What Is Your Experience Buying From Amazon

[inkstainedruth]

What do you mean by horrible internal business practices? I've mostly had a good experience with Amazon customer care, though for other products. It's the biggest company ever - don't the employees get enough trickle down of the booty?

 

There's a thread with a link to a video on how Amazon treats its employees. And this in addition to playing the Walmart game of pushing independent retailers and small businesses out of the market (to the point that for years Vermont refused to let Walmart put a store in anywhere in the state).

I do shop at Amazon for books sometimes, but I'm more likely to go on Barnes & Noble's website and see if what I want is in one of their brick and mortar stores near me.... (I also do *occasionally* shop at Walmart: I saved enough on a digital SLR a number of years ago that I could afford to go to a specialty camera shop and buy a good quality set of close-up filters -- Walmart was cheaper than even someplace like 47th St. Photo in NYC).

Actually I tend to comparison shop for stuff like books and CDs between Amazon, B&N, and eBay (I don't mind used for books if it's what I want, although I'm a little hesitant about used CDs after getting burned by one at my local Half Price Books -- it was so scratched up it was basically unplayable. And I ended up getting another copy of it -- and another CD by the same group -- on Amazon (that was the time I had problem with the third party delivery person and basically got credited for the entire order; as a result, I was able to then buy a couple of books as prizes for a contest I got asked to run a couple of summers ago -- for basically the amount I was authorized as how much I could spend (one of the books normally cost WAY more than $25). And those CDs? They weren't from some fly-by-night 3rd party vendor -- they were DIRECTLY from Amazon....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AMlines]

 

There's a thread with a link to a video on how Amazon treats its employees. And this in addition to playing the Walmart game of pushing independent retailers and small businesses out of the market (to the point that for years Vermont refused to let Walmart put a store in anywhere in the state).

I do shop at Amazon for books sometimes, but I'm more likely to go on Barnes & Noble's website and see if what I want is in one of their brick and mortar stores near me.... (I also do *occasionally* shop at Walmart: I saved enough on a digital SLR a number of years ago that I could afford to go to a specialty camera shop and buy a good quality set of close-up filters -- Walmart was cheaper than even someplace like 47th St. Photo in NYC).

Actually I tend to comparison shop for stuff like books and CDs between Amazon, B&N, and eBay (I don't mind used for books if it's what I want, although I'm a little hesitant about used CDs after getting burned by one at my local Half Price Books -- it was so scratched up it was basically unplayable. And I ended up getting another copy of it -- and another CD by the same group -- on Amazon (that was the time I had problem with the third party delivery person and basically got credited for the entire order; as a result, I was able to then buy a couple of books as prizes for a contest I got asked to run a couple of summers ago -- for basically the amount I was authorized as how much I could spend (one of the books normally cost WAY more than $25). And those CDs? They weren't from some fly-by-night 3rd party vendor -- they were DIRECTLY from Amazon....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ah, the games they play. I shop for used books all the time. As long as they are in decent condition and don't look too worn out, I have no hesitation adding them to my collection. But, yes, I wouldn't buy used CD's from them. The local bookstore it is

[Honeybadgers]

I don't know where you are so maybe this information may not be useful, but Massdrop has the M205 demonstrator for $89 shipped free in the US.

 

 

DEAR SWEET MEATY JESUS DO NOT EVER BUY THE M205 DEMO.

 

The plastic on that pen is made of cheese. it starts scratching from the cap being screwed on and off, posting, and the barrel stains if you look at it for too long

 

I adore the m20x, but the demonstrator is an objectively awful model.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I enjoy buying pens through Amazon. I’ve never had any problems. I’ve ordered from Japan and France.

[AMlines]

 

 

DEAR SWEET MEATY JESUS DO NOT EVER BUY THE M205 DEMO.

 

The plastic on that pen is made of cheese. it starts scratching from the cap being screwed on and off, posting, and the barrel stains if you look at it for too long

 

I adore the m20x, but the demonstrator is an objectively awful model.

 

I sort of liked the Demo, but stayed away after the warning you issued ;-) Thanks!

[TSherbs]

 

 

DEAR SWEET MEATY JESUS DO NOT EVER BUY THE M205 DEMO.

 

The plastic on that pen is made of cheese. it starts scratching from the cap being screwed on and off, posting, and the barrel stains if you look at it for too long

 

I adore the m20x, but the demonstrator is an objectively awful model.

 

Gee, sorry you had this experience with this model. I have the m200 demo (gifted to me), it is some years old, and has no issues like this at all. And I post it without it leaving any marks.

[Daloures]

Basically, I've always considered three sites: amazon, ebay, and aliexpress. The first has always been more expensive and has a faster delivery time, whereas the second two have more humane prices but a slower delivery time. However, https://learnretailarbitrage.com/retail-arbitrage-guide/ is a better place to do business. I must confess that I can only shop on Amazon through specific organizations that deal with the delivery of goods made in the United States. It takes 5-10 working days, but there is a fee for this service. I recently discovered a feature: some items on Amazon cost $ 9-10, but can be found for $ 6-7 on eBay or Aliexpress. And there is an immediate desire to place an order for Chinese items.

[savroof]

Pretty good, but better prices can be had at online pen stores, I found out too late. And sometimes, during shipping, things get: crushed, bent, wet, etc. All not good. But usually good. And Amazon has great customer service!!! Hit or miss I guess….

[savroof]

34 minutes ago, Daloures said:

Basically, I've always considered three sites: amazon, ebay, and aliexpress. The first has always been more expensive and has a faster delivery time, whereas the second two have more humane prices but a slower delivery time. However, https://learnretailarbitrage.com/retail-arbitrage-guide/ is a better place to do business. I must confess that I can only shop on Amazon through specific organizations that deal with the delivery of goods made in the United States. It takes 5-10 working days, but there is a fee for this service. I recently discovered a feature: some items on Amazon cost $ 9-10, but can be found for $ 6-7 on eBay or Aliexpress. And there is an immediate desire to place an order for Chinese items.

 

Placed order for three new Lamy pens. Good price, but didn’t look close enough! The pens are coming from an island near the UK, called Jersey, of Jersey cow fame. 1.5 MONTHS shipping estimate!!! Are you kidding me? I can get stuff from China faster!! Called Amazon to cancel the order, but they told me: already shipped. Damn! So, they gave me a $10.00 gift card as an apology. 

[maclink]

All my Amazon fountain and other pen purchases were fine.

 

The most expensive purchases were a Parker Duofold Big Red and a Diplomat Aero.  Absolutely fine on arrival.

 

I tend to avoid too good to be true deals and look at the ratings.

[Paul-in-SF]

I've bought 6 pens through Amazon, 4 of them were relatively cheap, plus a Pilot CH 92, and a Pelikan M1005 Streseman for under $450 all in (tax and shipping). The Pelikan was sold by Amazon Global Store UK, for what that's worth, and it took 3 weeks to get here from UK, and I have been very happy with it. Price was absolutely the only reason I bought through Amazon, and I have no idea why it was that cheap. 

 

I do echo most everyone's sentiments above: you can get good deals, but do your homework, if possible know your seller, and read and understand everything written in the listing. Also, you can pay with Paypal which should give you some extra level of protection. 

[savroof]

On 9/1/2019 at 6:46 PM, AMlines said:

Wow, just wow. And Amazon lets all this play?!

Given that I am not exactly buying a cheapie, I might as well spend some more and get it from someone I can trust.

Thing is, the M205 doesn't seem to be available with any of the usual sellers. Let me see...

Wow, just wow. And Amazon lets all this play?!
 

YES they do!!! 😡😡

[savroof]

5 minutes ago, savroof said:

Wow, just wow. And Amazon lets all this play?!
 

YES they do!!! 😡😡

A year ago, bought a, supposedly new $500.00 Nikon lens. Only a tiny bit cheaper than new stock (I didn’t know this YET). The Nikon security tape on the box was open on arrival. Went to local Nikon dealer, Nikon rep said: “Nikon hasn’t used security tape on lens boxes for 7 years!” WOW! Returned it, bought same lens from the Nikon dealer. Learned a big lesson. Makes Ebay look bad. 

[sandy101]

I got good prices for high volume makers such as Cross, Waterman and Parker. No problem with the pens 

 

Other brands, such as Visconti can be more expensive than the independent stores. 

[TheRedBeard]

While Amazon UK has been shamelessly selling used, returned, damaged and even "false" goods and items for years (it is their normal practice which is an essential part of their pretty efficient business model), the fundamental advantage of buying from Amazon is their perfect return policy: one can return anything he/she bought with no hassle, questions, delays, etc. 

 

To be on a safe side the only one condition must be met: always buy goods marked as "Sold by Amazon" or "Fulfilled by Amazon" because in that case any purchase is covered by Amazon return policy. 

 

So, if you have purchased a pen from Amazon UK and is unhappy with it then return it and get refunded  

 

My personal experience of buying pens on Amazon is quite positive so far: I bought two Parker Duofold Centennial in 2016 and 2020, and both pens were brand new genuine Parkers. 

 

[PAKMAN]

I've had pretty good experience buying from Amazon, Ebay not so much.