I often use Amazon solely for their product reviews. I purchased a coffee grinder at Goodwill and went on Amazon to read what folks had to say about it and what to look out for. Lots of folks complained about an uneven grind (it was a cheap Black & Decker), so one guy posted a modification where you cut a shim from the plastic lid of a yogurt/sour cream container and put it under one of the burrs. I did the mod before I even tried the grinder out. Worked fine for me and I got years of use out of it. I've done this before. The Reviews section and the Q&A are a wealth of post-purchase tips, regardless of where you bought the product. I've tried to contribute to that database when I can. I was on Amazon earlier today looking for the names of yard cart manufacturers, since the handle on mine rusted through (again) and I have no idea who made it (likely Hechinger house brand.) I tracked down a few and looked them up on the web and researched their spare parts section. I found a couple of handles at a reasonable delivered cost that will work fine. For various reasons, I ended up deciding to buy a new cart at Lowes. But should I have decided to limp along at minimal cost, Amazon was my go-to research tool to execute that option.
I've been a customer since 1997. It went from a few occasional books to an order every other month. But in recent years it's been an order per month, or even two per month once in a while. I order zillions of things, mostly household items and books. I always take free shipping as I never need anything right away and I can wait a few days to a week. I placed an order Sunday, which isn't here yet, but I've already added two items in my cart for next month.
I always take the free shipping offered instead of buying prime. I just pile up items if they don't total $25 themselves and put the order through when they do. I have an amazon visa which gives me % points back. But I read recently where amazon has had another cyber attach and they don't know how much has been compromised. Although my card with them has a minimal limit, it still worries me. I do have my credit frozen from long ago so I guess I would be mostly OK.
Yet another Why I Shop on Amazon Story: I made the mistake of driving to Home Depot yesterday, to buy some lightweight chain and some s-hooks or carabiners to suspend a grow light. I need to attach two chains to a 1" dowel to suspend a light that's about 10" x 20". So I slogged 2 miles across the crowded parking lot in the 100° weather and into the huge warehouse store where it wasn't much cooler. Up and down the aisles I went, in search of the illusive chains. Saw one young man in the orange apron, busy punching important stuff into his cell phone and ignoring lost-looking old grandmas shopping for chain. (I think he sped up his gait when he saw me approaching.) On my second mile around the store, I finally located the chain where naturally there was no one to cut a 6' length for me, so I loaded the entire spool into my cart. Nearby was a wall display of bubble packs of carabiners and s-hooks that looked like they could be used by a commercial towing company; nothing small enough for my chain. By this time I was sweaty and mad. I wasn't even interested in walking another 3 miles to the garden department so I went to the checkout line. There was a huge "Wait Here to be Called for Checkout" sign that I stood next to while others swarmed past me to check out and leave. I actually said "WHAT THE HELL?" out loud, can you imagine. I was finally called to the SELF SERVICE CHECKOUT... yes, I stood in line for that. So I pressed the "assistance needed" button to inform the young woman that I needed a 6' length of chain and not the entire spool. Of course she sighed and got on the loud speaker to let everyone know that grandma was annoying her by asking for assistance. She asked me to step to the side while another slow-moving "associate" went to get my chain cut. I stood there watching other people get their crap checked out and happily exiting the store for about 6 minutes. I tried to be patient but you all know me so who am I kidding. Finally the dolt with the sticky shoes (why else move that slowly) returned with my chain, looking aggrieved. They rung up the $4 sale and I hiked back to the car. Got in, cranked it up, pointed all the a/c vents on me, and thought about how waiting that 24 hours for an Amazon delivery was a pretty damn good idea.
First time ever am waiting on package that made it to Dodge City and just stopped - trying to be patient
I'm glad you got it (or at least know where it is.) UPS (United Parcel Service) Sure Post is a service where UPS delivers the package to the United States Postal Service (USPS), and then your mailman takes it to your home when they deliver your mail. They call that last leg of the delivery "The Final Mile." It's supposed to save money, since your mailman is going that way anyway. So it makes sense that it ended up at your post office. It should not sit there for long before going out with your other mail.
You can set your delivery preference and use a second, some merchants won't deliver via mail but when you start to look at items and you have an item picked out the cart will tell you in red it cannot be delivered via mail or to the location so you just reset to door delivery. I have trouble with UPS And FedEx not delivering due to incompetence and not caring. When I have those problems and get a note to pick it up 50 miles from where I live I get a bit agitated and remind them I paid it to be delivered to me. I have done well this year not having any item shipped but to my PO Box, if I see that red print while looking at items I want I simply look for another seller or even walmart and others.
Since moving to Maine, I've had no problems with UPS or FedEx. On the rare occasion when a package is left with the post office for delivery, there is a long delay in delivery, however. UPS and FedEx deliver packages to my porch. The post office, however, when a package is too large for the mailbox, will leave a note for me to pick it up at the post office, and I'd rather not do that.
I've been very lucky. When I lived outside of DC all of the carriers (FedEx, UPS, Postal Service) did a fine job. I have the same experience here. I know the UPS guy well enough to know that his wife has the same model car that I do but with a different engine, so when I ended up with an air filter that fit her car but not mine, I gave it to him. I've posted the post office horror stories from the next county over. Those people get mail delivery once a week (if they're lucky.) So many of them took to picking up their mail in person from the post office that the post office could not handle the volume, so they stopped allowing people to do that. I can't imagine the frustration, especially for folks who get their meds delivered by mail.