The whole Amazon.com experience has been getting worse and worse as the years go by. Everything from the products they sell, quality control, customer service, dark patterns in the UI, etc.
I wonder how long until you have to call someone or mail in a 1,000 word letter on why you don't need Prime to cancel it.
Have you tried searching for anything? They include any vaguely related product and support no negative search terms. Want a glass container, they are going to include dozens of products that don't contain any glass. Want a screw top bottle? They include product listings that don't contain the work screw or any synonyms. It is basically impossible to find specific objects. If you want a pack of clothes pins you are probably fine, but if you want a particular item with specific features it is useless.
I'm also pretty sure there is no way not to get no results. They don't want to say "sorry we don't have that". Instead they give you infinite inaccurate results that you need to go through to confirm that.
Sadly, this has always been how Amazon's search has behaved. It has never been any good at all, unless you already knew a specific model number, in which case that might cause the first entry to be the actual thing you are looking for. But the results page is always filled out, even if searching returned zero hits -- they just stuff something in front of you, because doing that to enough people will result in some percentage of them buying something from those bogus results.
> because doing that to enough people will result in some percentage of them buying something
Yeah, it might have improved things at first. But now I avoid Amazon because I don't want to have to wade though pages of results to find what I am looking for. So they probably shipped this with a temporary blip in sales but didn't consider the long-term effect.
I have had some successes using Bing Chat to find right product from the Amazon catalog. It is a lot better than Amazon's own search. E.g., Which transparent storage boxes sold by Amazon.in are more than 5 inches in height. Bing Chat tells. :-)
Would you mind listing a few alternatives you use? I generally try to avoid Amazon when I can, but have had problems finding a general good site.
In case anyone is wondering what I use, here's a short list:
Computer/electronics, I visit Newegg. (I haven't been thrilled with them moving into other areas like Auto parts, etc. but they seem alright for the time being.)
Hardware or similar, I go with Tractor Supply Co, Home Depot, or Lowes.
Music, I go with 7Digital.
Car stuff, I have used NAPA in the past, but I hate that they don't store order history for over 1 year. Also, their search function is not great, and their selection is somewhat limited.
General stuff, I've tried to use Walmart for stuff like pillows or sheets or whatever, but most of the stuff they offer is also offered by Amazon, and Amazon is usually stocked better and generally a few dollars cheaper. I've been weary of trying out sites like Aliexpress.
It's frustrating because it seems like Amazon just generally has a larger selection than most other offerings out there. For more niche subjects, I feel like I have some reasonable options, but when it comes to more broad subjects, it feels like it's Amazon or nothing.
Honestly so many Amazon items are literally Aliexpress drop shipped items. For most results when you get a random brand name like XYZKA, DKSJD, etc. if you search for that product on Ali, you'll find it at 1/5th the cost and it's literally the same exact item.
It would be a long list. I buy from local stores rather than online whenever I can. If I can't, then I buy directly from the manufacturer of whatever it is I'm interested in buying.
Except with electronic parts. For those, I typically go with Digikey. For electronic devices and computers, I go to a local recycler. They have what I need about 80% of the time.
I've never had a situation where Amazon was the only option, and rarely a situation where it was the best option.
Thanks for the response! I generally try to shop locally myself, so I know what you mean.
I haven't heard of Digikey before. I'll have to give them a looksee.
For the recycler, have you had any issues or concerns with reused hard drives? I'm aware of how to securely wipe them and whatnot, but I feel like my nerves would still be on end to some degree, no matter how many times I reformatted or securely erased the data on it. Similarly, is it safe to assume that they have some kind of thorough physical cleanliness policy regarding hardware? I've listened to stories of computer repair techs who receive desktops that have literal cockroaches crawling out of them.
When I think of a recycling plant my immediate gut reaction is "dirty", but I feel like that reaction is unfair, if not unfounded. I've never been to that kind of place and am not really sure what to expect.
Sounds like you make your life more complicated by having to shop in 10 different places. That's why Amazon is practical, it covers a lot of ground. (while they are not the cheapest for many items anymore).
I suppose you could see it that way. I'd offer a counter, if you will hear me out, though.
Generally, I don't see it as any "extra" effort to type in a different website name. I shop with the intention of already knowing what it is I want, it's simply a matter of finding it. I've already set up accounts on each of those sites, and use a password manager. I need to login to each site no matter where I end up because I have my history and cache cleared whenever my browser closes. It's the same process, whether it be Amazon or someone else. Now, compound that with my general distaste with Amazon, and it means I'm essentially completing the same process I would have been completing with Amazon, but without the associated distaste and annoyance.
I think of it this way: If I want quick and cheap food, I go to McDonalds, but generally dislike the place. It serves it's purpose. If I have a hunger for something specific, like Chinese, Italian, etc. I go to those places. The amount of effort expended is the same. The drive time might vary slightly, but each of those niche restaurants is going to be able to cater to that desire much more specifically, and presumably with a higher care of attention and customer service.
That is:
I'm placing an order, regardless.
I'm getting in the car, regardless.
I'm paying, regardless.
All of those actions are required to happen. No matter where I go, effort must be expended, so why use that effort on something lack luster and morally questionable? Wouldn't it be more logical to spend that effort directed at something catered specific to that desire, rather than go to McDonalds and hope that their version of spaghetti and meatballs will be "good enough"?
The morality of a company is more of a secondary factor, though. The things I care most about are if I feel their system is trying to take advantage of me, the consumer, rather than how it treats it's employees. I realize that sounds horrible, but we're not generally privy to what happens behind closed doors. Amazon makes headlines on a regular enough basis to make that sort of abuse common knowledge.
If a company like Newegg acts the same way, it's not something that I am routinely made aware of.
Sure, what Amazon actually sells is convenience. I think it comes at too high of a price (not just talking monetarily), but that's a highly individual kind of determination. Other may think differently, and that's entirely valid as well.
Here in Canad Canadian Tire was notorious for Rewards Card pressure sign you up right there. Even roaming sales people in suits pestering you right as you walked in the door and cashiers as you were paying.
To cancel? You need to send in a letter via post. that may be changed but I'm guessing probably not.
Oh and the rewards used to be 5% of cash purchases now it's 0.5% dismal. Just a glorified spam farm for your info.
I wonder how long until you have to call someone or mail in a 1,000 word letter on why you don't need Prime to cancel it.