Shop Around
Mar 14, 2021 13:54:28 #
I always recommend researching an item before buying it, and I spend hours - or days - researching things I plan to buy. That's the first step. Then I shop for price. I'll sometimes see a $200 item for sale for $35, but I know that's a scam. I look for reliable sellers.
Mu old Dustbuster doesn't run for more than a minute, so I looked online. The modern Dustbuster seemed like a good choice. Amazon has it for $45.00. Everyone else has it for $30. I bought it at Lowe's this morning, and I got a 5% discount for using my Lowe's card.
Amazon usually has the best prices, but not always. I needed clothespins, too. $7.98 at Amazon, and $2.38 at Lowe's for the same fifty pins.
Mu old Dustbuster doesn't run for more than a minute, so I looked online. The modern Dustbuster seemed like a good choice. Amazon has it for $45.00. Everyone else has it for $30. I bought it at Lowe's this morning, and I got a 5% discount for using my Lowe's card.
Amazon usually has the best prices, but not always. I needed clothespins, too. $7.98 at Amazon, and $2.38 at Lowe's for the same fifty pins.
Mar 14, 2021 15:49:30 #
WOW.
Last weekend our 8 year old DVD player died.
Perused a few at one store on-line, next day went and picked it up.
Guess what.
Works great, $39. Has a USB port for displaying images also.
I think it said can also record to the USB. Gotta check that out.
Better stuff out there? Probably.
Junkier stuff out there? Maybe.
In twenty-plus years I've bought three things on Amazon.
Not enthralled by Amazon.
Last weekend our 8 year old DVD player died.
Perused a few at one store on-line, next day went and picked it up.
Guess what.
Works great, $39. Has a USB port for displaying images also.
I think it said can also record to the USB. Gotta check that out.
Better stuff out there? Probably.
Junkier stuff out there? Maybe.
In twenty-plus years I've bought three things on Amazon.
Not enthralled by Amazon.
Mar 14, 2021 16:46:49 #
Mar 15, 2021 06:52:00 #
From my experience while Amazon has a wide selection they are often not the cheapest. They used to be, but with higher fees to their suppliers they're not as competitive anymore. I try to buy local as you don't really save any money and you support your local businesses too. Same for Ebay. Amazon and Ebay may work best for rural buyers. They were a great concept that may someday collapse under their own weight.
Mar 15, 2021 07:04:30 #
Longshadow wrote:
WOW.
Last weekend our 8 year old DVD player died.
Perused a few at one store on-line, next day went and picked it up.
Guess what.
Works great, $39. Has a USB port for displaying images also.
I think it said can also record to the USB. Gotta check that out.
Better stuff out there? Probably.
Junkier stuff out there? Maybe.
In twenty-plus years I've bought three things on Amazon.
Not enthralled by Amazon.
Last weekend our 8 year old DVD player died.
Perused a few at one store on-line, next day went and picked it up.
Guess what.
Works great, $39. Has a USB port for displaying images also.
I think it said can also record to the USB. Gotta check that out.
Better stuff out there? Probably.
Junkier stuff out there? Maybe.
In twenty-plus years I've bought three things on Amazon.
Not enthralled by Amazon.
Can you give me the make and model of that DVD player?
Mar 15, 2021 07:09:44 #
Just FYI, Amazon does not always have the best prices, in part because for Prime customers they build in what the shipping might cost. Also, Amazon changes prices on many products, sometimes multiple times in a day (go look up something on camelcamelcamel.com to see the chart they display of price history for a given item). In fact, it's been said some years back (though I cannot vouch for this recently) that Amazon will show a higher price to a Mac user than a Windows user for the same item, with the idea that the former are better off financially (they know what machine is being used from browser records).
Mar 15, 2021 07:28:04 #
Lots of variables... by going to the local store because the item is cheaper, lets say $10 cheaper, (which is great to support locals or just to get out of the house) if you figure (for example) going to the store 15 miles away by pickup truck at 14-20mpg & you're time per hour at $15 per hour (minimum, retired or not), gas at $3.00pg, and it takes you about one hour round trip, that's close to $18.00 per hour lost plus if you're in the middle of a job/working, how much could you have been making per hour by not going... not always cheaper going local stores even though the item being bought is. So add the close to $8 to the Amazon price, is it really more expensive? I happen know someone that will travel 30 miles to save $2.00...they do it all the time and will say it's the principle... perhaps it is, drives me nuts, I see it as a waste of time and money.
Mar 15, 2021 07:43:50 #
OnDSnap wrote:
Lots of variables... by going to the local store b... (show quote)
One more variable is what the local guy has in stock. I have noticed that a lot of local places do not have in stock things they used to carry. Makes for a lot of wasted trips and you wind up trying three shops and buying online or waiting for the local guy to order it. The local guy only orders things on Thursday and it might take a week or two for them to get it and put it into inventory.
That feedback loop explains why Amazon is so successful. Since the customers buy things from Amazon, the local guy doesn’t find it profitable to stock it.
Mar 15, 2021 07:55:29 #
f8lee wrote:
Just FYI, Amazon does not always have the best pri... (show quote)
You have to be fast with camel... As you said, they change prices often.
Mar 15, 2021 08:03:08 #
DirtFarmer wrote:
One more variable is what the local guy has in sto... (show quote)
I wanted to buy a kayak last summer, so I looked online at the local kayak shop. They had several for $500 or less, so I went in to buy one. "Oh, they're all gone. We just haven't taken them off the website yet." He showed me one for $725, and I said I'd think about it. I called later and said I'd be right in to pick it up. I hooked up my trailer and drove in. He was out to lunch, but someone else waited on me, and we got it put on the trailer. I went in to pay, and the price was over $800. By then, the original salesman had shown up. "Oh, I guess I made a mistake with the price." I took the kayak off the trailer and went home.
Amazon had the same kayak for less than the $725, delivered for free.
I bought a D90 from the local camera store when they first came out , and I paid $100 over list price. Years later, after I got my D7000, I went in to see what they were charging - $100 over list. And we wonder why people shop online.
Mar 15, 2021 08:50:20 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Can you give me the make and model of that DVD player?
Sure...
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-dvd-player-with-mp3-playback-jpeg-viewer-black/6221873.p?skuId=6221873
Mar 15, 2021 09:16:52 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I always recommend researching an item before buyi... (show quote)
I guess they have to pay for the "free" shipping on Amazon Prime somehow. Like you, I've noticed that I can get many things cheaper elsewhere. Walmart is knocking pretty loudly on Amazon's back door.
Mar 15, 2021 11:39:05 #
jerryc41 wrote:
...
Mu old Dustbuster doesn't run for more than a minute, so I looked online. The modern Dustbuster seemed like a good choice. ...
...
Mu old Dustbuster doesn't run for more than a minute, so I looked online. The modern Dustbuster seemed like a good choice. ...
...
The old dust busters used a NiCad battery. The new ones use a Li-ion battery.
Mar 15, 2021 11:49:27 #
Alafoto
Loc: Montgomery, AL
2Dragons wrote:
I guess they have to pay for the "free" shipping on Amazon Prime somehow. Like you, I've noticed that I can get many things cheaper elsewhere. Walmart is knocking pretty loudly on Amazon's back door.
I was under the impression that I was paying for shipping when I paid the membership fee for Amazon Prime.
Mar 15, 2021 12:43:27 #
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