Amazon Weaning
May. 1st, 2018 07:51 pmAs most of you know, I loves me some Amazon. Since we don't drive, it's incredibly easy and awesome to get canned and dry goods, batteries, cooking stuff, whatever we need delivered within 2 business days (or faster if we feel like paying for it). We have a Prime subscription, which is going up in price again even though it just went up. We also had a Prime Pantry scrip (they used to charge $5.99 to deliver grocery items at a slower pace than regular items--but they raised that to $7.99 while offering a $4.99 a month option that makes shipping on pantry items over $40 free). And we did Subscribe and Save each month.
Funny thing is, after you sign up for these deals, the prices change. Pantry items go up often. Subscribe and Save prices fluctuate wildly from one month to the next. Jerky that had been $5 goes up to $11. Once we got a giant pack of fruit leather for $10 one month, and the very next month it went up to more than $25. I figured that I'd just watch carefully and we'd be fine. I'm a savvy shopper, after all.
When I first started freelancing, I found a company that sent free books and stuff for review. The reviews weren't paid, but I got free stuff. Other sellers started contacting me, and before long, we were getting awesome free stuff--drones, cameras, headphones, cool lights, etc. Later, Amazon changed their policy from "you have to say when you get free stuff" to "you're not allowed to say when you get free stuff." Odd, but whatevs. Later, they changed the policy again to say you couldn't leave reviews for stuff you got free--if you do, Amazon says they'll take away your right to leave reviews. They told me that last Boxing Day. Since then, I stopped accepting free products for review.
Well yesterday, I went to leave a review on an iPad case that didn't fit. That's when I learned that Amazon took away my ability to leave reviews anyway. That sucks, since I'd been offered several cool drones since then and turned them all down. Sad times.
I wrote to Amazon, explaining that I had complied with their request. They essentially called me a liar and said they'd never reinstate my ability to leave reviews. While this may hurt me more than it does them--I am leaving Amazon.
This sucks for many reasons. I started a new business this year, Scared Soapless. It would have been awesome to continue to use them. But dammit, I'm not about to give that much money or put up with so many shenanigans from a company who would scold me like a child for not following policies that I clearly followed. One could call this sour grapes, but fuck that shit. So...unless Amazon comes to their senses, I'm out.
That means I'll be looking for new places to get stuff delivered. Where do you get stuff delivered from? We're down with pretty much anyplace that isn't Amazon or Walmart. Does Costco deliver? I can get business stuff between Office Depot, Brambleberry, WSP, and Bulk Apothecary. But I'm not sure about everyday stuff like paper towels, cat litter, batteries and the like.
Sure, we'll be paying for shipping. But here's the thing--we already are. Amazon charges more for items with Prime shipping. So really, we've all been paying for it all along. Even when you buy digital content from them, you can't download it half the time so if you're internet goes out you can't watch or have to use phone data.
Wanna go on the No-Amazon adventure with me? Might be fun.
I'm sad, since this is basically like a breakup with my best shopping buddy. But I've done customer service work for far too long to let a company treat me like that after spending thousands upon thousands of dollars with them.
Funny thing is, after you sign up for these deals, the prices change. Pantry items go up often. Subscribe and Save prices fluctuate wildly from one month to the next. Jerky that had been $5 goes up to $11. Once we got a giant pack of fruit leather for $10 one month, and the very next month it went up to more than $25. I figured that I'd just watch carefully and we'd be fine. I'm a savvy shopper, after all.
When I first started freelancing, I found a company that sent free books and stuff for review. The reviews weren't paid, but I got free stuff. Other sellers started contacting me, and before long, we were getting awesome free stuff--drones, cameras, headphones, cool lights, etc. Later, Amazon changed their policy from "you have to say when you get free stuff" to "you're not allowed to say when you get free stuff." Odd, but whatevs. Later, they changed the policy again to say you couldn't leave reviews for stuff you got free--if you do, Amazon says they'll take away your right to leave reviews. They told me that last Boxing Day. Since then, I stopped accepting free products for review.
Well yesterday, I went to leave a review on an iPad case that didn't fit. That's when I learned that Amazon took away my ability to leave reviews anyway. That sucks, since I'd been offered several cool drones since then and turned them all down. Sad times.
I wrote to Amazon, explaining that I had complied with their request. They essentially called me a liar and said they'd never reinstate my ability to leave reviews. While this may hurt me more than it does them--I am leaving Amazon.
This sucks for many reasons. I started a new business this year, Scared Soapless. It would have been awesome to continue to use them. But dammit, I'm not about to give that much money or put up with so many shenanigans from a company who would scold me like a child for not following policies that I clearly followed. One could call this sour grapes, but fuck that shit. So...unless Amazon comes to their senses, I'm out.
That means I'll be looking for new places to get stuff delivered. Where do you get stuff delivered from? We're down with pretty much anyplace that isn't Amazon or Walmart. Does Costco deliver? I can get business stuff between Office Depot, Brambleberry, WSP, and Bulk Apothecary. But I'm not sure about everyday stuff like paper towels, cat litter, batteries and the like.
Sure, we'll be paying for shipping. But here's the thing--we already are. Amazon charges more for items with Prime shipping. So really, we've all been paying for it all along. Even when you buy digital content from them, you can't download it half the time so if you're internet goes out you can't watch or have to use phone data.
Wanna go on the No-Amazon adventure with me? Might be fun.
I'm sad, since this is basically like a breakup with my best shopping buddy. But I've done customer service work for far too long to let a company treat me like that after spending thousands upon thousands of dollars with them.