# Amazon Free Shipping: Is This Common? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574 "2011-01-30T23:38:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/21 "2011-01-31T14:39:25Z")
I bought a new camera through Amazon last week and the free shipping was scheduled to get it to me between Feb 1st and Feb 4th. Their first delivery attempt was two days after the order. I got it on the third delivery attempt last Friday, January 28th. I’m pretty glad I didn’t pay extra. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/22 "2011-01-31T15:51:45Z")
Well, I’ve sent them an email. To add insult to injury, when I was checking my email just now, there was one from them, and I thought ‘oh, good! Notification that my slow cooker has shipped!’ Nope. It was a marketing piece trying to sell me freakin’ _cookbooks_ to go with the slow cooker! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/23 "2011-01-31T16:11:25Z")
Well, you knew it was a _slow_ cooker when you ordered it. More seriously, did you order anything else at the same time? If so, it could be that the other item is not in stock and is holding things up. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/24 "2011-01-31T16:24:05Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > To add insult to injury, when I was checking my email just now, there was one from them, and I thought ‘oh, good! Notification that my slow cooker has shipped!’ > Nope. It was a marketing piece trying to sell me freakin’ _cookbooks_ to go with the slow cooker! If one of them is titled _To Serve Our Customers_, you’d better run. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/25 "2011-01-31T16:32:58Z")
Since today is day 10, I’d give them a call. Talking to an actual person could get that item expedited or upgraded to a faster delivery. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/26 "2011-01-31T16:34:15Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Well, you knew it was a _slow_ cooker when you ordered it. > > More seriously, did you order anything else at the same time? If so, it could be that the other item is not in stock and is holding things up. I didn’t order anything else, no. I just got a response back from them, and apparently, even though their website has the item listed as “in stock”, it’s not! (Maybe instead of the slow cooker, I should have ordered a stock pot! 😉 ). The response _did_ say that to try to make up for my troubles, as soon as they get the item back in stock, they will upgrade my shipping to ‘standard’ for no extra fee. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/27 "2011-01-31T16:44:57Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > The response _did_ say that to try to make up for my troubles, as soon as they get the item back in stock, they will upgrade my shipping to ‘standard’ for no extra fee. Sigh. Tell them that now you need a pressure cooker instead. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/28 "2011-01-31T17:36:26Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Tell them that now you need a pressure cooker instead. Heh. It’ll get here yesterday. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/29 "2011-01-31T22:31:09Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > So, frequent Amazon users, how common is this? Any idea when I might be expecting to actually _receive_ something I’ve already ordered and paid for? I am an extremely frequent user of Amazon and I haven’t had this experience. I certainly hope this doesn’t turn you off of Amazon in the future! Usually they are ultra reliable. I’m glad they at least upgraded your shipping. For $25, you get free shipping - aka no gas or hassle going to the store - and no sales tax (for now). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/30 "2011-01-31T23:13:25Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Well, you knew it was a _slow_ cooker when Heh. I was gonna say, maybe Amazon said to themselves, “She’s ordering a slow cooker; she must be a patient person. She won’t mind waiting a while longer.” When I order from Amazon, I almost always select free Super Saver shipping when possible, and I haven’t had a problem with things not arriving when they were supposed to (if not before). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/31 "2011-01-31T23:24:44Z")
Amazon’s free shipping is almost always more than fast enough for me. The main point was made by **Erdosain** , namely that this has nothing to do with Amazon free shipping versus other shipping methods– **norinew** ’s item had not been shipped at all. > [@norinew](#): > > Maybe it will be at the post office tomorrow… Did you ask to receive it at a post office box? Some items won’t ship to P.O. boxes in _any_ amount of time. When I clicked your link it said, > [@](#): > > In Stock. > We are not able to ship this item to your default shipping address. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/32 "2011-01-31T23:45:38Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Amazon’s free shipping is almost always more than fast enough for me. > > The main point was made by **Erdosain** , namely that this has nothing to do with Amazon free shipping versus other shipping methods– **norinew** ’s item had not been shipped at all. > > Did you ask to receive it at a post office box? Some items won’t ship to P.O. boxes in _any_ amount of time. When I clicked your link it said, Hmmm. Interesting. In my order, I indicated _both_ my street address _and_ my PO Box. And in the response email I received from them today, they indicated that the item is simply not in stock. I’ll have to check on this some more. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/33 "2011-01-31T23:58:09Z")
OK, I’ve just done two things: one, I changed my ship-to address (turns out my street address was only in the ‘bill-to’ field), _and_ I selected the Amazon Prime 30-day Free Trial offer, which means that, theoretically, my item should be delivered by Feb. 3rd! If the shipping address was truly the problem, though, don’t you think they should have either notified me via email, or _at least_ mentioned the problem in the response email I received from them? They are not doing anything to endear themselves to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/34 "2011-02-01T00:38:22Z")
Not doubting you or anything, but are you sure that you bought one from Amazon? If Amazon was out of stock at the time you bought it, you may have unknowingly bought it from one of their 3rd party suppliers (the other sellers are listed on the right, a bit lower than the price). Your invoice will tell you exactly who sold it, if you aren’t sure. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/35 "2011-02-02T20:36:31Z")
Any word on the cooker, **norinew**? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/36 "2011-02-02T20:42:00Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Any word on the cooker, **norinew**? Ugh. Well, I went in and edited my shipping info, and _then_ they sent me an email saying I’d made some kind of error in the debit card info I sent them. They actually sent me _two_ emails, one saying that there was an error about the slow cooker, and another saying that there was an error about the free trial of Amazon Prime. So, I re-entered the info. Within an hour, I’d gotten a confirmation on the free trial of Amazon Prime, but the only email I got about the cooker itself was notification that they would notify me when they were ready to ship! Still no word on that. I really want that cooker, but honestly, if I don’t hear by Friday that it’s shipped, I’ll cancel the order and buy it somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/37 "2011-02-02T20:51:00Z")
☹ Jeez, I’m really sorry. Did you see if it was going to ship from a 3rd party or Amazon itself? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/38 "2011-02-02T21:18:29Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > ☹ Jeez, I’m really sorry. Did you see if it was going to ship from a 3rd party or Amazon itself? Amazon itself. I just got an email from them saying that my payment was not authorized. I just don’t understand that. I deposited almost $1,000.00 in my bank account just yesterday. So there certainly should be plenty of money in there. I guess I’ll have to call my bank in the morning and find out what the deal is. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/39 "2011-02-02T23:38:57Z")
FYI, if you have access to a .edu email address, you can get Amazon Prime free for a year. I just signed up for it a few weeks ago, sent an order in, and it worked nicely. [Link](http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info) mmm ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574/40 "2011-02-03T00:26:00Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > FYI, if you have access to a .edu email address, you can get Amazon Prime free for a year. > > I just signed up for it a few weeks ago, sent an order in, and it worked nicely. > > [Link](http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info) > mmm Well, that’s good information for someone to have, I guess. I don’t have access to that kind of address (AFAIK), but it doesn’t matter, because I’ve pretty much given up on Amazon. I can get the cooker off of eBay for about $3.00 more, so I’m going that route. While I was out running errands tonight, I even stopped by my bank to double check my balance, to make sure it wasn’t a problem with my bank account. Nope. My checking account has plenty of money in it. I’ve screwed around with Amazon long enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-free-shipping-is-this-common/569574.md?page=3)