AmazonReviews 11,108

Amazon is demonstrating some true Holiday spirit with deceptive promotional offerings. So deceptive their own support people don't understand it.

Watch out. Amazon will offer you $5.99 for Amazon Pantry items in exchange for accepting slower shipping options.

After 3 phone calls and nearly 1.5 hours on the phone, Amazon support was finally able to explain it.

It's only works for a very limited number of grocery items that Amazon sells directly themselves. You'll know because "the item will be marked as an Amazon Pantry item."

So I got two credits. About $10. I figured I would at least buy an item for free. I chose Vanilla extract for about $10. However, it was going to cost me $10 to get it. Doesn't make sense, right? Well, you can only use one credit at a time. So that means I can only use $5 to buy the $10 item. Then for any "pantry" items that Amazon sells you are charged $5 for a "boxing fee." Usually this is called shipping, and since I am an Amazon Prime Member, I expected my shipping would be free. Not the case. So in the end it would cost me $10 to get a $10 item as an Amazon Prime member, even with a $10 credit.

Remember when Amazon gave free shipping at any $25 orders? You've probably noticed that's no longer possible, unless you sign up for Prime. Prime in itself is probably a decent offering; however, not everybody needs or wants it, and therefore you get dinged in shipping costs. (shame on you!) That aside (as I could go on for a while), the main complaint here are sellers using Amazon to sell their goods, let's say used books. These sellers blame Amazon for not allowing them to combine shipping. Is that true Amazon? Where is your voice in all of this? Shipping is $3.99 flat rate for books. Anyone who's ever used USPS Media rates knows that you can ship printed material pretty inexpensively--less than $3.99. If this is true that Amazon won't 'ALLOW' combined shipping, then Amazon is looking for trouble in reduced sales. Just talking locally here with many people who used to use Amazon exclusively, I can tell you they have found other avenues. Also, these sellers put themselves on Amazon.com under multiple different names and then combine shipping for themselves, but never pass on those savings to you, the buyer. Where is Amazon's voice in all of this deceit? Do you like having them try to slip this by you? I think more and more people are going to revert back to buying locally, because the entire online marketing is becoming more dishonest and more of a scam. Keep your eyes open buyers!

Purchase a set of eBooks yesterday and amazing to received it on time. Cool

I use Amazon Prime and love the extra service and perks. Almost everything I need is obtainable from my desk at home. Prices are very competitive and product reviews and specifications are generously provided. 2 day delivery is standard and the shipping is usually free.

The downside is I really need to get outside more. Also I find shopping inside a brick and mortar store more culturally satisfying.

My purchases so far which are significant have almost always met my satisfaction. I have only had to return one item out of hundreds. Price guarantee is an Amazon policy but collecting a refund after the fact requires a lot of obscure website navigation.

Make sure you are ordering what you really want when you 'pulled the trigger' on your order. Chances are if you change your mind the order will already on its way and it will be too late to renege.

I have been an avid user of Amazon since 2005 and in these last ten years I have spent thousands of dollars and ordered tons of things. With Amazon Prime Amazon certainly makes you think about ordering from them more and more with the 2 day shipping which I love. They have also never gotten an order wrong of mine EVER. The reason they do not get 5 stars is because the Amazon Prime video service is still a little lacking in my opinion.