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Post by islanderPost by rumpelstiltskinPost by islanderI've noticed that more companies are now offering free shipping,
something that you pay for as a Premier member of Amazon. This is a
whole new terrain for competition. Creative destruction?
At Amazon, on many items, I get free shipping if the total
price (not counting tax) of "eligible" items is $35 or more.
(It might be more $ now, since it's been a while since I
bought anything from Amazon.) That's without being a
"prime" member.
Yes, but we have often bought things for less than $35 and avoid the
temptation to buy things on impulse to bring the total order up to $35.
Tempting, but I'm finding it convenient to buy and get things delivered
to my door rather than drive into town, even if the product is available
locally. We also use Amazon Prime to stream video.
Otherwise, you really have to watch "free delivery." Just this past
week I was looking for the best price for an item and found it at the
Walmart site. Normally I would not buy anything from Walmart, but the
price was very good and they advertised free shipping. But, in the
small print it was free shipping to a local Walmart store, for us not
very convenient since the closest one is on the mainland. Definitely
sneaky and not worth it. I really hate Walmart!
Of course, you have to watch Amazon too. If the product comes from a
3rd party provider, the $35 free shipping does not count.
Yes, but that's plain to see while you're ordering. Even if
you don't see it then, you get a full billing including any free
delivery clearly broken out before you accept the order, so
if anything's wrong, you can see it there, before you accept
the order. Once you accept the order, the billing is always
exactly what you saw in the full billing breakout before you
pressed the button to accept the order. I've never had any
problem at all with Amazon.
I've never ordered anything from Walmart. I've bought
stuff in person from their stores, but not often because
there isn't a Walmart anywhere near San Francisco. San
Francisco is "unfriendly" to big box stores, which is why
I have to drive or take two buses to get to Costco or
Foodsco, and the supermarket a block from my flat is
about the most expensive supermarket imaginable,
"Molly Stone". A lot of local people objected while the
planning was going on for a new owner, with actual
human locals asking for a Trader Joe's and whatnot,
but our opinion counts for nothing so we got this
pretentious supermarket that's as expensive as a
corner convenience grocery. I've never bought more
than an onion or two from there, and I've run into
other people who avoid shopping there too for the
same reason. I would have loved if a Costco or a
Foodsco had gone into that spot, but the city Solons
won't stand for that. They relegate those to the
warehouse district. I guess we're lucky they
tolerate them at all, since they won't tolerate a
Walmart anywhere in the city.
Post by islanderIt is getting so that you cannot trust anyone!