We've been ordering all kinds of nonsense from Amazon and it's coming within reasonable shipping times. We just got some more oboe sheet music for my kid this morning via Amazon. So it probably depends on how busy the local distribution center is.

If anything, I think COVID-19 has shown that amazon is nowhere near ready to replace traditional B&Ms... at least not yet.

Video games must be essential. I ordered a video game on the 18th and it's out for delivery today. I even chose slow shipping to get the $1.50 credit....

Amazon must think video games are essential. I ordered a video game on the 18th and it's out for delivery today. I even chose slow shipping to get the $1.50 credit....

More likely that the videogame happened to be in stock at your local warehouse.

That's what I'm wondering. Almost anything of value considered truly "essential" like toilet paper and sanitizer have been out of stock for weeks. What is Amazon delivering besides food?

It shipped from Joliet, IL. That’s not my local warehouse.

toilet paper has been (and is) in stock. Medicine, cleaning supplies, etc. as well.

I am surprised lwhy's product shipped from IL though. Maybe they're not as backed up as they were, or maybe the suppliers of some of the other items are backed up?

Its just a queue. Essential category and maybe SKU shipments come first.

Has there been any indication on when Amazon UK will allow for US-based orders to be placed again? I thought I read something about it being until early April. Obviously, with the current state, things are delayed. Just curious if they've specifically said anything.

Hey look, it's amazon propaganda on the news ahead of the shareholders call!


Not sure if this is insidious or just really really lazy newsroom editors/producers.

It's lazy newsroom editors/producers. The "reporter" in the pkg, Todd Walker, used to work at my station. He now works in Amazon's PR department. https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-walker-9894882a

My last FOUR amazon deliveries each have said that they were delivered on one day (they weren't), and then they show up one or two days later.

Which is fine, but don't give me an expected date, and even go so far as say it was delivered when it's absolutely not, making me think it was stolen or mis-delivered. Just give me the correct info!

What's interesting, all the correct delivery info has a picture of where the package was dropped off. The ones that got delivered a day or two later have no pics.

The first time this happened, I did get a refund, only for the item to show up a day later - am I dishonest for keeping the refund? I mean, Bezos is almost a trillionaire. Not that that makes it alright...

No current complaints about my orders but I am not a fan of their new App design at all.

I would say it’s fine. Here is the exact wording on Amazon’s shipping status page when your order is more than about 5 days late:

”Your package may be lost. We’re very sorry your delivery is so late. Although it may still arrive, you can request a refund now.”

We’ve had a real problem in Hawaii with the last mile package handoff from Amazon to USPS since the pandemic started. Before the pandemic the delivery times were always spot-on for over a year. Since the pandemic, there have been a number of times where Amazon tracking says it’s been transferred to the local post office and USPS says it’s still waiting for the package from their partner. And it stays in that limbo for 5-10 days until it finally shows up in USPS and then gets delivered the next day. I haven’t asked for refunds on any of them yet because I knew they’d probably make it eventually, but I have been asking for $5 credits every time one of them is late. Racked up $25 in credits so far.

Designing apps is certainly not Amazon's strong suit. Both their Prime Video and Music apps are absolutely dreadful to use.

Not really a complaint but I ordered something last week and it indicated a Sunday delivery so I selected the option for Monday delivery instead. I forget the term something like my "regular prime delivery day" or something. Didn't know I had one but OK. Found out it's out for delivery today, Sunday, anyway. Oh well, I guess it will be delivered as any other USPS parcel and in the parcel locker.

Better watch out... soon you'll get banned for being a "nuissance customer," even thought it's completely Amazon's fault. You do know that some magical, unforgiving algorithm is just waiting with baited fervor, to give you the Amazon ban hammer, once that algorithm's "point of no return flag" is activated?

Would have been better if you had merely requested refund on one or two of those orders instead. The more "negative" interactions with Amazon, the more of a "devil" customer you become, for you're no longer lining Bezos' golden pockets so indiscriminately if you give him hassels / "problems."

Which is sad, considering sociopath Bezos has his sights set on world (and space) domination. A customer shouldn't be fearful of getting shut out from "the everything store" when the Amazon empire was built on customer satisfaction and hassle-free returns. If ol' Jeff had his way, Amazon would be "the only store". It's beyond arrogant to go around blacklisting random customers who voice valid complaints when they've been conditioned by his own company to expect a certain level of service and are paying an annual membership fee to get it. They act as though customers are committing fraud by complaining about late shipments. Such complaints are apparently marked as "incidents" on your account when the Amazon algorithm is tallying your worth to them as a customer.

Amazon had stated (on the record, I believe) that there was no cut off when it came to legitimate returns. I never worried about having my account closed because all my returns were legitimate and, in my opinion, not excessive. Yet they still sent me a "Returns Policy Notice" e-mail after I requested returns on five consecutive items, all for valid reasons. The "account specialist" blatantly lied when they claimed some of those items were returned in worse condition then they were delivered to me in, despite my having proof that wasn't true. This was just the company's excuse to intimidate me by threatening partial refunds and bullshit restocking fees. As a result, I haven't bought anything from Amazon in almost three months. It felt weird at first. A huge chunk of the planet has been conditioned to check Amazon before any other site. But it's getting easier all the time, even during a pandemic.

If it did come down to having your account closed, Amazon truly offers no means of appeal once they've judged you guilty. These "specialists" hold the fate of your account in their hands. You're forced to deal with them (normal customer service will not assist), yet they can't even be reached by phone. Someone on Twitter mentioned this specific department is based in the Philippines. They only reply to customers with pre-scripted e-mails stating you've violated Amazon's "terms of service" or "conditions of use". They make it clear their decision to cut ties with you is final and any future accounts you open will also be closed. If you ask them to clarify what specific terms you violated, they pull the "confidentiality" card and stop responding all together. I suspect the entire department might be run by bots.

It's particularly vindictive because they needlessly ban you from Audible, Whole Foods deliveries and any other service that falls under Amazon ownership. You might as well toss your Kindle in the trash at that point - and forget about being refunded for any unused gift card balance. The only time I've heard of a customer successfully getting their account reinstated is when they took their complaint to a local news station. Much like Scientology, Amazon is obsessed with their public image (unless it pertains to their anti-union stance, on which they refuse to budge). They've been known to reverse course if faced with negative publicity that threatens their customer-centric reputation.

they used to have a written policy that if a Prime shipment was late, you could get a free month of Prime membership for free (up to 12 months per year of paid Prime). Well, Amazon’s deliveries to Hawaii a few years ago were consistently late. I easily hit the 12 month limit (essentially getting 2 years for the price of 1). They’ve since replaced that with $5 “customer courtesy” credits for late shipments. I haven’t seen any adverse affects from claiming those and I don’t think they’re included In any algorithmic calculation about “problem” customers. If I’d requested 20 refunds/replacements, however, I don’t think it would be the same story. Especially if, on the refunds, they were able to check and see that they had all been ultimately delivered later.

Odd question ... and I am sure it has been covered somewhere, so I apologize ...

I'm getting ready to place an order for 4 items (3 packs of pens and a movie), and it offered me a $2 digital credit for the slower shipping. If I ordered each item separately, would I get four offers of $2 credits? How do they determine what gets credits? Sometimes I have gotten them and sometimes not.

Normally you would get 4 offers of $2 credits if those were ordered separately. However, the past few weeks I've gotten some offers, some not, even on things which would have gotten the offer before. Some are $1.50, some $1, but I've not yet seen any $2 offers. So... break it up and give it a try. Worst case is they don't offer so you combine them again.

I've noticed that my Amazon Locker deliveries aren't offered credits. Odd since you'd think that simplifies delivery for them. I've also noticed that when orders are close to each other in time typically only the first will get a credit offer.

Worst case was worse ... I screwed myself. I took out two packs of pens and the credit dropped to $1.00. I thought “Still 4 times is $4” and I took out the third at it dropped the credit altogether. I went to add the pens back in ... and the price went from $5/pack to almost $12/pack.

No pens, no credits ... I got greedy.

Not sure if this has been posted before or when it changed.
But the promotional credit being applied to digital rentals or purchases that you are looking at the cost without doing anything is causing some confusion.
Like on slickdeals Knives Out is listed as a free rental today, but in reality the person and others with promotional credits have them showing the discount
price when it is really not free. Hope I got this right.