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amazon shipping rates

Dekema2

Dekema2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
856
437
WNY or Utica
I'm a college student with no car, and don't feel like getting a ride to Walmart to buy a USB cord for my new laser printer. So, I thought I could just go to Amazon and get a cheap, reliable cord for about 5 bucks.

Well was I wrong. It's 5 bucks, but then STANDARD shipping costs $8!!! What the heck? They say the internet should make buying things online hassle free, but there was no free shipping option and I did a one click order. Fortunately I cancelled it on time.

To avoid something this outrageous when I buy a cheap product online, what would you advise me to do?
 
Mac'nCheese

Mac'nCheese

Suspended
Feb 9, 2010
3,752
5,108
Dekema2 said:
I'm a college student with no car, and don't feel like getting a ride to Walmart to buy a USB cord for my new laser printer. So, I thought I could just go to Amazon and get a cheap, reliable cord for about 5 bucks.

Well was I wrong. It's 5 bucks, but then STANDARD shipping costs $8!!! What the heck? They say the internet should make buying things online hassle free, but there was no free shipping option and I did a one click order. Fortunately I cancelled it on time.

To avoid something this outrageous when I buy a cheap product online, what would you advise me to do?
Click to expand...

Find someone who pays for prime, ask them to be put on their account and get free two day shopping. If you can.
 
Dekema2

Dekema2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
856
437
WNY or Utica
Mac'nCheese said:
Find someone who pays for prime, ask them to be put on their account and get free two day shopping. If you can.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea, I know my RA said something about getting people in our suite hooked up with prime but I never knew the benefits until recently. Next time I use Amazon that's what I'll do.

I just ordered a cable off of eBay as well for $3 w/free std. shipping so I'm all set there.
 
Huntn

Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,499
26,622
The Misty Mountains
What do you consider inexpensive? What would it cost to buy at a local retailer? With Amazon you have to either have an order worth $35 or be a Amazon Prime member which is something like $75 a year. If you are ordering a lot of stuff on Amazon it's a bargain cause you can order small stuff like a USB chord for free shipping.
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

macrumors 604
Mar 2, 2008
7,160
1,364
Always a day away
Shipping costs can be offset, IMO. Eight bucks to ship a 5 dollar item is certainly steep, but for as far away as I live from a store that would sell one, spend a couple of bucks in gas and spend an hour or more of my time to buy a simple cord, when I can just make a couple of mouse clicks and have one delivered? Sometimes it's worth it.

Amazon Prime member, btw.
 
Dekema2

Dekema2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 27, 2012
856
437
WNY or Utica
Huntn said:
What do you consider inexpensive? What would it cost to buy at a local retailer? With Amazon you have to either have an order worth $35 or be a Amazon Prime member which is something like $75 a year. If you are ordering a lot of stuff on Amazon it's a bargain cause you can order small stuff like a USB chord for free shipping.
Click to expand...

Actually under $20 is inexpensive IMO with the size of my wallet, which is pretty small at the moment considering I'm a freshman in college.

The same cable would cost about $3 at Walmart, so the only difference between the Walmart cable and the eBay cable is the time it'll arrive to my dorm--Immediately from Walmart if I got a ride there vs. a week from eBay.

If I had bundled the printer and USB cable together, I could've (and would've) ordered it from Amazon.

Tomorrow said:
Shipping costs can be offset, IMO. Eight bucks to ship a 5 dollar item is certainly steep, but for as far away as I live from a store that would sell one, spend a couple of bucks in gas and spend an hour or more of my time to buy a simple cord, when I can just make a couple of mouse clicks and have one delivered? Sometimes it's worth it.

Amazon Prime member, btw.
Click to expand...

Makes sense, there are plenty of communities that just don't have big box stores even within an hour of them (I have friends who live in these kinds of communities), so this is logical.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
WTH is going on, are you all really linking Amazon and Walmart repeatedly or is MR taking it upon itself to insert that for you?

Edit: well that explains that.

Edit 2: Or perhaps it is Safari.......
 
Last edited:
thejadedmonkey

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,184
3,345
Pennsylvania
I find that Amazon shipping is outrageous when you're ordering small or low-margin items. It's actually made me start shopping elsewhere for cheaper items - ebay for example.

mobilehaathi said:
WTH is going on, are you all really linking Amazon and Walmart repeatedly or is MR taking it upon itself to insert that for you?

Edit: well that explains that.

Edit 2: Or perhaps it is Safari.......
Click to expand...

It's IE, too. So I'm going with MacRumors.
 
steve knight

steve knight

macrumors 68030
Jan 28, 2009
2,735
7,180
I have been ordering off amazon with prime on Friday and Saturday and getting it Sunday with free shipping.
 
LadyX

LadyX

macrumors 68020
Mar 4, 2012
2,374
252
amazon shipping rates

I love buying from Amazon because their customer service is excellent but I only order if I really want the item and I can't find it where I live because Amazon's shipping and handling rates aren't cheap. For example, I recently ordered four items from Amazon and the shipping cost me $80 (£52). Probably because I don't live in the US or the UK and I order stuff from Amazon US and UK. Mostly UK though because I get my packages much faster since it's much closer.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
Dekema2 said:
I'm a college student with no car, and don't feel like getting a ride to Walmart to buy a USB cord for my new laser printer. So, I thought I could just go to Amazon and get a cheap, reliable cord for about 5 bucks.

Well was I wrong. It's 5 bucks, but then STANDARD shipping costs $8!!! What the heck? They say the internet should make buying things online hassle free, but there was no free shipping option and I did a one click order. Fortunately I cancelled it on time.

To avoid something this outrageous when I buy a cheap product online, what would you advise me to do?
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, was the item you wanted to order fufilled by Amazon or by a third party? Third party shipping can be quite expensive...
 
J

Johnlpi

macrumors member
Feb 17, 2015
36
4
If your printer has AirPrint you won't need a cable at all! :) (Too late now, I know...)

I've used Prime to save on shipping too; was a member last year but this year I cancelled my membership because I have iTunes now, and I'm buying less stuff.

They were gracious enough to prorate the refund; been really happy with the customer service.
 
F

FieldingMellish

Suspended
Jun 20, 2010
2,440
3,108
Prime won me over. A recent example. I traveled to my local Ace store to get a couple screws in mm to install a TV. They didn't have it. Wasted time and gas. Went online with Amazon and got an entire bag of the screws for less and delivered with Prime 2nd day arrival.

I was introduced to Prime when I snoozed on corporate gifts. I selected a nice design book and bought a load of them. Delivery would gave gone into the hundreds. So I bought Prime for $75.00 and all the books arrived fast and for free shipping.

Since then, I'm streaming included movies and included music.

Bought a large flat screen TV. Didn't like it. Returned it and got another. All of the shipping free and I practically didn't lift a finger.
 
T

tayluftwaffel

macrumors member
Dec 1, 2014
64
0
I've had prime now for about six months, and it really comes in handy with the two day shipping. I can surely see myself using the amazon instant video more and more as times goes on, and I use the music pretty regularly. I would say that Prime is most definitely worth it. I'm moving soon to a new house, and I think that the two day shipping is going to be quite a nice thing while I get situated.
 
Cromulent

Cromulent

macrumors 604
Oct 2, 2006
6,802
1,096
The Land of Hope and Glory
In the UK you get free next day delivery with prime which is one advantage over the US (there are some advantages to living in the UK :)).

We've had it for years. I dread to think the value of the stuff I have ordered over the last 13 - 14 years of using them but I bet it is a lot.
 
T

tayluftwaffel

macrumors member
Dec 1, 2014
64
0
Cromulent said:
In the UK you get free next day delivery with prime which is one advantage over the US (there are some advantages to living in the UK :)).

We've had it for years. I dread to think the value of the stuff I have ordered over the last 13 - 14 years of using them but I bet it is a lot.
Click to expand...

Wow, that certainly is an advantage. I guess UK is a little smaller, so that's probably a reason. We have too much space over here in the "new world".
 
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