Anyone else despise Amazon?

[Gary]

The robot is stuttering this morning. So far I have received three emails that my raised panel bit has shipped; all sent at different times. I hope I don't get charged for three.

Gary

[Edwin Pawlowski]

There is need for both. I use Coastal too as a brick and mortar store when I'm in the area. It is about 55 miles from my house and often worth the trip. I bought my last drill from them. Had I bought mail order, I would have never known there was a better choice for me. I decided what I wanted, went to the store and being able to handle a half dozen models, I found I like the Panasonic over the Bosch.

Adding in the 110 mile round trip, stopping for lunch with my wife, etc. I would have save quite a bit by mail order. It was not just a $$ and ¢¢ decision though.

For the guy that is 300 miles from the nearest dealer, he has to rely on mail order. We have life good being able to go to a web site and choose from Lee Valley, Coastal Tools, McFeelys, 7 Corners, etc. A luxury our parents did not have. If not for the internet, I would not know they existed. Ed

[cm]

You must have dealt with Kieth that owns Woodworkers Source in Phoenix! Boy is he a piece of work.

cm

[Prometheus]

Nope, I don't despise them- if it wasn't for Amazon and the other online/catalog retailers, I couldn't get 1/10 of the tools I want to have. Try and find a marking gauge (for instance) at the hardware store.

And, they've always been pretty efficient with my orders- I don't think I've ever waited more than 6 or 7 business days for anything, and I buy a lot of stuff from them.

Of course, it sounds like your experience has been very different.

[bf]

The same thing has happened to me Duane. I am forced at work to use Amazon to order a lot of stuff. They list a book, the book is not in stock. The bot tells me every 2 weeks to verify that I still want it, and I'm forced to say "yes", because my employer won't let me buy it anywhere else.

And I do agree with you, it's been the last 2 years that they've really gone into the crapper.

[Troutbeer]

Duane's experience is exactly the same as mine. I have had good luck with Amazon in the past, and I've bought plenty of tools through them, but lately it seems like I just can't trust what I see on their website in terms of availability. I've been trying to get a Biesemeyer splitter for my PM66 since early in May. They just keep sending me the delay e-mails week after week. I'm begining to wonder if I'm going to get this thing before Christmas. It almost seems like they are waiting for me to give up and just say 'the hell with it'.

If they don't have it, cant'get it, or just plain don't want to sell it, why are they advertizing it? "Typically ships within 2 weeks" (yeah...right) All they are going to do is piss people off and lose business. I'm not saying I'm not going to shop for tools at Amazon anymore, but I'm sure going to think twice if it's something I need in less than 6 months.

[Phisherman]

[Jim K]

Not really. All my ordering business, (tools, electronics, books, dvds) has been very positive. I've ordered everything from single DVDs to miter saw and planers.

I do hate the skewed search eng>I really wish they had never bought the tool crib.

snipped....

[Duane Bozarth]

...

Try a set of 13" Freud replacement planer blades... :)

Or almost anything else that isn't in the "top 100". :(