• Solinus 🌿@lemmy.cafe
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    1 year ago

    Pro tip: Use Amazon solely as a products directory. Once you find something you like to buy, copy the item name and search for other stores selling that item. If no other options exist it’s likely cheap amazon trash, and look for a different product (not sure how well this works since I can’t shop online rn since i don’t have a bank account yet)

    • Phuntis@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      unfortunately it’s not always cheap amazon stuff if you’re looking for computer parts it feels like amazon is sometimes your only option at least here in the UK I managed to get some of my parts last time from a different place awd-it and they were pretty good but like half the parts were only on amazon and newegg and while I hate amazon but I atleast know I’ll get my parts and in working condition and new in box like I ordered and if I don’t amazon will cover me but I know neweggs been pretty bad for quite a while and we don’t have any brick and mortar shops for computer parts like the US we used to have maplin but they shut down years ago now

        • Phuntis@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          yeah I hate it :/ unfortunately they’ve already succeeded in killing the others mostly and no government entity anywhere wants to do anything about it

      • A7thStone@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        But you don’t always know you are getting what you paid for from Amazon. I bought a pair of Knippex linesman pliers, brand new in the packaging. Their main claim to fame is they use harder steel than Klein. To test this you try to scratch the Kliens with the Knippex and you’ll get a scratch on the Kliens, but the Kleins won’t scratch the Knippex. Brand new pliers in hand I tried this test and had the opposite results. I had been shipped counterfeits, and it’s not the first time I’ve gotten a knockoff product on Amazon.

        • newIdentity@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          How is this different when using other online markets. With Amazon you at least know you get it and know you can send it back if it’s broken.

          • A7thStone@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            How about don’t use online markets, especially near monopolies. When I buy Carhartt jeans from carhatt.com I get them just as fast for the same price. I’m not worried about having to send them back because they are counterfeit, and I’m not putting any more money into Bozo’s pockets. We’ve gotten so addicted to the convenience were willingly participating in the exploitation of our fellow people for the profits of a leach. It not even as convenient as it used to be, even before you add in the number of products you have to return.

            • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              It’s pretty fucking hard not to shop at near monopolies when they have a near monopoly and buying from the manufacturer costs an extra 50% because of the extra shipping. Not many products, even brand name one, are high enough quality anymore to justify that. In fact, Carhartt is a prime example of that; for example, they stopped making their shirts out of cotton and make them out almost entirely out of trash-grade scratchy polyester now.

                • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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                  1 year ago

                  And I explained why that “refutation” is horseshit. If you expect a nation full of people who can barely make ends meet to pay more for the same product and worse service, you need to compensate them for the cost difference. If you’re not willing to do that, shut the fuck up.

      • ionburger@lemmy.sdf.org
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        1 year ago

        maybe this is just a rural usa thing but ive had alot better luck with computer parts on ebay then amazon, ebay doesnt ship as fast but it almost always arrives or if it doesnt ebay buyer protection is no questions asked your money back. amazon often will just cancel my order 2 weeks after supposedly “shipping” it. ebays interface is also 1000% better then amazon when trying to find anything. ebay you can sort by pretty much anything and its pretty specifc. amazon will just give you keyword spammed crap and outright lie if you sort by cheapest instead giving you sponsored stuff

    • Psaldorn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      UK Amazon 3.5mm jack extension and mount: £15

      The exact same thing shipped slower through eBay: £4

      It fits in an envelope, if you asked me to pay £11 for shipping I’d nope tf out.

    • FedFer@iusearchlinux.fyi
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      1 year ago

      Sadly in Italy there are certain products (I’ve only searched tech products so it might be different depending on the product category) that I could find only on Amazon and simply aren’t available to purchase online in a safe way (no extra tax due to importing, no risk of not arrival, no “you have refund until you don’t”).