I subscribe to Amazon Prime because it offers expedited delivery and a number of other benefits. However, and perhaps it's just my imagination, the benefits seem to be more and more media-related and less of a benefit when one wants to purchase everyday items.
That doesn't stop Amazon sending me an email every day with suggestions of things I might want. A few days ago they suggest this jumbo sized garden storage box. I didn't want one but I was rather confused by the mixed message which so often happens to Island and Highland residents.
Delivery to the UK - Islands is apparently not a problem half way down but at the bottom it states that they do not deliver to offshore postcodes.
Now I can understand it for an item like this even though it's sent flat-packed but when exactly the same thing happens for an item that can fit into a first class envelope the decision making process defeats me.
I should add that some suppliers have absolutely no problems sending beds, mattresses and the like (often at no additional cost to the buyer) so sending a flat packed plastic storage box should be no problem at all.
Yes, I had posh Amazon but the Highlands either delay delivery or charge more, I dread to think what it costs for the Islands.
ReplyDeleteNice box isn't it?
Adrian, without wishing to be rude, do you actually have an address? I mean this in the nicest possible way.
DeleteAdrian when Prime started almost everything that I ordered on Amazon came next day even to l'i'l ol' me in the Hebrides 20miles out into the Atlantic. Now many things comes 'free standard delivery with Prime' which means several days or even longer. In fact many things are taking longer now than they used to take with the free standard delivery without Prime. Of course I have no idea what the non-Prime arrangements are now. I once ordered a mattress from a company in the Midlands or South of England (not using Amazon). The website made it clear that next day delivery did not apply to the Highlands and Islands and they even rang to tell me that. Guess what? The mattress arrived the next day.
DeleteFrances it's not rude. I am of no fixed abode but Amazon have a long list of addresses for me and I just click where I am or add a new one. Simple though it used to be a problem as many companies would only deliver to the address the card is registered to.
DeleteDo Amazon pay their requisite taxes though?
ReplyDeleteAndrea they probably pay their requisite taxes(e.g. VAT) but do they pay Company tax here? Probably not because the Company most of my orders go to isn't in the UK. It's the old story though. Would we as customers be happy to pay the higher prices that would probably be incurred if tax were paid in order that profits could be maintained? Probably not. If everything were available in Stornoway and at the same price and speed of delivery I'd far rather shop in Stornoway.
DeleteGraham, I blame the supplier. (One of these would spoil your view, even if you wanted one.)
ReplyDeleteFrances one of these would have to be filled with bricks to stay put here on Lewis. Oddly a friend on Facebook said that they had just assembled one that very day (but in Glasgow not here!).
Delete£74.94 seems cheap for a plastic coffin. I wonder if they make them in black and amber stripes as I should like to be buried in such a receptacle. (Hull City's colours)
ReplyDeleteVery cheap for a plastic coffin YP but think of the problems for the crematorium. I'm sure that you could have a nice pine one painted whatever colour you wanted.
DeleteMy best friend was buried in a giant picnic hamper.
DeleteNovel!
DeleteOnline shopping is still developing. Consumers are still trying to figure things out. So there are bound to be some confusing situations.
ReplyDeleteRed here in the UK online shopping is massive. Even groceries are ordered on line to the extent that I've been told that for our population of about 20,000 one supermarket in Stornoway has 11 vans operating from 8am 'till 11pm 6 days a week.
DeleteI don't really know what Amazon Prime is, but to add to the confusion, I also notice that the ad says "not eligible for Amazon Prime". Whatever that may mean, combined with the other inconsistencies!
ReplyDeleteI do get daily optimistic emails from Amazon suggesting I buy more Kindle books based on other I've already bought, or just been curious about. For example, today, I was recommended The History of Rome (Complete) for a bit of light bedtime reading. (Well to be fair they did really not say when I was supposed to read it.) Probably based on the fact that I recently took a peek at some other old book on mysterious old cities read and reviewed by our mutual Librarian friend :)
Amazon Prime is a special service for those who sign up with it (giving away even more of their personal data as "normal" Amazon customers do). It usually means free delivery within the next working day. To exclude a product of the Prime service means that it won't be delivered for free, and certainly not within 24 hours.
DeleteSome Kindle books are also free or at least reduced for Prime customers.
Monica my reference to Amazon prime was probably a bit superfluous because, as you said, this wasn't eligible for Amazon prime. I was simply linking two strands of Amazon service together. Lots of stores have now realised that the first place many people look is Amazon so they deliver directly from their premises but the order is placed via the Amazon website (and presumably they pay handsomely for so doing).
DeleteMakes you wonder
ReplyDeleteDiane most things make me wonder - for a short period anyway.
DeleteWhen you're in the doghouse...at least it will be waterproof! :)
ReplyDeleteLee nothing is guaranteed waterproof in Scotland (or England) at the moment!
DeleteThe Amazon emails reminding me that "Other Customers who bought this item also bought" is what bothers me sometimes...after all if I buy an item I'm not really interested in what others bought when they purchased the same item.
ReplyDeleteIt's a ploy to get me to spend more by trying to have me keep up with the Joneses, but what makes them think that I want to?
Virginia it's when they keep on telling me to buy things that I've already bought that I get confused.
DeleteJust as well you don't want one - although I take your general point. I am starting to really hate these intrusive emails based on them poking around in my browsing history. I'm going to make a point of not buying anything that is suggested to me, as my little rebellion.
ReplyDeleteJenny one thing you don't 'suffer' from is remoteness that's for sure but Amazon can reach us anywhere if the world with its emails.
Delete