Damn Amazon

[markm]

Recenty went looking for a good source for clamps (Bessey) on Google only to find that just about every hit either took me to an Amazon or Rockler site. This really pisses me off cause Amazon seems to fix prices, all being the same and they are'nt the best. Only Rockler is worse. Amazon use to have decent prices but now I find that I can get things cheaper at the local stores. I guess they have figured out how to work the web search engines so you get spammed by their dammed "affiliates".

Boy I sure like the web better before it bacame so commercial.

m

[NoNameAtAll]

I noticed the same thing the other day when searching for tools. Almost every single hit on google sent me to Amazon.com. When it comes to tools Amazon.com does have some deals, but you have to be careful. On Freud table saw blades I noticed that their prices are actually higher than at HD or Lowe's.

[Unisaw A100]

Gosh. Keeping your money local. Now there's an idea for the 90's.

UA100

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You want to buy stuff, but you don't want it to be commercial? If it was not commercial, you could not buy stuff. -- Ed [e-mail]

[mttt]

Agreed. Frustrating. Also have had little benefit from asking Google to "-Amazon" from a query. Seems to me this is where niche engines like ToolSeeker would excel. I wish ToolSeeker covered more vendors.

[LRod]

No, I don't think so. They (Amazon) bought Tool Crib of the North a few years ago. Tools on Sale is the alter ego of Seven Corners Ace Hardware (St. Paul, MN), I believe.

LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[GRL]

You're right. Confused the two. I remember Tools On Sale had a huge mail-order catalog with free shipping and good prices. They don't seem to have a web sales presence, though. Wonder why they never got into that.

[Eric Johnson]

Agreed, I think UA100 makes a good point keep your money local. I live near a town on the edge of extinction and do my best to bring 'em business as much as I can. Whats even more disappointing is that IMLTHO I think a lot of those affiliates are whoring themselves in usenet when they can get away with it to direct you to a for sale site. I firmly believe in not recommending brand names when ever possible... Ever notice posts where not only do they recommend a Mcproduct but where you can buy it on the net and have it McShipped over night to you? Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of capitalism and have spent part of my life defending the free enterprise system. I just understand that soon your google searches with have tag lines like " do you want to supersize that Stanley No 5?

EJ

[Bay Area Dave]

How do you "keep it local" when what you need/want isn't available?? Last time I checked, there weren't any Veritas low angle block planes. As a matter of fact when I wanted to get my Powermatic jointer, that too wasn't available. It is NOW, but it wasn't THEN. sigh...

dave

Eric Johns> Agreed,

[Bay Area Dave]

I left out the qualifier, "locally". I hope you all correctly inferred that...

dave

Bay Area Dave wrote:

[Tom Watson]

Did you imply that?

tom

Thomas J. Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.) (Real Email is tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet)

[Bay Area Dave]

...

dave

Tom Wats> >

[Bay Area Dave]

My bad!

dave

Tom Wats> >

[Tom Watson]

Hey, you know that always makes me laugh.

That's not fair.

Thomas J. Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.) (Real Email is tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet)

[Unisaw A100]

LRod is correct.

Has anyone done business with Tools On Sale/Seven Corners Ace Hardware lately? Once upon a time they ran a full page ad in every issue of Fine Wooddorking. Now I either don't see them/notice them or they've fallen by the wayside.

UA100

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

I can walk in to this place!

Barry

[Eric Johnson]

Yeah but those items are still catalog order specialty in my book and whether your order from the catalog or the website your not overwhelmed with

30 responses of the same product. Don't all those subordinate sites get a kick back from Amazon or Rockler if they initiate the shopping cart? And when you bought the low angle Veritas did you sift through 30 sites to get to the same Amazon or Rockler drop ship shopping cart or did you go right to Lee Valley? One thing I am disappointed with is my local hardware store is now logging into Amazon for those odd request items but I suppose it's a nice service for the rest of the folks in the township that don't have access..

EJ

[Bay Area Dave]

Some folks can't walk, Barry. For them internet shopping is a godsend...

dave

B a r r y B u r k e J r . wrote:

[Jeff Thunder]

Not entirely. IIRC, Amazon only bought out the mail order part (or perhaps it was only the online part of their mail order business) of Tool Crib of the North. They didn't buy the stores, which are located in North Dakota, n'est-ce pas?

[markm]

I did come across Costal, looks decent, Thanks!