get around the $1 charge.

Very interesting.

Where I'm at it's free to drop it off at Kohl's or UPS, but I always go to UPS. I literally just rebox it (I'm in the habit of keeping the shipping box for everything until I know I'm keeping it), print the return page with the scan on it, tape it to the box and drop it off. I don't even wait in line when I drop it off, just lay it on the counter and say "I don't need a receipt" and leave. Hell, I don't even park properly, just pull up out front and throw my flashers on for the 30 seconds I'll be out of the car.

In all honesty, I wouldn't mind paying $1 to return some things that I'm "trying out" to see if they would work for me. In fact, I buy a lot more stuff knowing that I can return it if it doesn't suit my needs perfectly, and I think that's part of their game. No questions asked returns are the future.

[MoeTE87]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

Very interesting.

Where I'm at it's free to drop it off at Kohl's or UPS, but I always go to UPS. I literally just rebox it (I'm in the habit of keeping the shipping box for everything until I know I'm keeping it), print the return page with the scan on it, tape it to the box and drop it off. I don't even wait in line when I drop it off, just lay it on the counter and say "I don't need a receipt" and leave. Hell, I don't even park properly, just pull up out front and throw my flashers on for the 30 seconds I'll be out of the car.

In all honesty, I wouldn't mind paying $1 to return some things that I'm "trying out" to see if they would work for me. In fact, I buy a lot more stuff knowing that I can return it if it doesn't suit my needs perfectly, and I think that's part of their game. No questions asked returns are the future.

That's how it was this whole time for me and the wife. Not until about last Fall is when we saw the change.

I would do the exact same thing as you and keep the box until I know for sure I am keeping the item. I honestly just read Amazon is trying to crack down on returns. I can most certainly take it to Kohls or Whole Foods and Staples for free. But why bother when there is a UPS store close by and it's faster?!

It's no biggie, but a little like, wtf. Won't stop me from buying..that's for sure. I think Amazon delivery drivers are at our house about 2-3 times per day. It's just too easy. I know I already got a package I ordered last night in bed and it came at 7am this morning.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by MoeTE87

I can most certainly take it to Kohls or Whole Foods and Staples for free. But why bother when there is a UPS store close by and it's faster?!

I wonder if it's your local UPS Store that won't play ball. They are independent of real UPS, and can make their own rules.

[MoeTE87]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

I wonder if it's your local UPS Store that won't play ball. They are independent of real UPS, and can make their own rules.

As far as I know, it's all UPS stores in Cincinnati.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Yes, that's what I do as well. Saves us a hundred-plus a year in Prime fees. Win!

Yup, I'm just amazed there aren't many savvy shoppers it seems, who actually doesn't bother meeting that threshold? That's just burning money.

Originally Posted by ASAP

...bcuz amazon coerces people into having it... how they didn't get hit w a fine by the DOJ is beyond me... i remember when prime was just coming into light, if you didn't have it... they would sit on packages for 3-4 days BEFORE they were even shipped... so its not even a 1 for 1 in terms of shipping time, they just purposely sat on non prime packages... either way, at least from a product standpoint, amazon appears to be heading the way of ebay to me... with cheap chinese junk sold on most of the site by 3rd part resellers... and its easy to get an amazon price match anywhere

"...cheap...junk..." would've sufficed smh, or you might as well throw away virtually everything you have since there's going to be 'made in China' somewhere somehow.

[LivingInSalt]

I don't even have to box it up for free returns. Just take it to a UPS store and hand them the item I'm returning and they scan the barcode and I'm done

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

i just use temu and aliexpess for basic shit I dont need right away.

target 5% off and price matches walmart.

idk man, but going to the store is fun. I find if weird if you live in a bunker (aka ur home)

[floridaorange]

Temu is legit?

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

I don't even have to box it up for free returns. Just take it to a UPS store and hand them the item I'm returning and they scan the barcode and I'm done

That changes depending on what you're returning. Take care to look at the label Amazon supplies because it will say one or the other.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by ASAP

amazon appears to be heading the way of ebay to me... with cheap chinese junk sold on most of the site by 3rd part resellers... and its easy to get an amazon price match anywhere

Oh nooooo... you're gonna trigger the op to have a nervous breakdown!!!!

Originally Posted by MoeTE87

That's how it was this whole time for me and the wife. Not until about last Fall is when we saw the change.

I would do the exact same thing as you and keep the box until I know for sure I am keeping the item. I honestly just read Amazon is trying to crack down on returns. I can most certainly take it to Kohls or Whole Foods and Staples for free. But why bother when there is a UPS store close by and it's faster?!

It's no biggie, but a little like, wtf. Won't stop me from buying..that's for sure. I think Amazon delivery drivers are at our house about 2-3 times per day. It's just too easy. I know I already got a package I ordered last night in bed and it came at 7am this morning.

They have done the $1 thing here also. Actually I use to be able to schedule a UPS PICKUP for free. That was the best and I would always do that. They killed that a while ago and I always had to take it to UPS. On my last return UPS return was $1 but returning to Staples or some other locations was free.

I buy everything on Amazon or now I use Walmart sometimes, but prime is getting less and less worthwhile to me. Most of the stuff I buy I don't need immediately, the added benefits like prime video and music are getting shittier and shittier. Now they will have ads on Prime video unless you pay more, their music app has always been shit, especially in the car and now you can't even save more than 1 playlist for offline listening and they are constantly trying to sell you the "upgraded" plan. I've actually accidentally signed up for that crap more than once I think.

I'm getting real close to dumping prime.

[M-technik-3]

$139 a year and your still paying for movies plus now you get commercials just normal tv.

Glad I dumped mine a year ago. Disney is getting dumped very soon as well.

[Esteban]

I heard they're going to start charging you to use Alexa on the Fire Stick.

Anybody else heard this? Is my source wrong?

[MoeTE87]

Funny thing is, I needed an extra 1-gang electrical box for my basement project last night and so I looked on Prime so see if I could get one by this morning, the cheapest one on there was $10. I was like wtf. So I went to Home Depot first thing this morning and paid $2.31 for the same one.

[unluky]

I was one of the first prime members that I knew of. I think it was like $20 back then, so no brainer. Now it is like an extra car payment every year and you shit gets to you in 2-3 days anyway so I dumped it. They WILL hold your order when you drop it, so be aware of that - but I just order anything I need in a hurry elsewhere because I am not into blackmail.

To me - nowadays it is a total rip off.

[unluky]

Originally Posted by Esteban

I heard they're going to start charging you to use Alexa on the Fire Stick.

Anybody else heard this? Is my source wrong?

I THINK I read this was only if you opt in to the new AI fed version - but it is the beginning of the end. Like everything else they do - they will not MAKE you take it, but start gradually killing the old one till you have to take the paid version or leave.

Just like MP3's. I don't like streaming music, I always bought all my MP3's from Amazon. Then I bought an Echo to play them on by voice control. Slowly they started killing that because they want to you pay for Amazon Music every month. So now on a Echo that I bought from Amazon playing MP3's I bought from Amazon - I can no longer play them the way I used to (by name or shuffle) because you have to pay for Amazon Music to do that now - even though you already paid for the MP3's from them to begin with.

When they start being pay only for Alexa - which is coming for sure - I will dump it all and be done with Amazon.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Temu is legit?

temu is very legit.

basically a slightly faster aliexpress with better coupons and flash deals.

legit meaning I just bought three amazing fleece lined sweatpants for 10 dollars each and they are fucking amazing.

Then bought two sweaters. Nintendo switch case, massage ball...

IE buy it for junky items and non branded clothing. return policy is stellar and amazon like. half the time you keep your shit. I assume like amazon that won't be forever.

edit anything you are going to buy on amazon that has a strange brand, or amazon basics. is 100% a china product which is marked up by a dropshipper on amazon. going even further like 75% of parts retailers for our cars.

[MoeTE87]

Alright, so to piggyback off of my previous posts about the $1 charge by Amazon to drop off packages to the UPS store.

So last night, I had 7 packages to return with one already having a shipping label that I slapped on.

I walk into the UPS store with my returns, there were about 6 UPS workers there helping 3 customers. One of the workers comes over to me and tells me to follow her to a new machine that I haven't seen before. She proceeds to tell me that this is how she would like me to make my returns and shows me how to do it..pretty simple process. My returns were small items that I bought for my basement sound / video area that I no longer need. It's not like I had giant boxes.

So I was thinking, wtf is this shit. I continue to process my "OWN" packages and slap on the shipping label to each plastic bag that I put each return item into.

I was about half way done, I look up and no where in sight did I see a worker. I could hear them talking and laughing in the back while I am doing this shit for myself.

So a few customers come in with 2-3 return items each and they both left before me.

I don't care to do things on my own. I actually prefer self check out 99% of the time but when I am doing their work when they aren't busy..that's my problem. I wouldn't have cared if they were slammed and had a line. I would feel like I am helping them in some way..

Rant over.

I will just make sure to bring in 2-3 items at a time from now on.

[bagekko]

Yup our UPS store got that just after Xmas, and we have the same opinion why should I do someone else's job. Plus the line for the machine is always longer and takes more time cause you never know how many items the people in front need. Once there was a couple doing literally about 100 items, you have to do each item as separate transaction they had to be there at least 30 min using the machine.

Originally Posted by MoeTE87

Alright, so to piggyback off of my previous posts about the $1 charge by Amazon to drop off packages to the UPS store.

So last night, I had 7 packages to return with one already having a shipping label that I slapped on.

I walk into the UPS store with my returns, there were about 6 UPS workers there helping 3 customers. One of the workers comes over to me and tells me to follow her to a new machine that I haven't seen before. She proceeds to tell me that this is how she would like me to make my returns and shows me how to do it..pretty simple process. My returns were small items that I bought for my basement sound / video area that I no longer need. It's not like I had giant boxes.

So I was thinking, wtf is this shit. I continue to process my "OWN" packages and slap on the shipping label to each plastic bag that I put each return item into.

I was about half way done, I look up and no where in sight did I see a worker. I could hear them talking and laughing in the back while I am doing this shit for myself.

So a few customers come in with 2-3 return items each and they both left before me.

I don't care to do things on my own. I actually prefer self check out 99% of the time but when I am doing their work when they aren't busy..that's my problem. I wouldn't have cared if they were slammed and had a line. I would feel like I am helping them in some way..

Rant over.

I will just make sure to bring in 2-3 items at a time from now on.