View Full Version : Question about Amazon
Wow. I was going to order something from Amazon a few days ago, and waited until today to actually order it. The price went up $7.00 since then! It was in my cart, ready to go, and now I have to pay $7 more. Darn. That happen to anyone else? Seems like a big increase for 1 item.
At least shipping is free.
I routinely put items in my Amazon cart and wait. Prices go up and down, and I watch them. I order things when the prices are down. The price on your item will probably go down again soon.
Oh well. I bought it for a birthday gift, so I needed it now. If I had bought it elsewhere though, it would have cost even more, plus I would have had to mail it myself. So I'm still happy. (Just $7.00 less happy). :)
I noticed prices go up and down, and also that items that qualify for free shipping qualify one day, then another don't qualify for free shipping, then another day, qualify again. And when they do qualify for free shipping, the price is always higher. There's no free lunch, the price with free shipping is usually about the same price for the item that you have to add shipping costs to. So I bet the item you bought just had the shipping rolled into it's increased price.
ApatheticNoMore
3-3-11, 12:15pm
I routinely put items in my Amazon cart and wait. Prices go up and down, and I watch them. I order things when the prices are down. The price on your item will probably go down again soon.
Personally I day trade books at Amazon. I monitor fluctuations throughout the day and buy when they hit a certain low limit. I've automatized this to the point where I have a program to put in limit orders on Amazon books. I'm kidding! :laff: But I think I may have just found a new profession :)
Really it never occurred to me to trade books at Amazon like A STOCK. :) I didn't realize prices changed that much. The only cost cutting measures I use when buying books is, of course, to buy used if they are significantly cheaper (if they aren't significantly cheaper you may just break even with shipping with all those sneaky super saver gimmicks and so on).
I had no idea that the price would change in a day. Have to look at this more seriously.
I'm pretty sure that even when the price was $7 lower, it had free shipping too. Oh well. I got them back. I had them include the free birthday card. I'm so tricky. haha
Simplemind
3-3-11, 11:24pm
I've watched them go both up and down. An example was a heated matress pad that I put in my basket but was waiting for about a month when the weather got cooler. Sure enough when it did and the demand went up so did the pad.
I've purchased a lot through Amazon and yes, even though an item is in a saved cart, the price at check out is the current price - same, up or down from the price when put in the cart and saved. Prices change often so check often. I recently purchased a DVD series. I checked the same DVD series a few weeks later as it became more popular and the price had doubled. Some time back I bought an item at a certain price, the next time I wanted to make a purchase it was high so waited and it want way back down again.
I wonder if they offer a price adjustment for a certain period of time after you buy an item, like "real" stores do?
I ordered some items from them once - in the few minutes from when I put them in my cart with promised free shipping to when I clicked on place order the free shipping disappeared and my gift card was charged more than it should have been. I placed at least a half dozen calls to their very unhelpful call center in India and received no help. Finally I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and someone in the U.S. fixed the problem. I will not order from them again, and the next time I get a reward from my credit card company will choose another company to get a gift card from.
I ordered some items from them once - in the few minutes from when I put them in my cart with promised free shipping to when I clicked on place order the free shipping disappeared and my gift card was charged more than it should have been. I placed at least a half dozen calls to their very unhelpful call center in India and received no help. Finally I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and someone in the U.S. fixed the problem. I will not order from them again, and the next time I get a reward from my credit card company will choose another company to get a gift card from.
Did you remember to check the free shipping option? Even though it says free shipping, shipping is charged unless you check the free shipping box or when you don’t meet the free shipping qualifications. The shipping line will indicate -0- before you hit the submit if the free shipping box is marked. Did you check free shipping and still charged for shipping after the order was submitted? I’ve never had a problem with the free shipping feature and have never paid for shipping.
Amazon Marketplace different. Marketplace orders always charge shipping.
That's true goldensmom. I don't know why they do that. Probably in hopes that people will forget to check the "free shipping" box. I mean really.......who wouldn't want it?
Readsomething
3-5-11, 1:56pm
I've been ordering from Amazon since the early to mid-90s. I rarely shop anywhere else. Overall, they have the best prices, and if you can buy $25 worth at a time (of items that are SHIPPED BY AMAZON -- that's key), then shipping is free. I keep a running list of items in my shopping cart, and when I go to add something new to my cart, I get a message with how the prices have changes for all the other items in my cart.
The way it works is that Amazon is really two entities -- Amazon itself and "Amazon Marketplace," which is kind of like eBay -- all different sellers. If you put an item in your cart, you need to check to see if it's "fulfilled by" Amazon or another seller (which would mean that it's a Marketplace item). It'll say at the top of the item screen something like "This item is sold by and fulfilled by Seller XYZ and does not qualify for free shipping." I very rarely buy items from Marketplace sellers, unless I've factored in the cost of the shipping and the price is still the lowest.
Also, if you Google "Amazon price tracker" or something similar, you will find that there are websites that do nothing but track prices over time, for different items on Amazon. You type in the item description and it gives you a graph showing the price fluctuations for that item. Right now, DH and I want to buy a very specific new TV, and DH is watching the price like a hawk. We haven't bought it yet because the price is too high right now. We're waiting for another dip -- maybe late this spring or early summer.
loosechickens
3-5-11, 2:30pm
I'm sorry you had such a problem, yppej, but I have to say that we've ordered many, many many items from Amazon, and never had problems with them. I've also been a marketplace seller myself and sold books on Amazon for several years, and still do, occasionally. Amazon is really our "go to" place for buying a huge variety of things, and we've been incredibly satisfied always.
So, hopefully, you will give them another try, because it's a shame to give up such a great resource because of one bad experience........
Amazon is pretty much my equivalent of Sears and Wells Fargo combined out here. I've had great experience relying on them as my supplier for most supplies I can't get locally. I only wish they didn't hit me with sales tax.
Goldensmom, when I put the item in my cart it said they qualified for free shipping. When I went to check out there was no box I could check for free shipping. I spent over $50 and the call center reps in India were useless. I had to ask one of them three times to put a supervisor on the line because she didn't know what she was doing. She still wouldn't until I raised my voice, then she finally did. And he didn't help me either.
Yppej, Are you sure your stuff was offered free shipping? Not all items are.
I've never had any problems with Amazon.
Goldensmom, when I put the item in my cart it said they qualified for free shipping. When I went to check out there was no box I could check for free shipping. I spent over $50 and the call center reps in India were useless. I had to ask one of them three times to put a supervisor on the line because she didn't know what she was doing. She still wouldn't until I raised my voice, then she finally did. And he didn't help me either.
Hmmmmm, guess I’d need to see the page. I just submitted an Amazon order and the shipping options box was on the left side of the page.
I know what you mean with call centers. I was trying to cancel cell phone service once and could not understand the service representative. I repeated told her that I could not understand anything she was saying and to please give my call to someone else but to no avail. I kept hanging up and calling back until I got someone who I could understand.
I've had excellent customer service from Amazon. Once an item was late and so I wasn't able to turn in the UPC in time for a rebate to go with it. I complained to Amazon and they credited me the rebate amount ($50). Another time I ordered a book but didn't get a chance to read it until a couple years later. It was only then did I notice that several pages in the last chapter were blank, no print at all, an obvious error. I emailed customer service and they sent me a new one and a package slip to return the one with blank pages.
Free Shipping can be tricky. Often, Amazon will carry several of the same item, but from different vendors, with different prices, with different special deals and with different shipping. I have to be very careful that I'm actually putting the one I want in my cart. And I always double and triple check my order, sometimes I accidentally put the same item in my cart twice. Once I ordered something that had free shipping if spending over $50 but the free shipping wasn't available to check. I emailed the vender and it had to be sent to a street address, not to the PO box I was trying to use. So some individual vendors have rules that sometimes aren't clear.
Oh, that reminds me. I ordered my daughter a french horn stand a couple years ago and the box was smashed. (which was inside the Amazon box, which wasn't smashed). That means it was packed already smashed. There was a tiny bit of damage to the stand, but nothing that couldn't be easily fixed. But it ticked me off that they had to know the box was smashed before they even packed it in another box. Anyhow.......I called them and said that I thought $20 would be a fair amount to credit us, and they did. No problem. I appreciated that (even though I thought they should get new packers!).
"Once I ordered something that had free shipping if spending over $50 but the free shipping wasn't available to check. I emailed the vender and it had to be sent to a street address, not to the PO box I was trying to use. So some individual vendors have rules that sometimes aren't clear." My order was going to a P.O. box also.
My order was going to a P.O. box also.
I've ordered hundreds of items from Amazon, everything from toothpaste to watch batteries. I've only had 2 or 3 problems and amazon has always came thru to fix the problem. Even a $50 rebate problem. I don't call tho, I find it easier to email them with my problem, short but clear what the issue is. It usually only takes one email and they reply quickly with a solution and a link with a return shipping slip when applicable.
You have to be careful when contacting them, if it's amazon or the vendor. Sounds like Yppej, the problem was the vendor either not having all the shipping options available or not specifying exactly the specifications of their free shipping promotion. You may have had better luck emailing the vendor directly instead of amazon. I had that problem and the vendor was able to change my shipping address and refund the shipping fee even tho the order had already been submitted.
Hmmm....I think I read something about not doing the free shipping to a P.O. Box. I'll see if I can find that.
Hmmm....I think I read something about not doing the free shipping to a P.O. Box. I'll see if I can find that.
It depends on the product and the vendor, some use USPS, so can ship to PO Box but some only use UPS or FedEx. So it all depends.
Well dang.......here it is just 5 days since I ordered the DVD and the price has gone down $7.00 again. I emailed them asking if they couldn't please give me the adjustment just this once. I'm not getting my hopes up, but you never know without trying.
loosechickens
3-8-11, 12:22pm
Cathy, are you sure you are ordering the DVD directly from Amazon? Because prices on things like DVDs from Amazon don't usually take those kind of price highs and lows.
Are you buying it from a marketplace vendor? Because in that case, if you buy it, and then someone else lists a copy of that DVD at a lower price, it has nothing to do with the vendor you bought from.
In other words, say I am selling a book on Amazon (loosechickens) for $10.....someone buys it, but as soon as it is gone, someone comes onto the site who has a copy of that book to sell, and they list it for $7. It looks like the price has gone down, but you are actually dealing with different sellers, not Amazon directly. Does that make sense?
So if the person who bought my book for $10 looks on Amazon a little bit later, after they've bought, it looks like the book price has gone down to $7, but if they email me and want me to sell at the price some other vendor has decided THEY want for THEIR book, which may or may not be in the same condition, etc. I'm not going to want to lower MY price.
Now, if you are buying directly from Amazon, you might ask them for the lower price, but new copies of DVDs available from Amazon directly don't usually have that kind of price flucuation, although ones for sale by Amazon marketplace sellers may well have those kinds of swings, since the person sets the price they want for their item, independently of what others are charging.
Now that I have thoroughly confused you, I'll fold up my tent and leave (actually stow the satellite dish, start the engine and hit the road toward Gila Bend AZ our destination for today.......)
Hi LC,
Nope....it was from Amazon stock under both amounts. There was nothing different, except for the price.
It did seem like a big difference. Its for the BBC "Planet Earth" with David Attenborough. It had been $43.99 for the longest time. Then last week, when I went to actually order it, it was up to $50.99. Now, 5 days later, its back to $43.99. I'll let you know if they give me the price adjustment.
Bastelmutti
3-8-11, 12:53pm
CathyA, have you tried Half.com for that series? It might be less than the regular Amazon price, although it would be a used copy. I have had good luck finding things there.
PS My DD plays the french horn, too!
It had been $43.99 for the longest time. Then last week, when I went to actually order it, it was up to $50.99. Now, 5 days later, its back to $43.99. I'll let you know if they give me the price adjustment.
They just knew when you'd be ordering it. They looked at your calendar, saw your friend's birthday coming up. Saw the DVD on your friends Wish List. Read your online correspondence with your friend. And heard you discussing buying the gift with your husband thru the built in video-cam on your computer. So they raised the price and when the transaction was completed, they lowered the price again.
Just kidding! I hope they do give you an adjustment.
LOL! I think that's exactly what they did!
Well, I just got an email back from Amazon and they said they can't make price adjustments. It asked if I was happy with that answer and I clicked "no", thinking I might be able to get further with someone else. I filled out another form and clicked the "call me" button, and they called immediately. The woman was very nice, saying (as many of you have said ) that their prices fluctuate constantly and she couldn't give me the adjustment.......but that she could give me a $5 promo credit on my next order. YAY! That's almost as good.
Speaking of Amazon fluctuating prices, earlier this week a magazine subscription for a magazine I'd been wanting was $19.97. Yesterday it was $5.00 so I subscribed. Today it is back to $19.97. The lower price was with auto renewal. At a later time I will go into my account and cancel the auto renewal. Gotta check prices often to get the lowest price.
I wonder if they dip down in price for a very short time to get people to buy.......then they do the bait and switch. haha
I just had never known about the price fluctuating before. I guess the next time I see an unusually good price on something I want there, I shouldn't just let it hang around in my cart for awhile.
Actually fluctuating prices like this are probably common to many online retailers since it basically takes no effort to change prices, only some programing done in advance.
For work I review a lot of tech businesses and in the last year I've actually looked at several that promise to help online businesses "optimize" pricing to get a sale. Typically they offer programming that looks at things like how long you've been on the site, whether you're a regular customer, etc, and then will offer the customer a special discount customized to them for that moment to try to get them to make that final click and buy something.
I've noticed that, too. Another thing I learned recently, even though I sold my used books on Amazon for over a year, is that if a book you want is out of print and unavailable, put it on your wish list anyway. If the book DOES become available, it will show up on your wish list. I got a wonderful cookbook from England by Bernadine Lawrence called "How to Feed Your Family For Five Pounds a Week," that had gotten lost in a move. When I first searched for it, it was unavailable. Two weeks later, there was one copy available and I snatched it up, pronto!
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