# UK dopers - how accurate do you find the "1 to 2 weeks" delivery estimate at amazon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631 "2003-12-07T22:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/1 "2003-12-07T22:28:11Z")
In your experience, does the product in question arrive at the beginning of the first week, the end of the second week, somewhere between, or outside the period? I have a sneaking suspicion that they slap the “1 to 2 weeks” label on anything with an undeterminable delivery estimate, to save having to put “we have no idea”. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/2 "2003-12-08T18:59:22Z")
I’ve never had a problem. Just lucky, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/3 "2003-12-08T22:43:44Z")
Did your stuff arrive on the first predicted day? (at the beginning of the next week refered to by ‘1 to 2 weeks’) I haven’t had any problems as such. It’s just that I’ve bought something with a 1 to 2 week estimate and I am wondering when it is likely to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Doris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/4 "2003-12-09T11:25:39Z")
I’ve never had a problem with them, delivery has always been prompt. There was one occaision when something wasn’t in stock so the order was cancelled, but they emailed me well before I was expecting the delivery. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/5 "2003-12-09T12:00:10Z")
same as **Sir Doris** - never had a real problem and they’ve always delivered at some point within that period (sometimes at the beginning, sometimes the end). If its turned out to be out of stock they have let me know. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/6 "2003-12-09T12:10:23Z")
Indeed, for me, “1 to 2 weeks” has several times turned into “months and months” and then “sorry, we can’t fulfill your order”. My feeling is that if they don’t have it in stock, they label it thus optimistically. Because of this, if I see that label, I don’t buy. I only buy if it says “immediate delivery” or “within 24 hours”. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/7 "2003-12-09T12:27:54Z")
I’ve had some problems with stuff going out of stock - mostly, IIRC, things like small-press publications, so not necessarily Amazon’s fault. Mostly, I find them pretty reliable. Not perfect, but pretty reliable. Their “recommendations” thing, though, is pants, pure and simple. I’ve filled huge gaps in my Sibelius collection through Amazon, and what turns up in “Music recommendations”? Kylie Minogue, “Now That’s What I Call Music 76453”, and, if I limit it to “classical” only, tons of movie soundtracks. Pshaw. Likewise pfui. And feh. ---
**Author:** ![BIH\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@BIH\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIH_Boy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/8 "2003-12-09T12:37:42Z")
Apart from one order that turned into a “really can’t be bothered to get it for you sorry for the three month wait, order cancelled” I’ve always found them to be pretty good. I assume that you’re wondering if you’ll get it in time for christmas? i say go for it. ---
**Author:** ![RobertP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e8cbc/32.png) [@RobertP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobertP)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-how-accurate-do-you-find-the-1-to-2-weeks-delivery-estimate-at-amazon/217631/9 "2003-12-10T12:20:50Z")
I live in Switzerland and have found that there is some sort of bermuda triangle between Amazon UK and me. The royal post international shipping will say 3-5 days, and it gets _shipped_ on time, but it will regularly be 2-3 weeks before I see it. I figure it may be getting stuck in customs, but oddly (though happily), they never charge me customs duty…