# Well, that about wraps it up for Amazon **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 1, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896 "2017-06-01T23:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/41 "2017-06-02T17:23:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If there is an Amazon Locker location in your area, you can use that I would advise the OP to use an Amazon Locker; they seem to be everywhere here in Las Vegas. Grocery stores, convenience stores/gas stations, etc. I know I have 6 or 7 options for Amazon Lockers all within a mile of my house. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/42 "2017-06-02T17:26:18Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Same day delivery by Amazon Fulfillment, as they opened a new distribution center about 4 miles from my apartment. > > So Amazon’s own people did this. No, those aren’t “Amazon’s own people”. Those are you neighbors and your co-worker’s family members and dozens more random people from your community who happen to own a vehicle. Amazon has been using “independent contractors” for years to deliver packages. I can send you pictures of one of the facilities here in Las Vegas so you can see the early-morning line of cars and vans waiting to be given packages to deliver. It’s win-win for Amazon: they pay no wages, incur no insurance fees, and pay zero for vehicle maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/43 "2017-06-02T17:37:43Z")
> [@bikerdruid](#): > > If Amazon accepted Paypal, I would deal with them. Look at Amazon Gift cards you can buy at Paypal: > **[PayPal Digital Gifts](https://www.paypal.com/us/gifts/brands/amazon)** > > undefined ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/44 "2017-06-02T17:42:29Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I would advise the OP to use an Amazon Locker; they seem to be everywhere here in Las Vegas. Grocery stores, convenience stores/gas stations, etc. I know I have 6 or 7 options for Amazon Lockers all within a mile of my house. I second that thought, if they are available in your area. We did a return using one - very easy, and saved the postage costs. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/45 "2017-06-02T17:46:48Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I second that thought, if they are available in your area. We did a return using one - very easy, and saved the postage costs. Aye; I stopped taking returns to UPS and now just leave it in a locker. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/46 "2017-06-02T21:38:51Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > > > Chimera, who actually delivered your package? The shipping information will say who the carrier was. > > Same day delivery by Amazon Fulfillment, as they opened a new distribution center about 4 miles from my apartment. > > So Amazon’s own people did this. So what did Amazon tell you when you complained to them? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/47 "2017-06-02T22:03:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > So what did Amazon tell you when you complained to them? No response yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/48 "2017-06-02T22:05:38Z")
So are there Amazon Locker locations in your area? They don’t work for everything, especially larger packages but are a good way to ensure the package is secure. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/49 "2017-06-03T00:16:35Z")
It was same-day delivery from a location 4 miles away. Why would I tell them to go put it in a locker 2 miles from me? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/50 "2017-06-03T00:22:31Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It was same-day delivery from a location 4 miles away. Why would I tell them to go put it in a locker 2 miles from me? Did we know the nearest locker was 2 miles away from you? :dubious: And if it was only coming from 4 miles away, why didn’t you just go get it yourself? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/51 "2017-06-03T00:31:45Z")
Am I the only was who is confused here? Chimera complains that Amazon delivers his/her packages to an insecure location so that they can be stolen before he/she retrieves them. I suggest, “Hey, why not have them delivered to an Amazon Locker location? The service is free and the packages are secured until you get them.” Chimera asks, “Why would I want to use that?” I should think the why would be obvious, but in case it is not, you would want to use this service if you want your packages to be secured until you can retrieve them. Does that make sense? If not, I can speak more slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/52 "2017-06-03T00:54:03Z")
**Dewey** , because the package was being delivered from an Amazon location four miles from Chimera. Apparently, it’s too difficult for Amazon to get it that far safely. My complaint about the lockers is that every single one near me is situated so the sun shines on the screen and makes it impossible to read. Sorry this happened to you, **Chimera.** ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/53 "2017-06-03T00:59:28Z")
Who the fuck cares that the Amazon distribution center is four miles away? I admit that the Amazon Locker location at my regular supermarket is also outdoors, with a screen that’s obscured by sun glare. Sometimes, I just blindly touch the screen to wake it up and hold my phone below the barcode scanner so the code can be read. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/54 "2017-06-03T01:12:27Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > No, those aren’t “Amazon’s own people”. Those are you neighbors and your co-worker’s family members and dozens more random people from your community who happen to own a vehicle. Amazon has been using “independent contractors” for years to deliver packages. I can send you pictures of one of the facilities here in Las Vegas so you can see the early-morning line of cars and vans waiting to be given packages to deliver. > > It’s win-win for Amazon: they pay no wages, incur no insurance fees, and pay zero for vehicle maintenance. While that is true, it really makes no difference to the end user. To be totally fair, if I have a problem with a delivery from Amazon (or anywhere for that matter), I’m going to take it up with Amazon. Whether it was from UPS, USPS, Fedex or “Amazon”, it’s on the seller to get the package to my location, not me. Besides, even if you wanted to contact one of these people, it’s not like you could. If the UPS guy took a dump in my driveway, I can call UPS, but if the Amazon guy did, it’s not like I can track down who he actually works for. > [@Chimera](#): > > No response yet. Try pulling up a chat window for an intimidate response. PS, for everyone being nitpicky about the Amazon drivers not actually working for Amazon. Are you like that with Fedex also? All those FedEx Ground trucks are independent contractors as well, but I assume you call FedEx if there’s a problem, right, not track down the actual driver that screwed up the delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/55 "2017-06-03T01:18:01Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Try pulling up a chat window for an intimidate response. > [@](#): > > Amazon: Hello! How can I help you today? > > Customer: I have a problem with a package that was left for delivery. > > Amazon: Are you sure? Are you fucking sure? Because we can have someone come over there and knock all your teeth out, ya know. 😛 > [@Joey\_P](#): > > PS, for everyone being nitpicky about the Amazon drivers not actually working for Amazon. Are you like that with Fedex also? All those FedEx Ground trucks are independent contractors as well, but I assume you call FedEx if there’s a problem, right, not track down the actual driver that screwed up the delivery. It doesn’t really matter what any of us does, since it’s **Chimera** who has the problem with deliveries. FTR, IME FedEx totally fucking rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/56 "2017-06-03T07:21:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > NEVER\* buy from third party vendors. “Sold by Amazon” or “Fulfilled by Amazon” is the way to go. > Be certain you buy from the manufacturer’s shop. > > \*You might risk a third party if they have a very high rating(+95%) and thousands if not tens of thousands of transactions. Just to be clear, “Sold by Amazon” means “sold by Amazon”. “Fulfilled by Amazon” is just a marketplace seller storing their goods in Amazon’s warehouses instead of their own. In terms of quality and authenticity, you stand the same risks with that as you do by buying direct. Also, high feedback ratings & lots of transactions don’t mean the stuff is good. In fact, it can often indicate the opposite. In the categories I buy, on Amazon & eBay, the sellers of the bad stuff often have more transactions (because they have a nearly endless supply of the goods, since they make the stuff themselves) and higher feedback (only 1/x buyers will leave feedback, so more transactions \> more feedback & buyers often aren’t educated enough to tell the difference, so they leave a “Great price, fast shipping, 5 stars”). On eBay, there’s a seller with goods that are so laughably fake that you can tell they’re bad just by the picture, and they have 99% positive feedback (with 1 neg for “I sent this to [expert] and they said it’s fake”–to which I thought “if you just Googled a picture of the item, you could’ve saved yourself the hassle and the fee you paid [expert]”). It’s one reason why I refuse to leave feedback for that kind of stuff, as I don’t know enough to say for sure if it is definitely good or not & I don’t want to contribute to misleading another buyer if it’s actually a passable fake. But that’s another subject. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/57 "2017-06-03T13:43:53Z")
> [@Debillw3](#): > > \*\*Just to be clear, “Sold by Amazon” means “sold by Amazon”. “Fulfilled by Amazon” is just a marketplace seller storing their goods in Amazon’s warehouses instead of their own. In terms of quality and authenticity, you stand the same risks with that as you do by buying direct. > \*\* > Also, high feedback ratings & lots of transactions don’t mean the stuff is good. In fact, it can often indicate the opposite. In the categories I buy, on Amazon & eBay, the sellers of the bad stuff often have more transactions (because they have a nearly endless supply of the goods, since they make the stuff themselves) and higher feedback (only 1/x buyers will leave feedback, so more transactions \> more feedback & buyers often aren’t educated enough to tell the difference, so they leave a “Great price, fast shipping, 5 stars”). > > On eBay, there’s a seller with goods that are so laughably fake that you can tell they’re bad just by the picture, and they have 99% positive feedback (with 1 neg for “I sent this to [expert] and they said it’s fake”–to which I thought “if you just Googled a picture of the item, you could’ve saved yourself the hassle and the fee you paid [expert]”). > > It’s one reason why I refuse to leave feedback for that kind of stuff, as I don’t know enough to say for sure if it is definitely good or not & I don’t want to contribute to misleading another buyer if it’s actually a passable fake. But that’s another subject. Notice I buy from the manufacturer’s shop. I’m not trusting an unknown third party that’s fulfilled by Amazon. The high ratings and number of transactions also has to do with not stealing credit cards numbers or not shipping and disappearing. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/58 "2017-06-05T12:45:57Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Another package delivered today, simply dropped inside the door of my 152 unit apartment building with zero attempt to walk up to my apartment or notify me. > > Two packages stolen in the last year because of this bullshit. > > Sorry Amazon, but I’m done ordering stuff from you as long as you persist in this unreliable and unprofessional delivery crap. > > No, I don’t care that it is other companies doing it. I ordered from you. They had this thing called amazon lockers (or something like that) where I could go and pick stuff up at a lockers at the local supermarket or pharmacy using a code they emailed me when the package was delivered. > **[Parcel locker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Locker)** > > A parcel locker is an automated postal box that allows users for a self-service collection of parcels and oversize letters as well as the dispatch of parcels. > Amazon Locker is a self-service package delivery service of parcel lockers offered by online retailer Amazon. Amazon customers can select any Locker location as their delivery address and retrieve their orders at that location by entering a unique pick-up code on the Locker touch screen. However, certain third-party sellers on Amazon may n... I think the local businesses gave away the space to amazon to get the foot traffic. Do other deliveries fare better than Amazon? ETA: Ninjaed… in post 4…54 posts ago. I can actually see post 4 without scrolling down from the OP. /smack head ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/59 "2017-06-05T12:49:08Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The high ratings and number of transactions also has to do with not stealing credit cards numbers or not shipping and disappearing. Amazon and eBay sellers can’t steal your credit card number regardless of any of that. It’s not something they ever have access to. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/60 "2017-06-05T12:54:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Did I miss the _Where Amazon Went Wrong_ and _Some More of Amazon’s Greatest Mistakes_ threads? This needs more love. We’ve had issues not with Amazon but with QVC, who currently uses an absolutely appalling delivery service. Every time we have an issue (which is frequent) we make sure QVC knows about it. I’m not sure if it’s doing any good but at least they’re logging our complaints. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896.md?page=4)