Popular Post Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I was looking for an item that I had purchased I’m not sure when, so decided to do a search on my account by the year. In the search, I see items that I bought and have never used and actually forgot I have. One was a Japanese square that sounded and looked neat at the time. I challenge anyone that has nothing better to do, to do the same. I hope I’m not the only impulse buyer on here. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I'm with you. I have several purchases that have never even been opened. For all I know they could have sent something completely different than what I ordered. The other (not so) fun thing to do is export your entire purchase history to see how much you have spent on Amazon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 6 minutes ago, JohnG said: The other (not so) fun thing to do is export your entire purchase history to see how much you have spent on Amazon. Not with my wife looking over my shoulder. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 My first purchase was a book in February 2007. The First item i bought that i never used as a new (refurbished) cell phone to replace the one i was currently using when it broke. I ended up getting a smart phone 2 years later and the old dumb phone never broke. Still works actually after 7 years of hard use wish i could say that for any smart phone out there. 14 minutes ago, JohnG said: The other (not so) fun thing to do is export your entire purchase history to see how much you have spent on Amazon. In January i put every purchase i made into a spread sheet and separate it out by category. I use that to track my spending year to year which helps me mentally limit how much I spend. Who ever said Credit Cards make it easy to spend money with out seeing how much you spend is wrong. I see it at the till, then on the statement when i check it weekly, then on the statement when I pay the bill, then in January when i categorize all my expenses. I spend about $3,000-$3,500 /yr on amazon, which is less than my annual gasoline bill.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I justify it with free shipping and Bezos is where he is because of people like me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 2 minutes ago, Coop said: I justify it with free shipping You have to be careful thinking it is free. You need to do your homework price wise. I have started noticing a number of thing that are free shipping but the price is higher then other places. I have gone back to a lot of brick and mortar purchasing especially small businesses like my local hardware, especially now they really could use our dollars. Back to Coop's point - I was out in the shop today. While I was working I started noticing that I really use pretty much everything out there. Not everyday but it all gets used. The item that is lowest on the list of being used is my Festool Domino, I am pretty sure it will be on the market in the next week or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 24 minutes ago, Chestnut said: My first purchase was a book in February 2007. The First item i bought that i never used as a new (refurbished) cell phone to replace the one i was currently using when it broke. I ended up getting a smart phone 2 years later and the old dumb phone never broke. Still works actually after 7 years of hard use wish i could say that for any smart phone out there. In January i put every purchase i made into a spread sheet and separate it out by category. I use that to track my spending year to year which helps me mentally limit how much I spend. Who ever said Credit Cards make it easy to spend money with out seeing how much you spend is wrong. I see it at the till, then on the statement when i check it weekly, then on the statement when I pay the bill, then in January when i categorize all my expenses. I spend about $3,000-$3,500 /yr on amazon, which is less than my annual gasoline bill.... Ha! Mine was also a book in January 2007. It's been a while since I looked at my total purchases and it's actually around $2,500/yr. Not as bad as I had assumed. 9 minutes ago, Chet said: You have to be careful thinking it is free. You need to do your homework price wise. I have started noticing a number of thing that are free shipping but the price is higher then other places. I have gone back to a lot of brick and mortar purchasing especially small businesses like my local hardware, especially now they really could use our dollars. Back to Coop's point - I was out in the shop today. While I was working I started noticing that I really use pretty much everything out there. Not everyday but it all gets used. The item that is lowest on the list of being used is my Festool Domino, I am pretty sure it will be on the market in the next week or so. The other thing to consider is what is more profitable for the manufacturer of the item. Typical retail arrangements cut out a lot of margin for the manufacturer (especially with large chain retailers) and selling on Amazon can actually be more profitable. I do like to support local businesses, but I also want to support any USA manufacturers that I can buy from. I'll typically buy USA made through Amazon before I buy overseas goods from a local retailer. Of course, it's best when I can buy USA made from a local manufacturer or retailer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Contrary, I’m pretty sure my Domino will never have anyone else’s fingerprints on it until my will is probated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I live in the country so I would bet 80% of what I buy is online and probably 70% is online from Amazon. I do agree with @Chet That more and more you have to check pricing including shipping. We also have an amazing little hardware store in town so I use them for most local purchases. BTW I don't think I want to know what I have spent on Amazon but if I do decide to loose my mind where does one look for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Go to your account and click on Returns and Orders. On the left side of the screen will be a drop down with3 months shown. Click and choose the year. I don’t know how to do the total and don’t really want to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 6 minutes ago, pkinneb said: I live in the country so I would bet 80% of what I buy is online and probably 70% is online from Amazon. I do agree with @Chet That more and more you have to check pricing including shipping. We also have an amazing little hardware store in town so I use them for most local purchases. BTW I don't think I want to know what I have spent on Amazon but if I do decide to loose my mind where does one look for that? https://www.amazon.com/gp/b2b/reports/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 8 minutes ago, pkinneb said: We also have an amazing little hardware store in town so I use them for most local purchases. Unfortunately most of our True Value and Ace Hardware stores were replaced by HD and Lowe’s years ago with 18 yo McD’s fry cooks as managers that don’t know S*#t from Sherlock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 But do they know S*#t from sheetrock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 14 minutes ago, Coop said: Unfortunately most of our True Value and Ace Hardware stores were replaced by HD and Lowe’s years ago with 18 yo McD’s fry cooks as managers that don’t know S*#t from Sherlock! I'm 18 miles from the nearest Menards and HD so although we lost our Ace we have a great True Value with a real lumberyard and they also sell Stihl chainsaws, blowers, etc as well as lawn equipment. The best part is if you need something special ordered they are all over it and usually no more expensive then the big box stores and way quicker. In my theater build the curved tracks were an example. HD wanted $400 and 8 flippin weeks Marvs True Value was $240 and I had them in 3 days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 And the employees have been there for years and sincerely love what they are doing. Not just a pay check. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 2 hours ago, pkinneb said: The best part is if you need something special ordered they are all over it and usually no more expensive then the big box stores and way quicker. 2 hours ago, Coop said: And the employees have been there for years and sincerely love what they are doing. Not just a pay check. This is the way our Ace hardware is and most of the employee's know me by name which leads me to believe I may be spending to much time there...and money. But its a good old fashion hardware store and I enjoy going there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 I agree local hardware stores are a great resources. I try and use them first, and resort to amazon for items they just don't carry. Love em or hate em i also shop Rockler a lot. Their employees are knowledgeable and annoyingly helpful. Sometimes I just want to be left alone when I go in a store. Their prices are a bit higher but their head quarters are in one of my client communities and they support a lot of youtube and podcasts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 12 hours ago, Coop said: I was looking for an item that I had purchased I’m not sure when, so decided to do a search on my account by the year. In the search, I see items that I bought and have never used and actually forgot I have. One was a Japanese square that sounded and looked neat at the time. I challenge anyone that has nothing better to do, to do the same. I hope I’m not the only impulse buyer on here. I did what you said and discovered I bought a "SK 7780 6 Piece Cam Lock Retaining Ring Plier Set" on September 13, 2013. I don't know what I was thinking, I've never used those pliers and I have no idea of their whereabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Not from Amazon, but I have a pile of boxes that I've not had a chance to open yet. Some from Black Friday sales from last year, and other tools that the deal was too good to pass up off of another woodworking forums. One of those sellers PM'd me, asking if I'd received the tool. I said that I probably had. I like dealing with Amazon, even though it might cost a bit more for "free" shipping, because returns are so easy. I bought a 7500w 240v heater for the tackroom from them. It would power up, but not get past that. They sent another one, and gave me several weeks to send the first one back, before they would charge for the second one. Since I'd already mounted the bracket, I just took the main unit out of the second box, put the bad one in it, and UPS picked it up. We have other stuff, from other places, that should have been returned, but it's too much trouble, and with return fees, just not worth the bother. Haven't counted yet, but last year, I bought over 150 books off ebay. Not more than a few bucks for any one though. Our local Ace knows me by name too, as do all the parts guys at the John Deere dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legenddc Posted February 11, 2021 Report Share Posted February 11, 2021 Anything bought gets used here. Some tools may sit for a while after being used like brake tools, but both of us are pretty good and only buying what we need. I think it helps that we don't have Prime and are 2 miles away from a Home Depot and a Target. The majority of our purchases on Amazon are done with gift cards that we get from hotel/airline points from work expenses. With 2 kids and now Covid our travel is restricted and hotel rooms are hard with the kids. We somehow seem to always have stuff to get rid of so a lot gets sold used or given away on Facebook. After a seemingly endless purge a few years ago we've really stopped buying things unless they're necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 I abuse Amazon's cart function. I shop on there and stick my desires in the cart. I store ideas in there too. If the desire is still there later when I visit I might buy, if not it stays in my cart until I delete it. I currently have pages of cart desires going back probably 15 years. Yes, I'm sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Beasley Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Amazon also has lists you can put things on to do the same thing. Maybe they saw what you were doing and took it as a good idea. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Immortan D Posted February 12, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Yeah, I even have a wish list labeled "Do not buy". I feed that list with items I was interested in but after doing some research I concluded they were useless or low quality. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted February 14, 2021 Report Share Posted February 14, 2021 I was just looking through my amazon orders and found that I bought a 23-gauge pin nailer 5 months ago. Which is unfortunate because I bought one 2 weeks ago as well. The second one is a Senco and I've got it out of the package and used it. I found the other snuggled up against the Festool vac next to assembly table. Guess I'll sell it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted February 14, 2021 Report Share Posted February 14, 2021 Sorry to laugh Cliff but that sounds like something I would definitely do 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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