Ironic tag line from on Amazon package.
By MAGGIE M, Editor, the wedge.LIVE ❤️ TO SHARE story, click buttons at story’s end
Our readers are forewarned, local shopping is a cause we support. Community stability is increasingly challenged by those who concentrate power thousands of miles away inside a circuit box with superficial intelligence. Amazon has been the darling of this process along with its siblings, Google and Facebook.
Now, Amazon’s troubles are widely shared on the internet. They are reportedly taking up to 12 days to deliver. Fast delivery was the core principle behind their stratospheric success.
Amazon state, “signing up for Prime will guarantee 2-3 days delivery.” The evidence challenges their promise. For $79 extra, Prime can deliver slower than the postal service.
Clearly, the 12 days of Christmas belong to the local shops.
I conducted my own research, ordering four items from Amazon. Two shipments took 9 days (lingerie) and 12 days (running shoes) respectively–with Prime. These were not products originating from Antartica; they were common to North America.
I opted for delivery at Canada Post since their packages disappear often when left unattended at the door. Watching the tracking button on Amazon’s site daily had a placebo effect on me which wore off quickly. That green bar always stopped at “[almost there]”. The destination is a hub in their network; so it should clock even less time.
Things got worse when I noticed they charged my credit card twice for the same item. I spoke to my bank, who reported Amazon often does this–as the hotels do, holding extra funds, just in case. It is a usurious practice and unacceptable from a seller of goods.
It took some time to find a chat button–no phone number to be found–to complain about the double charge. The employee (or bot) had the temerity to deny the double charge in broken English text, while admitting he/she/it has no access to the records, stating [“how special I was to them”]. I told him/her/it to close my account and my request was ignored. Amazon credited me with a me whopping $5 (after spending hundreds.) In my opinion, Amazon is a lottery; if you play it right, you might win the service promised.
I was not fond of Amazon’s monopolistic inclinations before I signed up; yet, I was willing to test my beliefs. I remain justified.
Finally, I cancelled my $79 Prime account and wait for Amazon to takes its mitts off my money.
Amazon UK employees protest for a living wage
A CRISIS IN THE LAST MILE
I have read over the last two weeks many stories of staff paid less than minimum wage, drivers that had to pee in a bottle to make their quota, employees falling asleep in plants with no breaks… You can doubt a few stories; but, several reports with undercover photos and videos give credence to Amazon troubles.
Amazon drivers ‘forced to urinate in bottles to keep on top of deliveries’
This behemoth is rolling back into a moth from where I stand. Trust is hard to recover. I am forgiving with people; but, a corporation with three strikes against it at the start of a relationship does not earn my loyalty. Their practices need to be closely scrutinized.
I’ll stick to the local shop owners who are frankly “killing it” with service, deals, and some, delivery.
Canadian Complaints: https://www.resellerratings.com/store/Amazon_ca
Consumer Complaints: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/amazon.html
LOCAL BUSINESSES RULE IN THE LAST WEEK OF CHRISTMAS
This is good news for small local businesses. This last week of the Christmas season belongs to local businesses. You cannot be 100% confident of delivery by Amazon.
All those technocrats on the speaking circuit warning local shop owners to get up to Amazon speed, need to be schooled on reality–not artificial reality.
The Wedge 