OT...Amazon Prime Deals

ColbyLang

Fire tablets for the toddlers. Regain our iPad and better regulate what content they take in. 2 for $150. With kid cases and warranty

northGAcock

nolaegghead said:

northGAcock said:

theyolksonyou said:

TideEggHead said:

@northGAcock

I'm done with generators.

You're in the dark ages, Robin.

Can’t seem to keep up with them. 

stlcharcoal

 Lit said:

Jcl5150 said:

Fogo super premium lump is on sale for $24.96 for a 17.6 pound bag, down from $32.95.  Too bad I just stocked up on Rockwood when Ace had their sale or I’d get a few bags.

Their prices have gone crazy. I liked the lump but it’s not even worth the sale price. I remember getting the 35lb bags on sale at amazon for $28 like 5 years ago. 

Selling on Amazon is stupid expensive......especially if you pay to promote your listing.  If you don't bid on your own name, your competitor can bid on it and show up first when someone searches for you.  There are three other charcoal brands that regularly bid to show up first when someone searches for our brand.  Screw 'em, if they're that desperate, they can have it--we already won at that point.  I'm not wasting another 5-10% on top of the 15% just to show up first.  We did it for a month a long time ago.....25% easy before freight, box, and the cost of goods sold.

Then there's the shipping cost and that keeps going up......and to be on Prime it has to be "free".  We're right smack in the middle of the country, so it's fairly predictable and constant.  Honestly, I don't know how a company on a coastline can do it with zone pricing. 

Then there's the theft on Amazon.  When it's Prime, it's automatic approved returns.  So all someone has to claim is that it was "broken" or "not as described" and seller is on the hook for paying for the return shipping.  They know we're not going to eat the shipping twice on a heavy item, so they'll get to keep the item.  We had some a-hole file an "inaccurate description" return before he even received the box.  Luckily is wasn't Prime so we had to authorize it first.  AMZ seller support tells us to refuse it, and of course he gets PO'd and starts leaving negative reviews (which AMZ wouldn't take down.) 

On one of the seller forums there was a guy who sold sports collectibles on amazon, and had a recurring customer that would keep returning 90% of his orders on the 29th day......turns out it was a pawn shop in LV and this jerk stocked his store and cycled his inventory every month abusing the Prime A-to-Z guaranteed returns.  There are some professional criminals out there.  Unfortunately, you can't block these buyers like on eBay.  Then if you recognize them on the orders, and you cancel the sale, then you get downranked on your metric.

Don't get me started on the feedback/reviews.....good god people are passive aggressive, but more over all it costs your competitor is one order and they can trash your product under the guise of a verified consumer.  Had that happen too.  There's one lump charcoal brand that was offering a free bag of charcoal if you left them a 5-star review.  Funny thing was you had to leave that review BEFORE they'd send you the bag to try.  I sent a screen shot of it to Amazon since it's a violation of the rules--they did nothing.

I absolutely despise selling on Amazon.  But if you don't control your ASIN listing, no doubt someone else will sell your product out there pretending to be you......and you can't stop it.  It's scary how much they can make or break you online.

stlcharcoal

theyolksonyou said:

Firestick gen 2 + Hulu full version = local channels and much more for way less that local cable. 

Not sure if you can download it on all of them, but my kids installed something called Kodi (or Kobi?) and you can basically watch any movie or TV show......even the stuff still in the theater.  After I saw that pirated stuff, I got nervous and pulled it.  Probably not safe to use without some sort of VPN or firewall.  Seems like it could be a trap for viruses or theft of copyrighted material.

theyolksonyou

stlcharcoal said:

theyolksonyou said:

Firestick gen 2 + Hulu full version = local channels and much more for way less that local cable. 

Not sure if you can download it on all of them, but my kids installed something called Kodi (or Kobi?) and you can basically watch any movie or TV show......even the stuff still in the theater.  After I saw that pirated stuff, I got nervous and pulled it.  Probably not safe to use without some sort of VPN or firewall.  Seems like it could be a trap for viruses or theft of copyrighted material.

100% correct.  Easily jail broken and not safe without VPN.  I have jail broken, but gone no further than a downloader.  

stlcharcoal

theyolksonyou said:

stlcharcoal said:

theyolksonyou said:

Firestick gen 2 + Hulu full version = local channels and much more for way less that local cable. 

Not sure if you can download it on all of them, but my kids installed something called Kodi (or Kobi?) and you can basically watch any movie or TV show......even the stuff still in the theater.  After I saw that pirated stuff, I got nervous and pulled it.  Probably not safe to use without some sort of VPN or firewall.  Seems like it could be a trap for viruses or theft of copyrighted material.

100% correct.  Easily jail broken and not safe without VPN.  I have jail broken, but gone no further than a downloader.  

Yeah I put it on the guest network to keep it away from the computers, but that still leaves my IP hanging.....which is pretty unique since there are only a few dozen people that get internet off this rural water tower.  

saluki2007

thetrim said:

Does anyone have the firestick?  I've looked at those a few times, but not sure how or if it will really help me dump the cable company.

I have two of them and I prefer my Roku over them. 

Hoster05

@stlcharcoal
great feedback, a glimpse into how one becomes the richest person in the world. pre-divorce of course.  

lkapigian

Hoster05 said:

@stlcharcoal
great feedback, a glimpse into how one becomes the richest person in the world. pre-divorce of course.  

Agree, and Amazon though the forerunner is getting competition from the retailers now..Amazon sells a lot of new, but far more discontinued items and the majority of what they sell can be gotten straight from the supplier for the same price

They capitalize on the swarm mentality and convenience. Yes I buy on Amazon but you really have to watch as their algorithm is good at sucking you into the abyss 

Botch

@stlcharcoal , thank you for that writeup.  The more I learn about Amazoid the less I want to use them, but some things (like music CDs), there just aren't many options out there anymore.  

nolaegghead

Unbelievable anyone would sell anything on Amazon given those stories.  How are they still in business?

Unless we're hearing the worst outlier stories and most people do just fine selling their wares.

stlcharcoal

lkapigian said:

Hoster05 said:

@stlcharcoal
great feedback, a glimpse into how one becomes the richest person in the world. pre-divorce of course.  

Agree, and Amazon though the forerunner is getting competition from the retailers now..Amazon sells a lot of new, but far more discontinued items and the majority of what they sell can be gotten straight from the supplier for the same price

They capitalize on the swarm mentality and convenience. Yes I buy on Amazon but you really have to watch as their algorithm is good at sucking you into the abyss 

So our charcoal is about 15% more on Amazon than our website, yet people still buy it there like crazy.  And it's MUCH more than in your local retail shop.  We get 1-star reviews with people complaining about the price "what a rip off for $42, you can get it local for $20-25 a bag!"  Yeah.....because we don't have to eat the shipping, spend $2-3 per cardboard box, it nor pay Amazon 15%.  Shipping is never "free"!!!

There have been people in St. Louis that have ordered it on Amazon......10 minutes away from us and 30-40 stocking dealers.  And as much as I wanted to cancel the sale or just throw it on our delivery truck save the $20+ on UPS, you can't contact them, not deliver yourself.  For Seller Fulfilled Prime, you MUST buy the shipping through Amazon and ship it within X hours.  You screw that up more than 1 out of 100 times in the trailing month, and you're kicked off until/if you can get an appeal approved.  I just hope those people saw the origin ZIP and look local.

MaskedMarvel

stlcharcoal said:

 Lit said:

Jcl5150 said:

Fogo super premium lump is on sale for $24.96 for a 17.6 pound bag, down from $32.95.  Too bad I just stocked up on Rockwood when Ace had their sale or I’d get a few bags.

Their prices have gone crazy. I liked the lump but it’s not even worth the sale price. I remember getting the 35lb bags on sale at amazon for $28 like 5 years ago. 

Selling on Amazon is stupid expensive......especially if you pay to promote your listing.  If you don't bid on your own name, your competitor can bid on it and show up first when someone searches for you.  There are three other charcoal brands that regularly bid to show up first when someone searches for our brand.  Screw 'em, if they're that desperate, they can have it--we already won at that point.  I'm not wasting another 5-10% on top of the 15% just to show up first.  We did it for a month a long time ago.....25% easy before freight, box, and the cost of goods sold.

Then there's the shipping cost and that keeps going up......and to be on Prime it has to be "free".  We're right smack in the middle of the country, so it's fairly predictable and constant.  Honestly, I don't know how a company on a coastline can do it with zone pricing. 

Then there's the theft on Amazon.  When it's Prime, it's automatic approved returns.  So all someone has to claim is that it was "broken" or "not as described" and seller is on the hook for paying for the return shipping.  They know we're not going to eat the shipping twice on a heavy item, so they'll get to keep the item.  We had some a-hole file an "inaccurate description" return before he even received the box.  Luckily is wasn't Prime so we had to authorize it first.  AMZ seller support tells us to refuse it, and of course he gets PO'd and starts leaving negative reviews (which AMZ wouldn't take down.) 

On one of the seller forums there was a guy who sold sports collectibles on amazon, and had a recurring customer that would keep returning 90% of his orders on the 29th day......turns out it was a pawn shop in LV and this jerk stocked his store and cycled his inventory every month abusing the Prime A-to-Z guaranteed returns.  There are some professional criminals out there.  Unfortunately, you can't block these buyers like on eBay.  Then if you recognize them on the orders, and you cancel the sale, then you get downranked on your metric.

Don't get me started on the feedback/reviews.....good god people are passive aggressive, but more over all it costs your competitor is one order and they can trash your product under the guise of a verified consumer.  Had that happen too.  There's one lump charcoal brand that was offering a free bag of charcoal if you left them a 5-star review.  Funny thing was you had to leave that review BEFORE they'd send you the bag to try.  I sent a screen shot of it to Amazon since it's a violation of the rules--they did nothing.

I absolutely despise selling on Amazon.  But if you don't control your ASIN listing, no doubt someone else will sell your product out there pretending to be you......and you can't stop it.  It's scary how much they can make or break you online.

Not to TC, but I’m understanding why BGE has as tight a lockdown in their “authorized dealer” rules..


@stlcharco@stlcharcoal what’s the best way FOR YOU for us to order, brother?

MaskedMarvel

We ordered four wireless battery operated WiFi NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE security cameras. $200. Great deal. 

DoubleEgger

saluki2007 said:

thetrim said:

Does anyone have the firestick?  I've looked at those a few times, but not sure how or if it will really help me dump the cable company.

I have two of them and I prefer my Roku over them. 

I wish I had the old Directv programmed card that let you get EVERYTHING. Ah, the good ol’ days. 

nolaegghead

DoubleEgger said:

saluki2007 said:

thetrim said:

Does anyone have the firestick?  I've looked at those a few times, but not sure how or if it will really help me dump the cable company.

I have two of them and I prefer my Roku over them. 

I wish I had the old Directv programmed card that let you get EVERYTHING. Ah, the good ol’ days. 

Hahaha...I had one of those...and a card reader/burner to keep it updated.  This is back in the 90s, I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations is long over on that.

stlcharcoal

nolaegghead said:

DoubleEgger said:

saluki2007 said:

thetrim said:

Does anyone have the firestick?  I've looked at those a few times, but not sure how or if it will really help me dump the cable company.

I have two of them and I prefer my Roku over them. 

I wish I had the old Directv programmed card that let you get EVERYTHING. Ah, the good ol’ days. 

Hahaha...I had one of those...and a card reader/burner to keep it updated.  This is back in the 90s, I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations is long over on that.

There used to be a guy here in STL that would sit out in his truck at a different bar on certain nights of the week.  You would slide your card in through his cracked window with a $50 bill, and about a minute later the unlocked card would come back out of the window (sans the $50 bill.) 

I remember selling my parents' DirecTV receiver on ebay when we switched to dish around 1998-99.  The unit was dead, but a bidding war ensued because it was an older one and had something in it that kept them from frying the cards.  Got $220 for it! 

MaskedMarvel said:

stlcharcoal said:

 Lit said:

Jcl5150 said:

Fogo super premium lump is on sale for $24.96 for a 17.6 pound bag, down from $32.95.  Too bad I just stocked up on Rockwood when Ace had their sale or I’d get a few bags.

Their prices have gone crazy. I liked the lump but it’s not even worth the sale price. I remember getting the 35lb bags on sale at amazon for $28 like 5 years ago. 

Selling on Amazon is stupid expensive......especially if you pay to promote your listing.  If you don't bid on your own name, your competitor can bid on it and show up first when someone searches for you.  There are three other charcoal brands that regularly bid to show up first when someone searches for our brand.  Screw 'em, if they're that desperate, they can have it--we already won at that point.  I'm not wasting another 5-10% on top of the 15% just to show up first.  We did it for a month a long time ago.....25% easy before freight, box, and the cost of goods sold.

Then there's the shipping cost and that keeps going up......and to be on Prime it has to be "free".  We're right smack in the middle of the country, so it's fairly predictable and constant.  Honestly, I don't know how a company on a coastline can do it with zone pricing. 

Then there's the theft on Amazon.  When it's Prime, it's automatic approved returns.  So all someone has to claim is that it was "broken" or "not as described" and seller is on the hook for paying for the return shipping.  They know we're not going to eat the shipping twice on a heavy item, so they'll get to keep the item.  We had some a-hole file an "inaccurate description" return before he even received the box.  Luckily is wasn't Prime so we had to authorize it first.  AMZ seller support tells us to refuse it, and of course he gets PO'd and starts leaving negative reviews (which AMZ wouldn't take down.) 

On one of the seller forums there was a guy who sold sports collectibles on amazon, and had a recurring customer that would keep returning 90% of his orders on the 29th day......turns out it was a pawn shop in LV and this jerk stocked his store and cycled his inventory every month abusing the Prime A-to-Z guaranteed returns.  There are some professional criminals out there.  Unfortunately, you can't block these buyers like on eBay.  Then if you recognize them on the orders, and you cancel the sale, then you get downranked on your metric.

Don't get me started on the feedback/reviews.....good god people are passive aggressive, but more over all it costs your competitor is one order and they can trash your product under the guise of a verified consumer.  Had that happen too.  There's one lump charcoal brand that was offering a free bag of charcoal if you left them a 5-star review.  Funny thing was you had to leave that review BEFORE they'd send you the bag to try.  I sent a screen shot of it to Amazon since it's a violation of the rules--they did nothing.

I absolutely despise selling on Amazon.  But if you don't control your ASIN listing, no doubt someone else will sell your product out there pretending to be you......and you can't stop it.  It's scary how much they can make or break you online.

Not to TC, but I’m understanding why BGE has as tight a lockdown in their “authorized dealer” rules..


@stlcharco@stlcharcoal what’s the best way FOR YOU for us to order, brother?

Man buy it wherever convenient & cost efficient to you!  Don't worry about me.  I would hope that would be a local retailer, Ace, or True Value......but if we have to ship it, then save yourself the cash and don't buy it on Amazon or eBay.

zahulio

Got this knife set fro $80. Anyone have experience with it?

https://www.amazon.com/Kai-Housewares-Multiprep-Carrying-Ultimate/dp/B07Q4FH7W1

Sea2Ski

MaskedMarvel said:

We ordered four wireless battery operated WiFi NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE security cameras. $200. Great deal. 

@MaskedMarvel which one did you get?  Looking to get a set sometime soon. 

stlcharcoal

zahulio said:

Got this knife set fro $80. Anyone have experience with it?

https://www.amazon.com/Kai-Housewares-Multiprep-Carrying-Ultimate/dp/B07Q4FH7W1

Holy crap......you got a killer deal.  Even for $100, that's a great set for the money.  KAI is basically Shun made in China.  I usually sell that brisket trimming knife and the slicing knife for $100 which is well below retail.  You get Honisuki, Cleaver, and knife roll for les than that.....wow.  That's probably less than my dealer cost on those 5 items.

That cleaver (the Shun version) just got #1 from America's Test Kitchen.....yeah same people that say BGE and lump charcoal are wastes of money.  But it should be pretty close to the Shun.  I used the trimming knife and carving knife side by side with the Shuns.  Other than the looks and grip, they're the same (cutting wise).

MaskedMarvel

Sea2Ski said:

MaskedMarvel said:

We ordered four wireless battery operated WiFi NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE security cameras. $200. Great deal. 

@MaskedMarvel which one did you get?  Looking to get a set sometime soon. 

Hey brother

It’s the blink xlt2 2 pack. Supposedly there’s a way to extend the free cloud limit by ordering the first normally, and ordering the second set of two as a “gift” so they are unregistered. Unclear what happens after that. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MN67BCR?creative=9325&camp=1789&linkCode=ur2&ie=UTF8&tag=slickdeals09-20&ascsubtag=9501289ca80211e9a3abc63f9671413d0INT

GregW

I'm an outsider on Prime deals. I gave up my membership when the price increased.

I do miss it when good deals come along for Prime members.

It's a lot like putting a stick in my own eye, but I have somehow managed get along with one eye.

Dondgc

Last night Amazon threw in a smart plug for $5 with purchase of an already nicely  discounted Echo Show 5. So I bit. 

lkapigian

Proudly made it through without buying a damn thing 

Its a lot like going to a swap meet anymore

MJG

Got a 6 quart Instant Pot for my wife and a hopefully nice, but certainly cheap, TV for my daughter’s college apartment. 

zahulio

stlcharcoal said:

zahulio said:

Got this knife set fro $80. Anyone have experience with it?

https://www.amazon.com/Kai-Housewares-Multiprep-Carrying-Ultimate/dp/B07Q4FH7W1

Holy crap......you got a killer deal.  Even for $100, that's a great set for the money.  KAI is basically Shun made in China.  I usually sell that brisket trimming knife and the slicing knife for $100 which is well below retail.  You get Honisuki, Cleaver, and knife roll for les than that.....wow.  That's probably less than my dealer cost on those 5 items.

That cleaver (the Shun version) just got #1 from America's Test Kitchen.....yeah same people that say BGE and lump charcoal are wastes of money.  But it should be pretty close to the Shun.  I used the trimming knife and carving knife side by side with the Shuns.  Other than the looks and grip, they're the same (cutting wise).

Thanks for the feedback! I feel allot better about ordering it BEFORE I told my wife