Amazon increases free shipping minimum for Non-Prime members
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Amazon increases free shipping minimum for Non-Prime members
Yikes.. Not so much a hot deal.
Amazon increased the minimum for free shipping from $25 to $35 for us non prime users
http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/amaz ... g-minimum/
Amazon increased the minimum for free shipping from $25 to $35 for us non prime users
http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/amaz ... g-minimum/
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Prime is a great deal for frequent Amazon users. Plus you get $3.99 next day for anything you need right away. A few months ago, I got a 65" TV delivered to the living room in 2-days for free through Prime. Can't beat that.
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Yes they are truly a great company. I think I read that they have yet to turn a profit because they keep reinvesting into their brand. Not many companies are doing that these days? But you can clearly see a shift in how they operate on the expense of the consumer (albeit we have enjoyed great prices from them for 10yrs now).
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I don't know how clear that is. There are increases in shipping costs all around due to fuel surcharges. Amazon has resisted raising shipping charges for years. And the new sales tax in the 27 states all goes to those state Governments, not to Amazon. I don't see a clear case of Amazon operating anew at the expense of the customer.IownFIVEechos wrote:But you can clearly see a shift in how they operate on the expense of the consumer.
- Scallica
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Also, included in the Prime membership is access to some "Prime" movies and TV series.kingwr wrote:Prime is a great deal for frequent Amazon users.
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At the end of the day, price is the main factor in a persons purchase (IMO). And the consumer isn't thinking about the variables you mentioned. They see the bottom line; and that has increased. It allows the other companies to now get more competitive against them. This is clear in how Best Buy is turning its business around. They have the $25 minimum for free shipping now too. I will say the Amazon customer services is unbelievable great, almost too great.kingwr wrote:I don't know how clear that is. There are increases in shipping costs all around due to fuel surcharges. Amazon has resisted raising shipping charges for years. And the new sales tax in the 27 states all goes to those state Governments, not to Amazon. I don't see a clear case of Amazon operating anew at the expense of the customer.IownFIVEechos wrote:But you can clearly see a shift in how they operate on the expense of the consumer.
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I guess I am blissfully unaware of Amazon's price increases. As a Prime member, I go to Amazon first for everything, and if they have it for a "reasonable" price and available for Prime shipping, then I buy it. Perhaps I need to start paying closer attention.
STC, you can't get Prime in Canadiana? I thought we were all one big happy Countritnent!
STC, you can't get Prime in Canadiana? I thought we were all one big happy Countritnent!
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This article sums up the Best Buy turn around. Dumb luck I mentioned it I guess.
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout ... 03783.html
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout ... 03783.html
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The last time I went to Best Buy was two years ago. I was planning to buy a $3000 TV. I was torn between two different models, and I wanted to see a demonstration of a particular movie on both sets to make my final decision. When I walked into the area where they sell the TV's, there was only one employee there, and he was busy with a customer who was very long-winded. They were standing at the counter finalizing the sale. The customer chatted with the employee for a long, long time.
I sat down at the table right next to the counter, and turned my chair so I was facing the employee, in a deliberate attempt to show that I needed help. The employee never called anyone else to help me. Finally, after more than 30 minutes chatting, the customer finally left. Just then, a woman walked in, and the employee walked directly to her and helped her... even though I had been waiting for 30 minutes! I spoke up, and the employee told me he would get someone else to help me.
The 2nd employee arrived, but he refused to demonstrate the movie, because one of the sets on the display did not have a BluRay player attached to it. He refused to move a BluRay player from one of the other displays. I left, furious. I called the store manager from the parking lot. The manager apologized, and said that he did not know why the employee refused to move a BluRay player for me. He asked me to come back, but I was already on my way to a competitor (HH Gregg). When I arrived at HH Gregg, they happily played the movie I requested on both TV sets that I was interested in. The difference in the level of service was like night and day. I bought the TV at HH Gregg.
This isn't the first time I've had a negative experience at Best Buy when shopping for a big ticket item. On another occasion, I ordered a refrigerator at Best Buy. I planned to pick it up as I was moving to a new home. They promised that it would be in by that date, and asked me to call the day before so they could have it ready to go for me when I came to pick it up. I called the day before, and they promised to have it ready to go the following morning. When I arrived the next day (with the moving truck in the parking lot full of my belongings), they told me that no one had pulled the refrigerator out of the back room, and that it would be a while before they could get it out... because it was buried behind a bunch of other stuff. I waited nearly an hour, and they finally brought it out. As I was leaving, the kid at the front door wanted to check my receipt (because, you know, I might be wheeling a stolen refrigerator, still in the box, out of the store on a rented dolly, and hoping that nobody noticed). He looked at the box, and at the receipt, and couldn't seem to figure something out. So, he called the supervisor. Again, I waited... about another 15 minutes for the supervisor to arrive. The supervisor checked the box/receipt again, and couldn't seem to figure something out. So, they decided to call the store manager. The store manager arrived about 20 minutes later, looked at my box/receipt, and sent me on my way (he didn't understand why they were holding me up). I got home with it, and upon unboxing it... discovered that there was no ice maker! I called the store, and they said, "Oh, the ice maker comes in a separate box. I guess they forgot to give it to you." Oh, great... another trip. So, I basically wasted a half a day because of Best Buy.
I don't think I'll go back to Best Buy.
I sat down at the table right next to the counter, and turned my chair so I was facing the employee, in a deliberate attempt to show that I needed help. The employee never called anyone else to help me. Finally, after more than 30 minutes chatting, the customer finally left. Just then, a woman walked in, and the employee walked directly to her and helped her... even though I had been waiting for 30 minutes! I spoke up, and the employee told me he would get someone else to help me.
The 2nd employee arrived, but he refused to demonstrate the movie, because one of the sets on the display did not have a BluRay player attached to it. He refused to move a BluRay player from one of the other displays. I left, furious. I called the store manager from the parking lot. The manager apologized, and said that he did not know why the employee refused to move a BluRay player for me. He asked me to come back, but I was already on my way to a competitor (HH Gregg). When I arrived at HH Gregg, they happily played the movie I requested on both TV sets that I was interested in. The difference in the level of service was like night and day. I bought the TV at HH Gregg.
This isn't the first time I've had a negative experience at Best Buy when shopping for a big ticket item. On another occasion, I ordered a refrigerator at Best Buy. I planned to pick it up as I was moving to a new home. They promised that it would be in by that date, and asked me to call the day before so they could have it ready to go for me when I came to pick it up. I called the day before, and they promised to have it ready to go the following morning. When I arrived the next day (with the moving truck in the parking lot full of my belongings), they told me that no one had pulled the refrigerator out of the back room, and that it would be a while before they could get it out... because it was buried behind a bunch of other stuff. I waited nearly an hour, and they finally brought it out. As I was leaving, the kid at the front door wanted to check my receipt (because, you know, I might be wheeling a stolen refrigerator, still in the box, out of the store on a rented dolly, and hoping that nobody noticed). He looked at the box, and at the receipt, and couldn't seem to figure something out. So, he called the supervisor. Again, I waited... about another 15 minutes for the supervisor to arrive. The supervisor checked the box/receipt again, and couldn't seem to figure something out. So, they decided to call the store manager. The store manager arrived about 20 minutes later, looked at my box/receipt, and sent me on my way (he didn't understand why they were holding me up). I got home with it, and upon unboxing it... discovered that there was no ice maker! I called the store, and they said, "Oh, the ice maker comes in a separate box. I guess they forgot to give it to you." Oh, great... another trip. So, I basically wasted a half a day because of Best Buy.
I don't think I'll go back to Best Buy.
- STC
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We get 'Prime' but I would call it the cut down version.-kingwr wrote:STC, you can't get Prime in Canadiana? I thought we were all one big happy Countritnent!
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