stanbud

(Sorry if this has been posted)


Thank you for contacting us.

Recent media reports about the pricing practices in our DVD store
have been inaccurate. While it is true that we occasionally test
various aspects of our web site--including layout, design, prices
and customer reviews--to determine which characteristics drive
customer purchases and satisfaction, these tests are random and are
not based on a customer's purchasing history with Amazon.com.

These tests are conducted for a brief period during which certain
sections of our web site will appear differently to randomly selected
Amazon.com customers. Price is one aspect we may test; accordingly,
that means that some customers may pay a different price for select
items. Also, please bear in mind that the discounts we offer on items
do
vary even when we are not testing prices on our site.

In this case, I can assure you that the pricing error about which we
emailed you is in no way related to the DVD testing recently done on
our
site. That test ended September 5th. At any given time, despite our
best
efforts, a small number of the more than 4.7 million items on our site
may
in fact be mispriced. We do, however, verify prices as part of our
shipping procedures. If an item's correct price is lower than our
stated
price, we charge the lower amount and ship you the item. If an item's
correct price is higher than our stated price, we contact you for
instructions before shipping--as we've done in this case.

You can read more about our pricing policies in the "Help Desk"
section of our web site:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/help/pricing.html/

In accordance with our posted policies on pricing, we are unable to
offer this item for the incorrectly posted price. If you would prefer
to cancel this item, you may do so through the "Your Account" link on
our site.

Click the "Go!" button next to "Where's my stuff? - my recent orders"
and sign in with your e-mail address and password. Next, click the
order number for the order you wish to modify. You will then be able
to approve or cancel any item with updated price information.

Thanks again for letting us know how you feel about this issue. I
hope you will give us a chance to serve you again in the near future.


Best regards,

Kevin Henn
Amazon.com
Earth's Biggest Selection http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more! http://www.amazon.com/your-account
Questions? We have your answers! http://www.amazon.com/help

>Date: Mon Sep 11 20:10:21 PDT 2000
>Subject: Fwd: Re: Your Amazon.com order (#002-1770196-xxxx): your
approval required
>To: [email protected], [email protected]
>From:

>>
>> Yet again, I have a problem with your inaccurate
>> pricing. I am extremely disappointed yet again.
>> First it was the variable pricing that was
>> identified
>> this last week (refer to the cnet and wired
>> articles)
>> and now this. Please explain to me why I should
>> continue to take my business to you.
>> Thanks,

djones6746

Amazon is really going to be hurting....I cannot even believe loyal customers would put up with this recent nonsense!!!!

LBPound

Actually, Amazon's e-mail is correct. Too bad the news reports have missed the boat, by linking the prices to specific browsers and repeat customers. Their price testing process was entirely random. If they go with it, it won't affect me and other price-hunters who will simply keep trying until they get maximum discount. As for the people who don't care how much they pay for a DVD, good for Amazon to get a little bit more from them. I support Amazon's desire to make money (oh the thought!) and I really don't see how random prices will affect me negatively. Especially considering that I get everything there for next to nothing to begin with.

LBPound

Oh yeah and I find it ridiculous that so many people are complaining about Amazon verifying the prices (this does NOT mean the original poster here), especially when considering that the majority of people were buying things like the Jet Li box set at 85% off so that they could re-sell them and get more money. For the most part, people were buying the items not because they were interested in the products but because they were looking to make some money for themselves. And that's the wrong reason to bash Amazon.

Heathen

quote:<HR>Originally posted by LBPound23:
...For the most part, people were buying the items not because they were interested in the products but because they were looking to make some money for themselves. And that's the wrong reason to bash Amazon.<HR>

It doesn't matter what the reason was the people were interested in the items...Gifts, resale, personal use, frisbees, etc...

The reason for the bashing is that Amazon is playing both sides of the fence and puts their customers last. This is a far cry from the Amazon that I got used to in the "early" days when they would bend over backwards to assist you. Those days are gone. The customer is NEVER right at Amazon. Your Privacy...Forget about it! They used to ship pre-orders to arrive on street date. No more. You would think that with all that money going into making them the best distribution possible, that they could still meet that. Not any more. Lucky to get it shipped two days after steet date!

Amazon readily admits to playing Russian Roulette with the prices, and even if they don't want to admit to as much, there has been many documented cases on these boards to atest that in fact they do/did. The same machine, different browsers, deleted cookies, all produced DIFFERENT prices. So what is wrong with that? Not much I say, but if you are going to play the pricing game to that degree, how is a customer to know when a known loss leader category item (i.e. DVD) is priced at a better than average price is "not the right price". They adjust it to suit their needs. I'm all for a company making money, but that is just downright sheisty in my book! It is not like The Substitute going for $.01 at Best Buy recently, and people trying buying 100 for $1.00. Best Buy did honor one for each individual, and I applaud them for that. I only ordered one, and to be truthful, it was to sell. But, when I got it in, my wife decicded that she wanted it, and there it sits on our shelf. Again, the main reason for the purchase is inconsequential. They made a mistake (albeit a FAR more clear mistake than say Brazil: Criterion at $19.99), and they still honored the price for 1 copy. In my book, they would have had more leg to stand on to cancel ALL of those orders because they didn't play the roulette game with pricing as Amazon does. And then to add salt to the wounds, say that Brazil at $19.99 will be shipped in the year 2020. No respect for the customer.

Amazon has lost my trust, my loyalty, my faith, and my business. The only time I get anything from them is when I earn a GC from somewhere, as I now refuse to pay any out of pocket expenses for a company that treats its customers as third rate as Amazon does now.

Bill

svadas

Amazon is suck. They've got us by the balls as we will continue to shop there regardless of how they treat us. I really don't think that they have many shoppers left who actually pay with cash. Why would you? Their prices and shipping are not really competitive anymore, plenty of cheaper places out there when you do a search. They know we use GC's as they've become really more of a business to redeem points/rewards, etc from. They know we have to spend them or lose them. Their price policy is obviously bogus regardless of if it was a price error or intention. Some people got their order, some people got a GC, some people got the price sent back to before, and some people got nothing. Clearly they are not operating in accordance with their pricing policy.

I got a similar e-mail responce as the above, and responded as to how that was unnacceptable. If they don't deliver, I will be following up with BBB, AG, FTC. It might not get me my order but it might generate enough heat for amazon to stop treating it's customers as second rate people in hopes of generating a profit. Harsh words from a shareholder. Darn amazon. They keep saying how great their customer service is too. It's a comedy of errors over there. Reminds me of when I used to shop at CDNever.

Fhrx

So at the end of the day, most of us are Ginea Pigs?

------------------
Regards...

John 3:16

lwdog

Stores testing for price elasticity is a very usual procedure, and consumers and being used as geinea pigs all the time.

That, I am not so concerned about. Their policy about mis-pricing though, is a little annoying. While the 85% off thing is a easy to detect as an error argubly: how about 50%, 45%, etc? How do we know what is correct and what is not?

This is especially when there are competing firms out there who we could have bought from (in the case of pre-orders). What if I order a pre-order from Amazon for 40% off and forgoing a chance to buy at 40% off at Express.com, only to be told after the release date that in fact it's only 30% off?

Trigger

quote:<HR>Originally posted by LBPound23:
Oh yeah and I find it ridiculous that so many people are complaining about Amazon verifying the prices (this does NOT mean the original poster here), especially when considering that the majority of people were buying things like the Jet Li box set at 85% off so that they could re-sell them and get more money. For the most part, people were buying the items not because they were interested in the products but because they were looking to make some money for themselves. And that's the wrong reason to bash Amazon.<HR>

Not that what you were saying was directed at me - but I bought the Jet Li pack because those films are rad... wish they were the cantonese versions... I also picked up Brazil because 20 bux is about what I was willing to pay for it since I already have 2 copies of the VHS. I bought only things I wanted. I also have never bitched about anything. Amazon has agreed to honor the prices with me and the items have yet to ship... so I guess karma prevails.

dek

I also bought Jet Li because I wanted the box set, I also bought AFI. Both shot down, Amazon lost a customer. They want to play around with us and thats fine, I'll take my business elsewhere. I will also tell everyone I know to stay the hell away from Amazon.com and never to shop there. Ever. I wish Cnet would ask me for my opinion in their interview. Amazon.com used to be a good etailer, from all their recent tactics it only makes me wonder how much longer their doors will truly be open.

zenlunatic

I'm still happy with Amazon, at least compared to other online media companies out there. I mean who's better? CD Later where things can be backordered for months. Buy.con where if you order anything the least bit esoteric, it can take three months to get, and unlike CD Later, they don't even bother telling you of the delay. I've also had a few rediculous backorder times with 800.com and Barnes and Nobles.com. Don't get me started on Tower.com. Their hired help is clueless.

With Amazon, I can use all the click-to-earn GCs to drastically reduce my cost. I order today, and if the item ships from the Wilmington, Delaware Distribution Center, I'll have it within 24-48 h. If it doesn't ship from Delaware, many times Amazon has upgraded the shipping for free.

I'm not bothered by the pricing experiments because (1) I consider myself an informed consumer. If I'm not happy with the price, I don't buy it. (2) I worked as a departmental manager for a very large discount store chain before leaving for college. You know what? We did experimental pricing too. You might be surprised how many B&Ms do it. The home office does the massive demographic calculations and then adjusts the prices accordingly. So what you're charged in the store within your city may not be what you are charged in the neighboring city.

I am not bothered by their failure to ship media that is mispriced. Unlike other online retailers, I think everyone on this board knows that Amazon checks for mispricing at shipping. So there's no $50 off $50 debacles like buy.com, unfortunately, but at least you know the policy up front.

My only real complaint with Amazon is their privacy policy, but I use my spam email address to order and regularly submit my name to be removed from snail mailing lists.

So for me, Amazon is still the best out there, albeit perhaps the lesser of evils.

[This message has been edited by zenlunatic (edited September 13, 2000).]

HappyFunBall

Y'know, I have to agree with the naysayers here. Amazon can't have it both ways. They can't have variable pricing (and end the practice because the public found out) and then do a price increase after the order.

I bought a few DVD's at Amazon in my time as a customer and started to feel good about this company. Now with changing their privacy policy and the snafu last week after the variable pricing-- forget it. Amazon is playing just too many games to make me feel comfortable that I'm getting a decent price there. My business is going elsewhere and I'm going to request that my account be removed.

Rattlesnake

Personally I think Amazon.com has done a poor job. And I don't believe these prices were accidents. These weren't really hot titles and in most of the cases they were older titles. It is not unusual at all for Amazon.com to discount greatly overstocked merchandise. I think the problem was they had way more orders than stock on hand. When their initial stock ran out they should have reset the prices, but they didn't. Then they handled everything from then on very poorly