Hacker News Reader

Comment by cogman10 | Hacker News Reader

It's gotten really bad, particularly on amazon.

Search for anything and you are likely to find the same item with 50 different brand names but all essentially the same garbage from aliexpress/wish.

For example, here's a search for "bike trainer" [1]

[1] https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bike+trainer&crid=KCCRWTVZHHQ7&sp...

View on HN

And the information customers want is missing! Customers want to know the VALUE of a product.

I am looking at barrier hose crimpers for air conditioning lines. Okay, there's about a dozen identicalish looking ones on amazon with a price from 100-300 dollars, and a reputable united states manufacturer starting at 2500+. How do I know what's the best option?

I really don't care about the price, I want to know if the price is worth it. If these different products are different or just rebranded, I want to know.

I dropped Amazon (again) a while back. I'd gone back to using them during the plague, and got lazy. What jolted me back was multiple delivery failures in a row followed by a shitty "give me my money back" experience.

Right now, Amazon combines the honesty of flea markets with the reliability of a stoned teenager.

I'm back to shopping at physical stores, and am enjoying it, at least at the moment. And when ordering things, I try to go direct or find retailers who care about their reputations.

The worst I've got recently is from the Amazon locker team. The recently sent me a notice that they'd "learned that my package had been delayed". I don't mind that much; shit happens, but that passive language just disgusted me. No, you weren't able to deliver my package on time Amazon. I'm sorry if Jeff Bezos sticks you in a solitary wellness pod or whatever Orwellian punishment he's dreamt up for people who delay packages, but it's the job you picked.

I would guess that many Amazon fulfillment employees did not feel they had options when seeking employment.

I don't know much about how Amazon is structured, but I doubt it's the low wage soldiers who are writing the automation that sends emails out to notify you of delays.

Of course, they're all working class stiffs compared to Bezos and the rest of the senior leadership.

Yup, I've been doing the same. Amazon is for things I don't care too much about if it's a knock off. But generally speaking, I'll try and by stuff directly from the manufacturer or in store.

I really wish online shopping wasn't so messed up.

'Direct from manufacturer' can be much worse when they themselves have outsourced fulfilment to a warehouse in Ireland as their European agent with limited to no support contact.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com