Amazon Prime Day is coming!

[debbie.jean.bro]

Amazon Prime Day is July 16 (afternoon)-July 17 (all day). If you're thinking of buying any electronics (or anything), I'd advise waiting for Prime Day. If you don't have Prime, this would be a good time to sign up for a free trial.

Two years ago I got a Fitbit for my daughter at half price. I've also gotten a refurbished TV, a Dell refurbished laptop, HDMI cables, and other electronics at a fraction of the regular price on Prime Day. Some deals go really fast (Fitbits), so look early!

Because of my arthritis, I'm a heavy Amazon user. Why haul a 40 lb box of cat litter out to my car, then take it out of my car and lug it up the steps when Amazon will bring it right to my doorstep for cheaper? I also buy paper products and cleaning products 3 times a year with Prime Pantry, where you fill up a huge box for $5 shipping, which more than pays for itself with the super cheap prices available only on Prime Pantry items. As a scholar, I buy tons of books, almost always used, for next to nothing. LOL, my mail carrier hates me. The other day when he was lugging a fairly heavy shelving unit I bought and 4 40 lb boxes of cat litter (will last 6 months) up the steps, he told my daughter, "Tell your mom there's help for Amazon addiction!"

ANYWAY...my point is, if you're considering some electronics purchases, wait for Prime Day!

[MarkJFine]

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@maratsade wrote:

I'd rather have First World problems than 2nd or 3rd. 🙂

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We're not a banana republic... yet.

[GabeU]

Well, it still doesn't show any further shipment progress from what is shown in the last picture, but it does now say that it will be delivered tomorrow.  I'd sure like to know where it is, at least.  😞  

[maratsade]

Could it be stuck in bad weather somewhere, @GabeU?  

[GabeU]

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@maratsade wrote:

Could it be stuck in bad weather somewhere, @GabeU?  

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More like bad "whether", as in whether we should wait til the last second.  😛

I did get it today, though.  🙂  

[maratsade]

"More like bad "whether""

Extra kudos for the pun!

Glad you got it!

[GabeU]

Well, I placed another small order on Monday evening, and with both items qualifying for Prime it's due tomorrow (Thursday).  It just shipped a half hour ago.  I guess if they overnight the package it will get here tomorrow.  Hopefully this third order will be the one without issue.  

I do like the fact that I no longer have to reach a $35 minimum in order to get free shipping, and it's two day shipping, at that (or is supposed to be).  This order was only $13 and some change.  LOL.  Needed a new case for my Raspberry Pi Zero W and a case for the micro sd cards for the Pis.  The case that came with the kit is the official Raspberry Pi case for the Zero, but it leaves a bit to be desired.  

[maratsade]

Keep copies of anything that states the delivery date -- I just got my Prime extended by a month because they didn't deliver in the guaranteed 2-day window.  I had screenshots of the date they said it was going to be delivered and showed them that (after it got delivered, the promised delivery date was no longer visible). 

[GabeU]

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@maratsade wrote:

Keep copies of anything that states the delivery date -- I just got my Prime extended by a month because they didn't deliver in the guaranteed 2-day window.  I had screenshots of the date they said it was going to be delivered and showed them that (after it got delivered, the promised delivery date was no longer visible). 

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That's a good idea.  I do save the emails from the order and shipping notifications, and they both show the delivery dates, but I'll also get a snapshot of the Amazon page, as well. 

[maratsade]

When I chatted with the customer service rep, he was arguing that because I had ordered on the weekend, Prime didn't apply because it was the weekend (even though I order stuff on Saturday all the time and get it on Monday with no issues), and that they could not possibly have said it would be delivered by Monday -- but when I later emailed the screenshot to Amazon, they gave me a free month of Prime. (They're very good at resolving issues -- I've been very happy with their customer service).  So it pays to keep track of your orders, which it seems you do already. 🙂

[C0RR0SIVE]

There is a disclaimer about that... Can't remember where, but it's basically, "don't count the weekend as shipping days!" because UPS likes to screw us... Hence why we are trying to get smaller guys setup everywhere to handle shipments instead of UPS and USPS.

[maratsade]

This is it:

Note: In many areas Saturday and Sunday delivery may be available. If weekend delivery is available to your destination, it will be specified on the product page and/or during checkout. Delivery estimates for FREE Prime Two-Day shipments to destinations that don’t have weekend delivery are based on two business day transit times, not including Saturday or Sunday.

 I have weekend delivery in my area, and the Prime 2 day delivery guarantee should apply.  I hope they ditch the USPS, though, because I think they ARE messing with the system. 

Whenever I place an order, the checkout page displays a "Guaranteed delivery on [date]" legend, in green.  Guranteed is guaranteed. They do not say "within 2 days" or "in up to 3 days." 

Edit:  I wish I could select the carrier from the checkout page, because I would not use the USPS at all.  In over 20 years I've been an Amazon customer, I have never had a problem with their deliveries when they send via UPS. 

[Amanda]

...I would not use the USPS at all.  In over 20 years I've been an Amazon customer, I have never had a problem with their deliveries when they send via UPS. 

Agreed! USPS has 1. left a package outside in the rain and 2. left it outside which lead to it being stolen. The USPS mailpeople have a key to the apt building so they can't use the "unable to enter the building" excuse, but they do. If that actually were true, we would never get our paper mail! 

[maratsade]

I had the package in the rain thing happen a week or two ago.  I was very lucky that the item was not damaged because there was all kinds of styrofoam inside that protected the item and it wasn't wet, but the box was soaked thru and disintegrated. They didn't even bother to leave it on the porch; they just left it by a gate, in the monsoon rain.  

The instances of "attempted delivery but no one was around" have increased too.  They say a notice was left, but there was no notice. My suspicion is, the postman didn't come at all that day but couldn't say that on the record, so they fibbed.  This has happened when there are actually people at home, too. 

I wonder if working conditions at the USPS are so bad that people are angry and don't care anymore.  Perhaps if the whole outfit were privatised there might be better quality control. 

I complained and today I have to put in a call to someone at the post office.  I imagine that the wet box was the very last delivery to my address -- from now on everything will mysteriously fail to arrive.....

[Amanda]

they fibbed

I thought the same too, especially since I live on the 3rd floor, I figured the person that day just didn't feel like going upstairs. I also called and filed a formal complaint on the second incident. A ticket was opened and I would receive a call back the next day.... It's been 5 months LOL

-A

[MarkJFine]

Amazon delivery disasters (continued):
I have no problem with them overnighting to do a "free delivery" SmartPost type of thing with the USPS. My problem is how my regular mail is delivered to the wrong address a minimum of 2-3 times a month, ever since they closed the local post office for deliveries. Having it happen to an Amazon delivery is always a possibility and has happened twice in the past year. It's really bad when you see "delivered" on both the Amazon app as well as the USPS app, and there's nothing on your porch.

[maratsade]

I have met a lot of neighbours this way, by driving to their homes with their mail, which was left in my mailbox. I see this is not unique to my area.   Sounds like it's high time to overhaul the whole agency. 

Amazon delivery disasters (continued):
I have no problem with them overnighting to do a "free delivery" SmartPost type of thing with the USPS. My problem is how my regular mail is delivered to the wrong address a minimum of 2-3 times a month, ever since they closed the local post office for deliveries. Having it happen to an Amazon delivery is always a possibility and has happened twice in the past year. It's really bad when you see "delivered" on both the Amazon app as well as the USPS app, and there's nothing on your porch.

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[MarkJFine]

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@maratsade wrote:

Sounds like it's high time to overhaul the whole agency.

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Indeed. I mean, a simple GPS tells you the address you're at or even near.

I think part of the problem is as it's presorted. I mean, in some instances I get people's mail from next door (mail carrier clearly got out of synch somehow) but sometimes I get mail for people with a similar house number but for the next road over, grouped with my own mail. That can't be a mail carrier issue. Sometimes it's other people's bills!

[maratsade]

Yes, it may have something to do with the sorting -- I don't really know how this works -- doesn't the mail carrier check the mail to see if it's really going the right address?  Don't they know the neighbourhood after daily delivery for years? In my area sometimes they don't come at all. You see the flags up on the mailboxes for a couple of days sometimes. I wonder sometimes if it's such a crappy job that the carrier just couldn't care less.

And yes, definitely a simple GPS will tell you where you are.  This is why I think sometimes it's a willful act. 

[Amanda]

Sounds like we all need to start saving for personal mail drop off boxes....

[maratsade]

You know, I actually looked around the Web for something like that!!  LOL

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@Amanda wrote:

Sounds like we all need to start saving for personal mail drop off boxes....

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[maratsade]

I got a call the next day -- the postmaster left a message for me  to call back. I called and he said that "the package went to the wrong carrier."   I also mentioned the package left out in the rain. He said  maybe it wasn't raining when the carrier left it.  

Fantastic. 

So now that my carrier knows I've complained, I expect everything to either get lost (because it was shipped to a carrier in Morocco by mistake, or accidentally placed on a space shuttle), or to arrive damaged.