Buying from Amazon

[Trainfish]

I need a pond vacuum and after much deliberation I have decided to go for a PONDOMATIC 3. Around £155 on eBay and garden centre sites so I though I would try Amazon. I typed in PONDOMATIC 3 and as usual the results are all over the place with 'Featured' items, items not relevant to my search words, prices up and down and all over the place. So like probably most people I decided to sort by price, low to high. Now, I'm hoping others see the same items as me here as the results are certainly not based on my browsing history. By all means try it and let me know how you get on.

By the way, I did manage to find the pond vacuum I was after for under £150 in the end 

[exmouthcraig]

Extra Small condoms and anti fatigue tablets 

Mind you the robotic vacuum looks quite good for £79 

[Trainfish]

You obviously looked at that page longer than I did as I didn't notice they were extra small. I did worry a little though further down where there's a white plastic tub listed, can't think what you may want to put in there 

Then of course there's a 2 litre tub of caravan and motorhome cleaner, Evo-Stik Sticks like ....., fish food and a cooling mat. How on earth does Amazon decide these are relevant to my search words?

[Papyrus]

I agree, buying from Amazon is a dispiriting business. You can't find what you want without wading through pages of what Amazon thinks you want, and you can often find stuff just as cheap on the High Street. And then it continually badgers you to take out Amazon Prime. I will only buy from Amazon if I genuinely can't find what I want anywhere else. And don't get me started on how little tax they pay...   

Right, back in my box...

Cheers,

Chris

[jpendle]

As an expat with grandchildren in the UK, Amazon is a godsend.

We can buy Christmas and birthday presents for them and our son and daughter-in-law there, no issues using a US debit or credit card. Compare that to other UK retailers, we tried to buy a sofa online from Jysk, their website insisted on a UK post code for the credit card details, luckily we happened to be in the UK at the time so we went to the shop and paid in person with our US card. If we'd been at home our business would have gone elsewhere. We find that many UK online retailers will only accept UK cards because their websites insist on postcodes even if you are allowed to select the US as your home country.

I realise that we are an exception, but Amazon are exceptionally good at parting you from your money.

FWIW they try to sell us Prime as well, even though it should be obvious to them that we don't live in the UK. 

Now of course for those things that really matter, Hattons, Rails, Kernow, et al, all accept foreign cards 

John P

[port perran]

And.......the whole country seems to be over run by grey vans with dents on all four corners.

[ntpntpntp]

I use Amazon regularly for 3D printing supplies, office stuff, music gear cables, drum kit hardware, gadgets, cds and blu-rays, crisps and beer etc.   Even bought a couple of N gauge locos  a while back when I discovered them at crazy clear-out prices (£29 instead of £80-£90)   Never have a problem finding what I'm looking for unless it genuinely isn't available through Amazon. 

I love Amazon Prime, knowing that I'll usually get the item delivered in the next working day or two at most.

With Amazon and Ebay so easy to use I very rarely shop anywhere else online (just one or two specialized bits and pieces), I very rarely go into town for shopping other than to accompany swmbo for the food hunt!

[JanW]

And.......the whole country seems to be over run by grey vans with dents on all four corners.

That's funny, here in Holland they are white. With dents too and they go faster than all other cars...

[njee20]

I bloody love Amazon! We even get same day delivery increasingly now, even out in the sticks of Sussex. My laptop mouse was playing up the other day. Ordered a replacement at 9:30am. Had it in my hand at 7:30 that evening.

Get toiletries from them, tea bags (500 Yorkshire Tea bags for £12 or something daft), they're great. No complaints at all. Reckon we do 3-5 orders a week. 

[cornish yorkie]

 
    Agree with Nick, no complaints   
      stay safe regards Derek

[woodbury22uk]

Accidentally signing up for Amazon Prime was the best mistake my Sue ever made. When her son broke his ankle, Amazon delivered crutches the same day to his home 100 miles from us, while the hospital was struggling to provide any.

I have also bought half price Arnold grain wagons from Amazon in multiples. I therefore have a long rake of Ermewa grey ones, as have some other NGF members. Unsurprisingly they are now out of stock.

[silly moo]

Despite being rather concerned by their labour practices and their impact on small local businesses, we use them often just because trying to find obscure items locally would involve lots of traipsing around shops to no avail.

We haven't lived here long enough to know where to find things. We also like being able to return faulty items easily and the fast delivery times of Amazon Prime.

Searching for items on the Amazon website is an interesting exercise at times.

[Bigmac]

Despite being rather concerned by their labour practices and their impact on small local businesses, we use them often just because trying to find obscure items locally would involve lots of traipsing around shops to no avail.

We haven't lived here long enough to know where to find things. We also like being able to return faulty items easily and the fast delivery times of Amazon Prime.

Searching for items on the Amazon website is an interesting exercise at times.

always try Hursts first !

[Jerry Howlett]

Even in the countryside of  Italy "Prime (italia)" can manage a 3 day delivery promise..that often turns up the next day.   Pre Brexit (GRRRR) Amazon UK offered great service across the sea.  I still try local shops first but if the price saving is E10 or often more then sorry, I go with my wallet.

[dannyboy]

There is a distinct shortage of bricks and mortar model shops available to me, so the majority of my modelling items are sourced on line. I go with Amazon the majority of the time as they deduct UK VAT, if I buy from the UK and then add on the Irish VAT, so I know that what I am charged is the final cost. Couple that with the fact that, being a 'Prime' member, I usually get my orders delivered via the Irish Postal Service within two or three days, with no postage costs, there is no easier way for me to get a lot of things. If I can buy things from an Irish supplier I will but, sadly, apart from the majority of the grocery items we use, Amazon is cheaper, so, like @Jerry Howlett , (nice to hear from you again Jerry  ), I have to go with my wallet.