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Amazon usually reflects the final cost of an item. If amazon is overpriced, the item might not be available from other channels/requires lots of work to get.

by m463 3y ago

Amazon usually reflects the final cost of an item. If amazon is overpriced, the item might not be available from other channels/requires lots of work to get. Another (related) point is that amazon is less risky than other options. You can usually get something cheaper from ebay/alibaba/banggood/etc Somebody always has some nitpicky example, but in my experience amazon has reliable shipping and a predictable low-friction way of getting a replacement or your money back if something goes wrong.

vasco 3y ago
You make it sound like it's either Amazon or chinese crap made to last 2 minutes.
- allenrb 3y ago
  Good news, you can have both!
- m463 3y ago
  Not either or, because most of the stuff amazon sells is from china. They are just like TCP/IP for a purchase from china, with buffering in the US, chunking, retransmit and guaranteed delivery. You can probably be more efficient with UDP from china, but you could lose packets.
- jlarocco 3y ago
  Amazon is now selling the "chinese crap made to last 2 minutes": https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grip+strengthener&rh=n%3A14333021&ref=nb_sb_noss https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grip+strengthener&rh=n%3A14333021... I will no longer use Amazon for anything where I actually care about quality or getting a legitimate product. A few weeks ago I ordered the same USB charger a second time and got a different (but similar) item altogether.
LM358 3y ago
Fair enough, but I do not understand why people seem to put so much trust in Amazon. Ali et. al. is of course a crapshoot every time, based on the threads that pop up here every few weeks Amazon seems to be an endless supply of poor quality goods, counterfeits and whatnot as well.
baobun 3y ago
Was looking for a specific computer part not that long ago and only place I found indicating stock was seller on Amazon. Never shopped there before but finally bit the bullet and made an account. Deposited $300 gift card. Amazon blocked my account completely (can not even contact support) and not long after got an email telling me it's due to sanctions suspicion and they require full KYC (including proof of residency and employment!) before I can ever see my $300 back again. I really don't have the energy to fight them for it... Still asked a friend with existing Amazon account to order it for me. The seller cancelled the order saying "out of stock". Our thesis is that seller is a money laundering front without actual product. Somehow Amazon's not closing their accounts, though....

by m463 3y ago

vasco 3y ago

You make it sound like it's either Amazon or chinese crap made to last 2 minutes.

allenrb 3y ago
Good news, you can have both!
m463 3y ago
Not either or, because most of the stuff amazon sells is from china. They are just like TCP/IP for a purchase from china, with buffering in the US, chunking, retransmit and guaranteed delivery. You can probably be more efficient with UDP from china, but you could lose packets.
jlarocco 3y ago
Amazon is now selling the "chinese crap made to last 2 minutes": https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grip+strengthener&rh=n%3A14333021&ref=nb_sb_noss https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grip+strengthener&rh=n%3A14333021... I will no longer use Amazon for anything where I actually care about quality or getting a legitimate product. A few weeks ago I ordered the same USB charger a second time and got a different (but similar) item altogether.

LM358 3y ago

Fair enough, but I do not understand why people seem to put so much trust in Amazon. Ali et. al. is of course a crapshoot every time, based on the threads that pop up here every few weeks Amazon seems to be an endless supply of poor quality goods, counterfeits and whatnot as well.

baobun 3y ago

Was looking for a specific computer part not that long ago and only place I found indicating stock was seller on Amazon. Never shopped there before but finally bit the bullet and made an account. Deposited $300 gift card. Amazon blocked my account completely (can not even contact support) and not long after got an email telling me it's due to sanctions suspicion and they require full KYC (including proof of residency and employment!) before I can ever see my $300 back again. I really don't have the energy to fight them for it... Still asked a friend with existing Amazon account to order it for me. The seller cancelled the order saying "out of stock". Our thesis is that seller is a money laundering front without actual product. Somehow Amazon's not closing their accounts, though....