Have you ever noticed that when you look at a product on Amazon that you’d like to buy, noted the price, but don’t want to buy right then instead wanted to think about it for a few days? Then the next time you look and are ready to buy the price is higher! I find this to be common. Case in point is the pasta machine I just purchased.
- The pasta machine when the first time I looked was $69.00
- I went back to buy a week later and it was $70.00
- I went back another week later and it was $73.00
- Also, the machine is offered in seven different colors. I really wanted the Candy Red but the price for a colored unit over the polished stainless unit was at Amazon and multiple other sellers a $129.00, that’s just not going to happen for me!
I finally decided to order the polished stainless machine, but when I went to order it surprisingly it was back to $69.00. I also noticed they now offer the choice of colors for the same $69.00 (not $129.00)! So I have the Candy Red one on its way for $69.00 and free shipping! Should be here Thursday. Yippee!
Amazon in case you didn’t notice, saves your searches and to me appears to adjust the price higher to make a few more dollars and hustle you into buying at the new higher price! It also looks to me that Amazon (and WalMart) will soon put the brick and mortar stores out of business as they are growing very rapidly leaving us no other choice but to buy from these giants. We will soon have no choice and have to shop much smarter (other places or sources) to get the best honest prices.
I noticed this as well. You'll also notice that, as with most retailers, the prices of Amazon's items SKYROCKET right around Christmas, Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day, etc. You'll also notice that if you look at an item and "sleep on it," the price will go up. Look at it a few more times and the price will come down some. Completely SHUN the item for a week or so, and you'll be getting successive e-mails advertising a lower price... then a lower price, then yet a lower price. ...Damned algorithms...
ReplyDeleteThat's the way it works!
DeleteJust a few minutes ago Amazon posted a price of $64.00 for it. This price changing will come back to bite them especially on pricey items.
DeleteI got my spam slicer I ordered after seeing it on your blog. It works great, is just the right size and cuts the slices just right.
ReplyDeleteYesterday two massive boxes of Walmart food arrived at my gate. My mother periodically sends me things she knows I like but am too cheap to buy for myself. Cans of corned beef, International brand french coffee, cans of sausage, cans of hash, beef stew, things like that. Out of curiosity, I once looked at what a can of the coffee I buy at the local Walmart cost as opposed to ordering the same can, and it was only ten cents more.
I got Amazon Prime, and I like being able to watch old tv shows and movies. But the "free shipping" is largely a bust for me. Everything I buy is not "free shipping" qualified. I also noticed that things I buy a lot, like ferret paste, that do get free shipping have risen in price by a uniform $3.12. So much for free shipping.
Still, I can get the things I want which are not available here over the internet, so I guess I shouldn't complain. Beats driving all the way to Chattanooga and getting rousted by the Goblins.
Glad you like the slicer!
DeleteI don't have a Prime account. Like you said, it appears that most things I want to buy Prime isn't available.
I've wondered as well what the business landscape will look like over the next decade. Brick and Mortar will not be able to compete with having the fiscal burden of the actual store. Drone Delivery systems? I can see viability only in restaurants, kiosks, and idk... the tire store for accident purchases (those not long term planned)
ReplyDelete- Cloud
Good to hear from you again Cloud! Are you going to start posting videos again? You have a lot of good stuff to share!
DeleteWe consumers are on a very slippery slope. Merger after merger of banks, insurance companies, food stores, Cable TV, Satellite TV and unions to name a few will only lead to us paying much higher prices because competition will be gone. Only rural mom and pop stores will survive because the giants don’t see enough profit to be made there. However, the mom and pop’s may not be able to buy what they want because the giants will have supplier buying contracts in their favor which will prohibit the manufacturers from selling to anyone who isn’t under contract to buy those goods. This is very true with the medical device industry and one of the biggest reasons healthcare is so expensive. I know this is true because most of my life I have worked in the medical device industry.
The only thing we can do is like you Cloud, get out of town and be as self-reliant as possible. Let the rest of the people who could stop this be devoured by the mess that’s coming.
Mike