BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Mar 21 - 06:06 PM

Virtual picket line

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Mar 21 - 02:49 PM

I know of one musician who has had his sole source of income swept away from him by Covid: he has gone to work for Amazon: he's probably not the only one. Even a minimum wage is better than nil.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Mar 21 - 01:16 PM

The video discussion on Jack's earlier link is interesting. Much of it is known to people who shop at Amazon, and they have chosen to go with this business model.

Many of us were so glad that Bezos purchased the Washington Post and made Trump angry that we gave him some wiggle room to continue to build the empire.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Mar 21 - 09:46 AM

Amazon as a branch of the US government

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 05:02 PM

With the pandemic, Amazon can do things local businesses can't. Given that businesses are, by nature, competitive, and one that's already bigger and more powerful, is going to come out ahead. I try to buy from local businesses if I can. The main problems is that they just don't offer the same services.

except I just gave up on buying a certain art supply thing from Amazon, as they had the item mislabeled, and couldn't seem to fix the problem. So I bought it from a local place - one that's local to a few hundred miles away and has a big, shiny catalog, so I guess they're sort of a really huge mom and pop.

I've also bought hand-made shibori ribbon from a small business.

In Russia.

I'd feel guilty if the were into human trafficing or pedophilia, or something as heinous, but being good at selling stuff people want? Naaaah.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 02:49 PM

We both love Amazon, and use it quite a lot. Our village is rather far from town and most of the shops are shut anyway except for the supermarkets.
The couriers all know us and we give them a modest tip for their efforts.
I agree with Bonzo. If other businesses are not as competitive, charge higher prices and give less satisfaction, it's only to be expected that they'll crumble.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 01:31 PM

I don't care, it's business and they have a sound tax strategy.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jack Campin
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 12:38 PM

Amazon's destructive effects on other businesses and the wider social fabric:

https://www.indiebound.org/spotlightamazon

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 04:35 AM

With the moving of Argos into Sainsbury’s premises, it has become easier and more convenient to get to for us, in contrast to PFR’s experience: the double outlet is far nearer home than any of the previous Argos-only stores were.
And I just saw yesterday that we now have an Amazon pick-up point in our even more local Co-op store: haven’t had to use that yet, as we are doing as we are told and staying at home most of the time, apart from our daily permitted exercise.
Spoke to soon about no faulty goods: just went to use the circular knitting needle for the first time yesterday: one of the “patented joints” was disconnected. I pushed it back together but it fell apart again repeatedly. So it’s either going back or getting superglued!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Feb 21 - 11:03 AM

Amazon can afford unionization. I am all for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jack Campin
Date: 24 Feb 21 - 04:56 AM

Unionization efforts in Alabama

Thanks to Bernie Sanders for the link.c

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Feb 21 - 09:00 AM

I try to remember to use Amazon Smile with each order. The donations go to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas; it looks like 119 purchases have contributed to that so far.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Feb 21 - 04:53 AM

I realize there may be a moral decision with Amazons treatment of staff but for myself, confined to the house by caring family, it's handy to be able to obtain various items without waiting for somebody else's shopping trip.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Feb 21 - 01:42 AM

Yes, I do, Jon.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Feb 21 - 08:24 AM

Does anyone else here use the Smile option for Amazon?

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 08:52 PM

my phone rang & a female voice said she was calling from Amazon ...

unfortunately I automatically hung up so don't know which Amazon scam it was.

sandra (not an Amazon customer)

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 12:08 PM

For people looking for a source of new versions of vintage products, the catalog for the Vermont Country Store is still sent out on paper via the mail. They have a web site also.

Soaps, candies, clothes, household products. It's an interesting look down memory lane but you can still buy these things.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Raggytash
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 11:30 AM

To the tune of Greensleeves

I found my love in a grocery shop
selling pickles and egg plants and bottles of pop
she asked me to try her asparagus tips
and I fell for the smile on her ruby red lips


Green stamps were all she gave
and green stamps were all I took
green stamps were all I saved
and I pasted them all in my little stamp book

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 11:10 AM

I remember Argos opening in Cardiff in the early 1970s as a replacement for the Green Shield Stamp Shop.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 10:52 AM

Doug - yes.. that was it..

.. and Littlewoods is one of the big empty
closed down department stores our high Street...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 10:46 AM

Nigel - Fair guess, but nothing as aspirational lifestyle as Next..

The company we're try to remember
the name of was a rival almost complete clone rip-off of Argos catalogue business.

It disappeared from high streets about a decade ago...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 10:43 AM

Anyone remember the name of that other catalogue company...???

The rival to Argos was, I believe, Index. It was owned by Littlewood's and closed down in 2005.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 10:16 AM

Mudcatters might help solve a question me and the wife are puzzling over..
Years ago when we had a big Argos only a handy few minutes walk away from our house,
there was also a copycat catalogue orders chain.
One branch of it operated from a concession at the back of another big town centre department store which has also recently shut down..
Anyone remember the name of that other catalogue company...???

Good question:

"Next!" ?

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 09:53 AM

When I shop I go to the local store after I've researched the item online first. Yesterday I made the post-ice-age decision to set up the emergency supplies now so there is no excuse for their not being handy when I next need them. It could be in summer after a tornado goes through, not only just during an ice event. I will refurbish the camp stoves out in the garage (white gas burning so must be used outdoors) but am getting a propane burning small two-burner stove. REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) and Academy Sports and Outdoors have local outlets, and carry various stoves. I looked at the copious reviews on Amazon, and except for the fact that local stores are completely out of stock of any gear to deal with the cold weather and lack of power, I could have purchased them locally. I will buy the propane bottles locally, those don't ship for obvious reasons.

My small portable power supply for charging the phone died last week so I've also replaced it (again reading reviews on Amazon, but also on the electronics review sites like CNet or ZDnet).

I'm sure there are people who still do impulse buying when they're in the store, but once you figure out about comparing online (and figure out if the reviews are real or compensated by the product seller - those are usually pretty easy to distinguish from the rest) it's more a matter of calculating the odds that a product will work the way you want without a catastrophic fail. Reading the one-star reviews first is how I approach these, and if they don't have at least 60-70 percent happy customers, I go to the next product for reviews.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 09:35 AM

Mudcatters might help solve a question me and the wife are puzzling over..

Years ago when we had a big Argos only a handy few minutes walk away from our house,
there was also a copycat catalogue orders chain.
One branch of it operated from a concession at the back of another big town centre department store which has also recently shut down..

Anyone remember the name of that other catalogue company...???

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 09:24 AM

I've used Argos 2 or 3 times when I have wanted same day delivery. One I remember was to get an air bed for a relative who was visiting that night to sleep on. It's worked out well.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 07:29 AM

Bollocks to argos and sainsburys ...!!!

As with most other big chains..
permanently closed down in our derrlict town centre,
and moved out miles away to a trading estate
situated for the better convenience of the more affluent commuter belt suburbs and villages...

All we town centre dwellers
have left to rely on is Amazon delivering
smaller packages to our precarious High Street post office.
Or a lost wasted day waiting in for delivery of bigger parcels...

Not much choice now about being dependent on Amazon
(and less useful home delivery only internet stores)..

So again I say boycot the smug self righteous boycotters...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 06:04 AM

Thank goodness for Argos - ordered new greyhound sized bed yesterday at 4pm - delivered to our local Sainsbury's 10am this morning!!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: JHW
Date: 21 Feb 21 - 05:33 AM

Long before the internet when car keys had no chips I ordered one by post. Posted as often at the nearby sorting office. New key was there in the post when I got home that night (from town about 50 miles away)

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Feb 21 - 04:24 PM

No major complaints here: in fact most things we have ordered have arrived well before the predicted delivery date. Anything from watch batteries (both of our watches gave up soon after lockdown) to unusual lightbulbs (not stocked in your usual supermarket), Christmas presents for the grandchildren, replacement computer battery, knitting row counters and circular needle. No failures, nothing that had to be sent back. (Touch wood!)

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Feb 21 - 09:58 AM

Yes I had to supply my address.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: JHW
Date: 20 Feb 21 - 06:13 AM

There's an enormouse new Amazon warehouse on the outskirts of my nearest town. Amazon and Ebay both demand personal details up-front guarded by a password. Good Luck to those who find them useful. I'm wary.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Feb 21 - 03:52 PM

The quickest delivery time from ordering was 3 hours. The longest never arrived but was refunded.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Feb 21 - 10:21 PM

This paint is strange. It acts like watercolors, except when it dries, that's it. You can re-constitute watercolors, but this stuff is permanent. I didn't want acrylics, because that's what I've been painting with, and I have a ton. These paints are like a weird cross between inks and watercolors.

I'm impressed with how they handled this, right up to the point where I realized every bit of this product is mislabeled in this particular warehouse/"fulfillment center"/whatever, and they have absolutely no ability to fix it. I doubt I'll ever encounter a problem like this again, and they treated me well, but if I were running Amazon, they'd have the ability to do something about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: robomatic
Date: 18 Feb 21 - 09:28 PM

Wasn't it Google that came up with the slogan "don't be evil"? So I guess Amazon figured, "that slogan's taken. we CAN be evil!" Or was that Facebook?

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Feb 21 - 08:19 PM

I find Amazon convenient for big heavy items like furniture, toilets refridgerators, electric bikes and rugs. I did order a unique small comb like titanium item that does haircuts.

HQ 100 inch Projection TVs are now $300 reduced by 50% or more since the new laser projection TVs are now the stupidly expensive over powered alternative. When we invent transporters, Amazon will sell them.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 05:51 PM

"dog treets"...melt in the mouth, not in your paws...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 05:02 PM

A case of tubes of dog treets arrived today with a huge pack of tea tree wipes, kindly put just inside our front door by the driver.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 10:54 AM

When I had more spare time..
persistent polite persuasive telephone complaints to Amazon about problem resolution,
got me significant refunds,
and at best some free [expensive] guitars, and an amplifier...

But not needed to complain to that extent for about 4 or 5 years,
so don't know if amazon is still as helpful and generous...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 10:13 AM

"International" can be a warning sign but it can also mean a call from brother in Queensland...

I too got some Acrylic from Amazon the other day too, Jeri, though in my case I wanted it. It sticks pretty well to PLA but, even if I could paint, I'd not be doing a watercolour with it...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 09:54 AM

I don't answer the phone unless the call is from someone I know. I've changed the ringtones for numbers I expect might call me. I don't know if I've received any scams about Amazon. They aren't FROM Amazon.

My latest adventure was I ordered something, and they sent the wrong thing. I complained, sent it back, and they sent it again. Both times, I ordered one set #3, and they sent three wrong set #1.
I called, and they said someone would call on Monday.
Come to find out, some idiot had slapped a label for the thing I wanted over the top of the thing it was.
On Monday, they e-mailed me, telling me to leave them my number so they could call.
I was pissed off, and sent them an email. I was surprised to get one back, apologizing, and telling me to keep/give away/donate the wrong paints.
So I have three sets of the wrong paints (which are still nice), and are $40 a set, plus I ordered the correct ones from a different place. If Amazon had replaced them again, I'd still get the wrong ones, because they're mislabeled in their warehouse (or wherever they keep stuff), and they don't seem capable of fixing THAT problem.
Probably, a screw up that won't happen with anything else, but it's annoying they can't do anything about the mislabeling problem.

Now, to find homes for the two unopened sets...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Jos
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 08:03 AM

The number on some says 'INTERNATIONAL', but if a number is displayed, it is often fake, using a dialling code that doesn't exist.
Lately I have been getting many calls saying I have ordered an i-pad or similar from Amazon or ebay for a several hundred pounds, which will be taken out of my bank account - I am to 'press 1' if I didn't place the order. They all go to the answering machine. I only answer if I know who is calling.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 07:26 AM

I've got a block button on my phone but they just use different numbers.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 07:22 AM

Isn't it annoying Steve? Since my last post, we just got yet another one! Our number is ex-directory and not listed anywhere, so they must be random-dialling.
I'm not sure if BT can block them?

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 05:51 AM

I get several of those types of calls every week.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 05:28 AM

Not Amazon's fault, but for the third time I got a call (this morning, 8am) which is the Amazon Prime scam. The recorded message 'informs' you that the wrong amount for Amazon Prime has been deducted from your bank. "Press 1 to speak to an adviser". If one does, bank details are requested 'to refund the amount'. Of course, they help themselves to your bank account. I have never had Amazon Prime, so I always just replace the receiver.
Pity it's a recorded message, as I'd like to vent my anger at the scammer.
Amazon suggest merely that one informs the relevant Fraud Department of the Police etc. I don't suppose to be fair there is much Amazon themselves can do.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 04:45 AM

bon appetit bonzo mon petit chien

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Feb 21 - 02:02 AM

One of my daughters works for a company that sells online and has reported a strange knock on effect of Brexit. Amazon are now insisting that the vendor pays any duties incurred on sales into Europe from the UK or vice versa. Her company are stopping selling through Amazon. I suspect many more will do the same so expect to see a reduction in choice of items from Europe.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Feb 21 - 08:50 AM

Try it with a spicy tomato sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan is my advice...

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Amazon!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 16 Feb 21 - 08:37 AM

15kg bag of Burns dry dog food delivered yesterday while I was at work. The kind driver pushed it inside our front door!