While I still buy from Amazon regularly, I'm not as enamored of them as I used to be. I have to pay tax now. I have to buy $35+ instead of $25+. Their DVD prices are higher than they used to be, so I use the triple camel site to watch for lower/lowest prices for what I'm wanting. Their free shipping doesn't seem as consistently prompt as it used to be. The prime trial I did recently was a huge disappointment, with none of my orders being even close to the 2-day promise.

That said, I still prefer them to brick-and-mortar shops because of prices, even though that difference is smaller than in the past because of taxes and higher standard pricing. I can remember DVDs being more like $15 at release but now it's $20, which makes no sense to me; with blu-ray slowly expanding, shouldn't DVD prices be going down?

Also, I have to agree that Amazon's customer service is still a cut above almost everyone. I had an issue with a gift card over the holidays and they handled that very well.

Another weird thing; I just placed an order on a Friday, and amazon says that I can receive my items on Sunday if I use 2-day shipping, but if I use 1-day shipping, I won't get them on Saturday, but on Monday.

Weird, right?
Any reason why this would be?

Whenever I have a problem, I always speak with someone on the phone. You just have to put your phone # in so they call you.

We have one in Spartanburg, SC right now, and I have noticed faster times as well. Each of the last few of my recent purchases has taken only 3 days to come.

I accidentally ordered 2 of the same item, went to process a refund, even chose the option where it was my fault so I would pay return shipping, and a box came up and said "Keep the item on us" and gave me a full refund while letting me keep the item.

that's crazy

Amazon is the shit

I just wish they didn't make sellers charge $3.99 shipping for dvd/BD

Further to that, I thought I'd post this recent BBC documentary about working conditions at Amazon.co.uk. It's definitely food for thought.
Almost 15 years ago, I worked at a mammoth grocery warehouse that had strikingly similar conditions. Quotas, racing around and picking orders, etc. It was physically and mentally draining, and I only lasted about 9 months. The only slight advantage over the Amazon job that's depicted here was that we were paid a good commission for anything over a certain number of picks per hour (I don't remember the number). I usually ended up working through my breaks to keep my numbers - and pay - up. Some of my co-workers cheated despicably by looking through the stack of orders and poaching only those with many picks in one place.

At any rate, having watched this, I am disillusioned with Amazon as a customer. They should not be running their employees into the ground like this.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CXWJ4GfQ22E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The bad: Purchased The Fly Collection box set, it arrived as timely as can be expected from Amazon, but the spine of the box set had a 3 inch vertical slice in it...

The good: Filed for a replacement, Amazon sent me a return shipping label, a replacement is on its way, Amazon was apologetic and accommodating about it which is what I've come to expect from them...

And that's their UK operations, I assume it's even worse here in the US.

Could it possibly be any worse? They have countdown clocks on their scanners for goodness sakes! That's barely a step up from a Third World sweatshop.

Just because I think there's tighter regulations in favor of employees in the UK than there is in the US, especially for non-union employees like in amazon's case.

^I agree with you that it makes sense in theory, slop101. Maybe we need to have a comparable undercover doc done in the States and Canada.

1st bad experience. ugh! details to follow...

Now that we are in the all important fourth quarter of the retail sales year, Amazon has gotten back to more solidly packing expensive items.

Can't wait!

I think the fourth quarter starts in October.

For retail, it really begins after Labor Day.

I haven't had a Prime membership for three years. I turned off auto-renew. Just got charged $99 for a Prime membership. Fuck Amazon.

How could that have happened? I canceled my Prime a couple year ago as well - I don't think they re-upped me - how can I be sure they won't?

I have no idea. But I'm kind of hurting for cash right now and am going to be pissed if I get any overdraft fees while my refund "processes"

NM...Amazon is the best!

Tease!

You'll never get laid with that behavior.

I've worked retail and have never heard of that. Maybe I just haven't been in the right channels.

You didn't accidentally ordered something with a free prime trial shipping option? Lately, when I order something it gives me the option of free two day delivery if I try out Prime again for a month.