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Amazon hides cheaper items with faster delivery, lawsuit alleges (arstechnica.com)

submitted 7 months ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 124 points 7 months ago (20 children)

Don't forget that Amazon also routinely charges shipping costs that sellers have already rolled into their pricing. The first time Amazon moved away from the $25 free-shipping mark, I started looking elsewhere and found the same sellers at their own websites or on ebay, with zero shipping charges (I was looking for hard drives at the time). When I reached out to ask the sellers about it, they said they had no idea Amazon was up-charging their orders but they had no say in the final pricing.

Now that Amazon has once more abandoned the $25 free shipping I have stopped using them entirely (again). I'll read the site for product reviews, then go find the same seller on ebay and get it for an honest price and free shipping.

[–] GooseFinger@lemmy.world 59 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (18 children)

You can't trust Amazon reviews either though.

Sellers frequently farm good reviews by including cards in their packages that state "give us a 5 star review and get a full/partial refund!"
Sellers update their listings with good reviews with different pictures, descriptions, etc. which effectively creates a different listing while carrying over a large review count.
Amazon doesn't allow reviews after 30 days (?) from purchase, so items poor durability will not have that reflected in their reviews

It's a damn shame, but between this broken review system and their incredibly low quality items and quality control, they're not worth the money or headache to use. Especially since most of their products are no name Chinese garbage that are exclusively available on Amazon. They're basically Wish, Tubi, or Alibaba.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (8 children)

Sellers frequently farm good reviews by including cards in their packages that state "give us a 5 star review and get a full/partial refund!"

I order A LOT off Amazon and I have never gotten one of these, I'd know because I would absolutely do this. I've seen "Please leave a review" card but never with a promise of a refund

Sellers update their listings with good reviews with different pictures, descriptions, etc. which effectively creates a different listing while carrying over a large review count.

Can confirm, I've seen this, but I thought it was Amazon themselves for some reason lmao

Amazon doesn't allow reviews after 30 days (?) from purchase, so items poor durability will not have that reflected in their reviews

I don't think that's true, I'm pretty sure I've seen reviews from people months after they ordered it

[–] Confound4082@lemmy.ml 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Anecdotal, but I've gotten one of these cards in an order.

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Me too, for several purchases. I've never followed through with it though. I'd report them if I felt it did something.

[–] UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works 0 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

It takes like 2 minutes to report something. The fact that you can't be bothered to report shady practices just allows them to run rampant. Even if you think it does nothing, why not just try to make the world a little better? It may actually change something

[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I'm tired bro. Yell at me if you want.

[–] UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 months ago

Tired because we collectively stopped calling people put on shitty practices. I'm guilty of it to in the past. But why not try to make it better? Taking action for the smallest steps could snowball into something bigger

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