Amazon Prime Day
- Thread starter 1100011CS
- Start date
If the only reason you have Amazon Prime is for two day shipping, than that's on you.
2 day shipping, streaming service and twitch prime (now prime gaming). what is left?
Did you not get the secret decoder ring?
There's also the music streaming service. But that's only really a deal if you use it on an Alexa device ($2.99/ month). The free music service is OK, but the library isn't extensive.
My wife is an REI member. I think they have great stuff but I echo the other poster in that it is often overpriced. I will rarely buy anything there that isn't on sale because you can generally find a regular price at another retailer that beats the REI regular price. Is it really saving 20% on a sale when the regular price is higher than it should be? I think they make a lot of money on people who will pay the REI price rather than shopping around because they want to boost up their end of year member dividend. I guess I'm lucky that we have Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shops, etc. all around us so we can easily shop around.
Would bass pro take back worn broken hiking boots 14 months later (cash) or replace a broken gps device with a new model three years later? Maybe that type of service is more common than I thought. Genuinely asking.
I'm positive I've saved at least a grand by shopping at REI vs Amazon for my hobbies. Just this year their return policy saved me $500 over any other retailer I know of.
Their own brand stuff is great. The ultra light REI brand tent I bought is superior to other brands they carry IMHO and it cost almost $100 less.
If all sorts of retailers crush Amazon as much as REI I guess I'm confused why Amazon is killing it. My guess is nobody beats them on boring household goods. Or do some people shop so much they just want it all in one store?
I have never tried to return boots at Bass Pro - I'm pretty sure I haven't ever bought any there. You don't know about any other retailer's return policy until you try them. That being said, I was specifically referencing the retail prices. If they are high you are partially paying for the refund policy.
I'm not trying to besmirch your buying practices, just relaying my experience. And in my experience I haven't had to make that many returns. If you are, are you sure that their products are really that high of quality requiring the higher price?
Did get a 65 pint dehumidifier . With a $60 coupon I got it for $120. Great timing since my other one the compressor died two days ago. Ordered yesterday and is out for delivery today. I will wait and see.
All 3 items I'm mentioning recently are exact brand I'd have got on Amazon, top of the line brands.
Example of how Amazon isn't always the best deal:
MSR WindBurner Stove System | REI Co-op
Combining award-winning Reactor® technology with the features solo travelers need most, the WindBurner Stove System is ideal for backcountry adventures and weekend camping alike.
Same $149.99 price but because I'd have had to buy a new one seven months later the Amazon cost is $299.98
So I saved $168.98 by NOT shopping at the "always cheap" Amazon for a $150 item.
Same thing happened with Wal-Mart in the 90s where zombie masses just assume it's the best price on everything and even shame people for shopping at other places for splurging. Once a huge retailer gets a reputation for always being the cheapest they don't really need to win the price war to get the benefits of winning a price war.
Ordered a Firestick at 11am yesterday and just got it delivered.
Side note, no way Amazon drivers would make it at UPS or FedEx, they are so slow.
Side note, no way Amazon drivers would make it at UPS or FedEx, they are so slow.
All 3 items I'm mentioning recently are exact brand I'd have got on Amazon, top of the line brands.
Example of how Amazon isn't always the best deal:
$149.99, get about 12% back between dividend/member card so it cost $131. Replaced it hassle free 7 months later because I use the thing hiking/climbing gigantic mountains and things break.MSR WindBurner Stove System | REI Co-op
Combining award-winning Reactor® technology with the features solo travelers need most, the WindBurner Stove System is ideal for backcountry adventures and weekend camping alike.www.rei.com
Same $149.99 price but because I'd have had to buy a new one seven months later the Amazon cost is $299.98
So I saved $168.98 by NOT shopping at the "always cheap" Amazon for a $150 item.
Same thing happened with Wal-Mart in the 90s where zombie masses just assume it's the best price on everything and even shame people for shopping at other places for splurging. Once a huge retailer gets a reputation for always being the cheapest they don't really need to win the price war to get the benefits of winning a price war.
My $.02. I think REI gets the "high-cost" reputation around the Midwest because, outside of their REI brand stuff, they tend to carry higher-end gear, which is fairly expensive. A lot of their gear is more suitable for mountain hiking versus RV-ing or going to a state park, and the weight of the gear is definitely inversely related to the cost. And, the big reason IMO, since most of us really only get a few uses out of our gear/year, it appears pricey.
When I splurged for my tent, sleeping bag, mattress pad, backpack, etc a number of years ago for my Whitney summit, I priced items at multiple locations and REI was a little higher, but really comparable. I knew I wouldn't get the full use out of everything, but I also knew I wanted to go as light as possible.
I love the store, but I'd better go in there with a plan or I'll walk out of there a lot poorer!
There is a little Wall-E style delivery robot going up and down one street near me that I often see. I'm not sure it's Amazon, but I think it is.
Yeah, the item I used as an example is must-have for what I'm using it for. There's one comperable brand that is the same price.
Anything cheaper wouldn't work at the altitude, temperature and winds I need it for. I learned this the hard way with my $60 stove that was worthless in those conditions.
Whitney area is exactly where I go most often. High Sierra trail last year, this season's trips mostly cancelled sadly. It's something I HAD to have to go where I want to go, Amazon would have wasted $170 of my money vs a clearly superior retailer in that space. Obviously the downside is there's no superior retailer that has literally everything under the sun, in terms of saving money on any random thing I'm sure Amazon does save people money.
All 3 items I'm mentioning recently are exact brand I'd have got on Amazon, top of the line brands.
Example of how Amazon isn't always the best deal:
$149.99, get about 12% back between dividend/member card so it cost $131. Replaced it hassle free 7 months later because I use the thing hiking/climbing gigantic mountains and things break.MSR WindBurner Stove System | REI Co-op
Combining award-winning Reactor® technology with the features solo travelers need most, the WindBurner Stove System is ideal for backcountry adventures and weekend camping alike.
Same $149.99 price but because I'd have had to buy a new one seven months later the Amazon cost is $299.98
So I saved $168.98 by NOT shopping at the "always cheap" Amazon for a $150 item.
Same thing happened with Wal-Mart in the 90s where zombie masses just assume it's the best price on everything and even shame people for shopping at other places for splurging. Once a huge retailer gets a reputation for always being the cheapest they don't really need to win the price war to get the benefits of winning a price war.
Ive been finding a lot of this lately, especially on tools and supplies. I can find stuff significantly cheaper at other stores.
For instance, I was about to order some latex gloves for staining a couple days ago from Amazon for 20 bucks but found the same gloves at menards for 13. Seven dollars cheaper for a box of 100 gloves.
Glad you can contribute and spend the time reading it.
I think it's inevitable once they get people in a habit of going there assuming it's the place to always save money.
B&H photo is another online store that destroys Amazon in my experience. Better return policy, better customer service, better prices typically. Only quirk is closed on Jewish holidays even online, surprised how often I need something on a jewish holiday
I never mentioned Amazon on my posts. I did mention getting similar or the same items at other outdoor gear stores cheaper than REI.All 3 items I'm mentioning recently are exact brand I'd have got on Amazon, top of the line brands.
Example of how Amazon isn't always the best deal:
$149.99, get about 12% back between dividend/member card so it cost $131. Replaced it hassle free 7 months later because I use the thing hiking/climbing gigantic mountains and things break.MSR WindBurner Stove System | REI Co-op
Combining award-winning Reactor® technology with the features solo travelers need most, the WindBurner Stove System is ideal for backcountry adventures and weekend camping alike.
Same $149.99 price but because I'd have had to buy a new one seven months later the Amazon cost is $299.98
So I saved $168.98 by NOT shopping at the "always cheap" Amazon for a $150 item.
Same thing happened with Wal-Mart in the 90s where zombie masses just assume it's the best price on everything and even shame people for shopping at other places for splurging. Once a huge retailer gets a reputation for always being the cheapest they don't really need to win the price war to get the benefits of winning a price war.
Not talking about Amazon is probably a derail so I will stop.
