Amazon alert Covid: slowing down shipments of non essentials

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
M

maki2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Messages
9,023
Reaction score
3,151
This will effect the nomadic community who rely on Amazon for many things they purchase.

Amazon just announced today March 25 that they are prioritizing shipments for essential items. Items they do not consider to be essential might not arrive for a full month's time.  Of course it is unknown how long this situation will last.

I have not yet seen a list of what they consider to be essential but I suspect it will soon be reflected in the expected delivery dates shown at the time of purchase.

They have sent messages out to sellers saying they will only accept shipments to their warehouses of essential items such as household supplies and medical supplies. 
https://www.businessinsider.com/cor...-non-essential-shipments-to-warehouses-2020-3
 
There are also apparently a significant number of Amazon warehouse employees who have tested positive for this virus.

Being very careful with the outer and inside packaging is important.
 
Same rules as apply to other objects that other people have touched. Wash your hands after you touch things and be careful not to touch your eyes, mouth and face if you have not washed your hands.

Also remember that the virus does not live forever on surfaces. You can clean the outer plastic and burn or dispose of the paper and cardboard. The object you ordered was likely put into its own box quite some time before it got into your hands. Long enough for a virus to no longer be viable. This is why the CDC says there is very low risk for this situation of getting items delivered to you.
 
From Amazon's message about their Care and Concern during the emergency. (Then it's back to BAU, business as usual.)

https://blog.aboutamazon.com/compan...ommunities-and-customers-affected-by-covid-19

March 17:
Prioritizing needed items in our Operations network
"we’ve adjusted our logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third-party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering items that are a higher priority for our customers."
 
Ebay has been a great alternative for me. I get they need to prioritize but I too need stuff for work ASAP. Waiting a month for a Video cable doesn't make my client happy. Ebay, got it here in two days and a better price, just an example.
 
It's actually sad. I was waiting for a shipment from Amazon to my property in Sicily but than I got the message that it was cancelled and will be returned to seller back. I hope by summer it will all stabilise and start working again
 
Qaffo, I am sorry to see what is happening in Italy. Take care of yourself.
 
USPS is expecting a slowdown, but other shippers have been fast so far in my experience.    -crofter
 
USPS uses the airlines to transport priority mail.
Airlines are shutting down flights due to too few passengers per flight, and lock downs at destinations.
 
maki2 said:
This will effect the nomadic community who rely on Amazon for many things they purchase.

Amazon just announced today March 25 that they are prioritizing shipments for essential items. Items they do not consider to be essential might not arrive for a full month's time.  Of course it is unknown how long this situation will last.
Click to expand...


Buyers have to be really careful with which buyers to buy from on Amazon. A lot of 3rd party / non Prime Sellers are horrible; not all, but a lot. While Prime isn't a guarantee for 2 day or even fast shipping, it's definitely better for better quality and more honest sellers. I'm a Prime member and I already know that most of my packages are going to take 1 week+ I use Prime for other things, so the cost is still worth it for me. When I search for an item I always use the filter to click on Prime and 4 or more stars. This really helps to weed out the worst of the sellers. If it's something I'm hoping to get as fast as possible, I type in Amazon Basics & then the product I'm looking for. I've gotten a few items within days that way. The few items I've gotten that were not so great... I'm always friendly and very nice with CSR in chat, even when I'm not happy with Amazon. I may not get exactly what I want, but I have gotten great information on how to buy better, or a promo credit or a suggestion on a different product to get it faster. Also... There's a lot of porch pirates out there following Prime vans. I always have my orders delivered to a Amazon locker or my commercial mail box. I have kept up with the news with Amazon. All Amazon warehouse workers are required to be scanned when they come into work, they have to wear a mask and gloves and sanitizer stations are in multiple locations in the warehouse.
Hopes this helps some.
 
Good to know Amazon workers are being protected and we are being protected from any C19 they may have. My packages from Amazon ... some are taking a long time. I have a regular monthly order that last month they cancelled, and this month is taking two weeks. Food. So slow that I went to Walmart and ordered supplies knowing they'll arrive much sooner. It has been a long time since Prime purchases could be relied on to arrive in two days. Now I just pay for prime so they won't take a month to get things to me. And for Prime video, which I occasionally watch.
 
I am waiting on three things from Amazon before I can get back on the road. Ordered a month ago and they say they will be here this week. I will be dumping this address the last week of this month so I am anxious. I Ordered a new coleman stove, some battery powered led lights and 6 pair of underwear - all essentials especially the undies..
 
I have been making purchases on Prime this last 2 months. Most of them are non essentials. While the website states a long delivery time everything has arrived several days to a week sooner than was estimated when I made the purchase.

It has few 3 to 4 days slower than before Covid 19 especially if there is a weekend involved.

But everything I am ordering is part of Amazon's prime warehouse system rather than coming direct from a vendor's warehouse.
Of course there are lots of Amazon trucks running around in Seattle so that no doubt means I will get things sooner than someone in a more remote location.
 
Living in a remote location, I can tell you that stuff takes FOREVER from Amazon now, even medical items (I'm a volunteer EMT) if you pick "fulfilled by Amazon LLC." Watching the tracking, they are using their fleet to move items between DCs, then transferring to the carrier. So, if I buy something that is in a Seattle warehouse, instead of it being transferred to USPS in WA, they are using internal transport to MA (which takes about 10 days currently), then giving to USPS. Walmart appears to be doing the same thing. I've been using other vendors (Ebay, Etsy, RockAuto, etc.) instead. I don't have much options as where I'm located "running out to the store" is really "driving an hour one way" so most of our shopping is online :(.
 
Rarely shop on amazon, but other places I order from are on time.   -crofter
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top