Amazon used to be brilliant because you knew exactly what you were getting. The fast and cheap shipping was a (very nice) bonus.

All my recent purchases have been disappointing, from futons of 'odd' sizes or misleading descriptions, "no assembly required", or products which just aren't good quality with 4-5 star reviews.

I've got to the point where I'm going back to only buying direct from amazon (if I can even still tell, it's not as easy as it used to be). Even sticking to "known" brands is difficult since brand licenses are often re-sold cheaply to different qualities of third party manufacturers in an era of globalization and cost-cutting driving down margins.

What can be a completely "buy it for life" quality item one year can in as short a time of 5 years have "sold out" their name and the products a shell of their former quality.

I was just on Amazon and checked out the "fine art" section which had some interesting items. I selected "framed" and was surprised to see stuff in the $20 range. So I clicked on one and while it said "frame" in the title it didn't say it in the description. I suspect that it meant that it could be framed and that they aren't selling a frame with it.

I suppose that's an issue when you sell tens of thousands of art items and try to do categorize automatically. It just makes me trust them less.

> Is the price double what it is from other retailers?

This is even worse in Canada. There appear to be tons of listings which consist solely of people finding things on Amazon.com that aren't on Amazon.ca and listing them for absurd prices. Example: a 4-pack of Kraft Dinner for $20 ($5/box), or a 12-pack for $48 ($4/box, a discount!).

Likewise, lots of people seem to take advantage of absurd shipping rates from American companies. I wanted to get my wife an iShower for her birthday, and while it was about a hundred bucks in the US (from them or Amazon.com), I was looking at $170+ Canadian from Amazon.ca (and this was when our currencies were almost at par). Tried to get it shipped from the US and the shipping was FedEx only, and it was something like $50-60 to get it shipped.

Now I order from Canadian retailers whenever I can, and I just get junk from Amazon when it's on sale.

> Is the price double what it is from other retailers?

How does physically going to Target help with this?

Because Target's prices might not be 2x what other retailers are?

I tried to buy some dishwasher detergent on Amazon recently because my local store is almost always out of the brand I like. It was $16/12oz on Amazon, versus $3.99/12oz at my local store. I assume that's what he's talking about.

Amazon has done an amazing job of priming people to not comparison shop, just hit that buy button assuming that you're getting the best price. It's amazing.

Good point. Turns out, the "prime" in "Amazon Prime" is a verb.

It really works on a lot of people I know. Always buying tons and tons of stuff because "Prime." It's like "buy," "buy," "buy" all the time. I just find it amazingly fascinating.

Couple years ago. I was looking to buy a couple staples on Amazon once to spend enough for free shipping. I love Kraft Mac and cheese and it's a commodity item. Amazon was selling them for 3x the cost of the grocery store. Decided to check Walmart.com out of curiosity. They were normal grocery store price at Walmart.com, if you needed to order it online. I wonder if people actually think Kraft Mac and cheese actually costs that much.

I also noticed that the price of many toys skyrockets during December.

As an aside I've ordered Kraft Mac and cheese from jet.com at normal price since. Their prices and inventory change a lot though so you can't always get the same stuff and the same price.

http://www.npr.org/2015/06/04/412046900/retailer-arbitrage-h...

COHEN: So this is interesting. This is a Babies R Us 800 baby wipes.

GOLDSTEIN: The wipes are in one of those displays out in the middle of the aisle. They're selling for $16.99. As the father of two young kids, I feel like I have some insight here.

Baby stuff - I know how much baby stuff costs.

COHEN: OK. Is this a good price?

GOLDSTEIN: Not great. It's not great.

COHEN: Seventeen bucks for 800 wipes? It's a value box.

GOLDSTEIN: I mean, buy it if you want. I don't think there's a lot of margin in it for you.

COHEN: I think you're wrong.

GOLDSTEIN: Sam has brought along one of his employees, a guy named Jay Freiday, to help him with the shopping. Freiday pulls out his phone and looks up how much this $17 box of wipes is selling for on Amazon.

JAY FREIDAY: This is currently selling for $46.

GOLDSTEIN: Wait a minute. People are paying - what did you say?

FREIDAY: $46.

GOLDSTEIN: For 800 baby wipes?

FREIDAY: Yeah. It's a lot?

GOLDSTEIN: It's a lot.

If it's the same price as Target, then you know it is double the price of other retailers. Simple really.

Hmm? AFAIK Target sets prices and shopper experience just a smidgen or two higher than Walmart. Although perhaps there may be some localized differences, I have never known it to be the Whole Foods of big-box general merchandise.

Probably a local phenomena. I've done some comparison shopping in my town and the price of most identical items at the Target here is +50% over the Walmart. Not 100%, but plenty overpriced.

It's probably just because the locals don't want to be seen as "rednecks" for shopping at Walmart. (Of course there are plenty who don't mind, and I guess, better deal for them)

Do you see that regularly? At least online, I never see target more than 15% more than walmart and usually about the same.

Yes. I keep thinking/hoping it's a temporary thing. Target is on my commute and Walmart is about 5 miles out of the way. I would much rather go to Target but I can't justify spending that much more to save the 15 minutes (unless I am buying only a few cheap things, in which case it's worth it).

Order from walmart.com? Above $49 you get free shipping.

I notice my local Target regularly prices in-store items higher than their own online price, as much as 25% more. I've gotten them to price match without much hassle, but I'd rather shop at Walmart than have to deal with it.

That's one of the single best things about Wal-Mart, they don't f* around with prices, "Everyday low price" is both a motto and a method (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyday_low_price), which also helps them keep their prices low, since they aren't engaging in all sorts of frictions in marking prices up and down, advertising sales, etc. etc. Probably also helps keep their logistics sane, they only have to deal with the normal ebbs and flows of demand, not artificial demand created by sales, or lack of demand created by people waiting for the next sale.