Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Amazon can get quite nasty when customers complain about packaging. They appear to be weeding out the more demanding customers when it comes to condition. Most analysts believe they have secret profitability metrics for each customer and what they order. Even if a customer orders $800 in a year, if the customer doesn't meet Amazon's profitability requirements, they can be kicked out at the first sign of trouble.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Wow, I've never received a dvd in a box from wal mart. Even multiple titles or box sets.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I must do well for Amazon in the profitability metrics. They fall all over themselves to make me happy when I have a complaint or want to return something.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

FYI, the issue isn't finding "Spooks Run Wild" with Amazon's search, but finding the Roan version, this one: http://www.amazon.com/East-Side-Kids...s=785604204121 among the results. Only a search for the full title or the UPC seems to work. Think I shall complain again, and if that doesn't work, raise the issue with the merchants whose products aren't appearing. Thinking back, this is likely the largest beef I've ever had with Amazon.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Miinimum order for free shipping is now $35.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Well fuck me, it is!

Not too surprising, though. I've been anticipating this for some time, though I figured it would probably be $50.

I actually remember when you had to spend $100 to qualify for free shipping, then it got knocked down to $50, and then $25.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Oh, that is BS! I always had I hard time getting over the $25 threshold when they had a decent deal on something under $20. With the FS minimum raised, I'll be buying even less. Prime just isn't worth it for me.

This sets a bad precedent, as now other online retailers who offer free shipping on orders over $25 (namely Best Buy and Deep Discount) will probably jack up their minimum as well.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Amazon continues to lose my business.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Ther went that. My ordering from them has been sparse since they implemented sales tax here last year but now I can't see myself getting much of anything unless it's a mega boxset deal or something.

I very rarely do bulk orders when it comes to online shopping as it is but that'd be the only reason I see to order for them. Most things I buy fall in the $25 range.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I still use them almost exclusively. Shipping/speed/carrier has been spot on for me.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Same. Even with the bump in free shipping, they're the most convenient for me by far for all general purchases.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

With Prime I have not noticed any degradation in shipping speed.
I'm sorry so many are having issues with Amazon.
They get a lot of my $$$....

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I don't even need to bother with Prime. Free shipping and I have almost any order within 3 day. Some specialty items may take longer but almost anything I order which is in stock or fulfilled by Amazon is at my door within 3 days. I've placed three separate orders (all with free shipping) with them this week alone.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I'm a big fan of Prime. For me - well worth the money...

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

The only reason I don't do it now is because 2nd day shipping would mean UPS wouldn't leave the package at my condo door. At least, that was the case when I did a trial run a while back. Whatever method Amazon uses for their free shipping is low enough that they'll leave it for me. That's a big plus with the amount of orders I place with them.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

If you sign up for My Choice UPS (or whatever its called) you'll get email notifications of incoming shipments that you can option them to leave it wherever you tell them to

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

2 day shipping + Lasership = WHORES!! :mad:

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I wish they would have gone to, say, $30 instead. $35 is just a bit too much.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

The nickel and diming continues... Between:

1. Enforced (AKA: Amazon's sell-out to CA & 15 other states) sales tax
2. S&H being raised to $3.99 for DVDs
3. Now, "free" shipping raised, of course, *unannounced* to $35.00

I know it's not a coincidence that these all happened within a year of each other!

I'm not going to be shopping there much anymore. Ironically, I was just offered another free Amazon Prime membership yesterday. I think I'll sign up for that, making the 2013 Holiday sweep the end of my business with Amazon.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

let's not forget the bullshit "Add On" items.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

The $35 thing doesn't bother me. Best buy went from free to $25 and walmart from free to $50 on orders.

But it'd be nice to know when Florida residents have to pay the Amazon sales tax. I'm guessing early 2014.

Amazon's offering me a Prime trial again, too. I think they do that every couple of years?

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

This is definitely going to impact my purchases with them. I could usually find an item or two to reach the $25 level, but I'm not going to push my purchases up to $35. It's a really bad move around the holidays because I was using them for last minute gifts etc. If they are charging sales tax, then I would expect an "in-store" pickup option to defer shipping, but I don't see that happening. I see this changing back to $25 after Jan 1.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Exact same sentiment here.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Just read on the Amazon message boards that Prime is going up to $99 in 2014 for new subscribers and renewals. Yikes.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I called that as soon as Super Saving Shipping was bumped up to $35. Amazon is making a big push for 4th Quarter profitability and this is how they'll do it.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I qualify for the 50% student discount so I jumped on it. With the price increasing and wanting to get in on the Nightmare on Elm Street deal before it expired I figured it was worth it. Now I just need to see what the differences are between Netflix and Amazon instant.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

While I hate to see price increases on anything I use/buy I'll still in at $99...

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

Same here. I used to just add things I probably didn't need to hit $25/$35 for free shipping, so $99 a year is almost worth it just for the shipping. Throw in the streaming that I enjoy almost as much as Netflix, and the book library borrowing, and I'll stick around at $99.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I think that's a bogus rumor. The post was started by some guy named "Ask Doctor Feelgood". He insults anyone that wants to know the source. Smells like troll.

Either way, I wouldn't mind the price increase. I'm surprised it hasn't happened before now. Personally, I'd prefer a price bump over scaling back benefits piece by piece.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

It looks like Amazon's price matching of Best Buy now includes Best Buy's shipping charge. Many of the $5.99 blu-rays that Best Buy has on sale this week were matched by Amazon this morning at a $7.98 price. At that price, it includes the $1.99 Best Buy shipping. Hopefully that's not permanent.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I had my amazon account closed due to "too many returns" but found a way around it and opened a new account. So far I have placed 5 orders. First order was for two CDs which were shipped in a mailer envelope and both were smashed causing the teeth on the hub that holds the discs to be broken which scratched the discs and neither will play without skipping. Second order was Chuck Season 1-5 box set which was shipped in a box 14 times the size of the item with two very thin bubble packs in it. It bounced around so much that the ends were dented and and the plastic wrap had actually come off the set fully. Also the case for season one was busted and none of the discs have teeth on the hubs that hold the discs in. I can replace that easily I guess. Order three was a single CD which again was shipped in a mailer envelope but luckily it was a digipak so even the footprints on both sides of the envelope didn't cause any damage. Fourth order was for Star Trek The Next Generation season 4 on BD which was sent without the slipcover (I can overlook that) and in a mailer envelope and looks like someone ran over it with a semi and is just fucked. Fifth order will be here tomorrow and is three books which I am sure will be fucked up some how. Anyways I think I am done with them. Sorry about the long post but thanks for reading my rant.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

You can thank the post office for some of that, but there's no excuse for packing an item in a box too large. When the item flies around inside the box, it is pretty definite it won't arrive intact.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

so, how many returns did you do??

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

I agree that the damage was actually caused in shipment from UPS but amazon is just as much at fault for the packaging they use. On the old account I ordered a few vinyl and CD box sets where they didn't even use a box, they just slapped a shipping label on the shrink wrap. Nothing makes a grown man cry faster than shaking a box and hearing pieces of vinyl bounce around. I live in Oklahoma so 90% of the items are sent from Kansas. If I would get a package sent from another state there usually wasn't a problem.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

We'll see if the rumor is true, but I'll see how I feel at that point. I dislike increases, but this hasn't gone up maybe ever, and I hate to admit that the streaming that used to be a bonus is something I use a fair amount now, and I don't stream Netflix. I agree that I used to add stuff just to hit the threshold, and I can see myself waiting on a purchase because of trying to fill out the order to $35 and getting a price hike in the meantime, so canceling might not be that much of a savings.

Maybe you should just give your money to someone else. :)

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

True, never had an issue with Best Buy or Barnes And Noble and Wal-Mart I pick up in the store.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

The only real problem I've had with amazon is that I ordered a blu-ray and a dvd that were supposed to have slipcovers. I tried 3 times to get the slipcovers, but none of the orders they sent had the slipcovers.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

This Friday, November 1st, Amazon will start charging 6.25% sales tax here in Massachusetts. yay.

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

That's not Amazon's fault. They're at the mercy of the distributor. Slipcovers are limited to initial pressings of BDs as it is, and some are so scarce that some retailers don't even get them (i.e. Trick 'r Treat, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Crank 2).

Re: The complaining about Amazon thread
 

The order of three books that was supposed to be here today wasn't delivered. It shows they were all shipped on the 28th but the tracking number from UPS just says that a shipping label has been created. All three books came out today and I selected release day shipping. I did receive packages from UPS from other retailers today. I really am done this time. I can get MP3s and e-books off iTunes so I have no use for amazon anymore.