Amazon is great...but shop around

[KathyC]

I use Amazon for 80% of my purchases, as they usually have competitive prices and shipping is "free".  I can also support Bob by using his link (yay).  However, I was looking for the large (48 gal) Rubbermaid Action Packer.  Amazon had it for $130.  Ridiculous.

A bit of deeper searching and coupon hunting found the same item at Blain’s Farm and Fleet in Wisconsin.  They charged $23 to ship to Oregon — BUT…the packer was $77 ($95 total after I grabbed a $5 coupon from Retail-me-not)

Might have gotten it a day or two quicker from Amazon but it wasn’t urgent.  Maybe everyone does this every time, but if you don't you should!

 

[frater secessus]

I use a priceblink plugin that compares prices. Amazon is generally cheapest for my purposes, but priceblink has saved me from overpaying several times.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Also, don't forget to get an Amazon Visa card and use it for shopping everywhere. The credits add up quickly and are VERY easy to use when buying from Amazon.

 

[frater secessus]

Once the credits get to $20 you can apply them to your CC balance.

It's a small difference but it means you can get the 3% (5% if Prime) credit again with that $20. If the credit is applied to a purchase the price is decremented and you don't get the % on the difference. I haven't had coffee yet so I might not be making sense.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Frater, I did not know that....kind of like double-dipping. Me likee !!

 

[IGBT]

Amazon is taking over the world.   Seriously.   In 10 years or so everything you do will be with Amazon...car insurance, groceries, heck they might even do some sort of Amazon prime election voting thing where a drone comes and gets your ballot.

 

[caretaker]

as far as amazon taking over the world, if their prices are right, and service is good, ok by me. remember NO large corp. cares a whit about me, has NO loyalty to me, only cares about my wallet, so why should i care about them? give me what i pay for and leave me alone.

 

[IGBT]

It is fine in theory except Amazon will do what Walmart did on a larger scale.

Put all other retailers out of business then raise prices just to the point where it is not profitable for someone to start a business and compete.   It is brilliant and why I should have bought Amazon at $150 a share when I thought it was overpriced (it is now $1000 a share).

 

[caretaker]

IGBT, if they do that someone will come along and knock them off their perch just like they did to wallys.