Last week I saw that Emotional Design by Donald Norman was now available. As I had pre-ordered the item on Amazon four months ago I wanted to check what my delivery date would be.
But my estimated delivery date still showed as the 6th May, even though the availability stated that the item would be dispatched in 10 or 11 days. I checked the information on Amazon and found that is was available and could be delivered in 10 or 11 days as stated on my order. I also noticed that the price had changed from £14.65 to £13.42 since my order was made, so I wanted to make sure that I paid the new lower price for the book.
I needed to find some way of "refreshing" my order so that it could re-calculate the delivery estimate. There was no obvious way of doing this, so I used the "Change Gift Options" screen to force it to update the order. This seemed to do the trick and my delivery date had now changed to 7th January, but the price I was going to pay had not been changed to reflect the cheaper price.
Whilst Amazon would allow me to change the delivery address, the payment method, the gift wrap and even the number of items in the order, it would not allow me to pay the current cheaper price for the book. It seemed that my only option was to delete this order entirely and create a new order so that I could get the cheaper price.
It seems ridiculous that I have to cancel a pre-order for a book, just so I am allowed to pay the proper amount the this book. Does Amazon deliberately price pre-ordered books at a higher rate because they think that their customers won't notice the price change? I want Amazon to sell my books at the lowest possible price, and this means that they should automatically update my order with the new price if they make it cheaper but they should still honour their original price at time of ordering if they increase the price.
After I re-ordered the book to get the lower price I thought I would compare the US and UK Amazon prices to see what the difference would be.
I found that the book cost 30% more in the UK than in the US ($18.20 = £10.23). Even if I paid for the International Shipping I would still be slightly cheaper ($27.18 = £15.28) to order the book from the US.
Now I don't expect something for nothing, but I feel that I am being taken for a ride by Amazon and I will now start looking at other ways of buying my books as I am losing my trust in them.
If you truely hate them - try email their actucall email address to voice your disgust:
escalation-callback@amazon.co.uk or uk-cs-concessions@amazon.co.uk or resolution-uk@amazon.co.uk or euro-cs-cr@amazon.com
These actually go to managers!
Or you could sign them up for spam!
Signed
Amazon Hater!!
Posted by: Amazon UK Hater! | April 13, 2006 at 09:44 AM
On a more prosaic level, I have bought a number of books and classical muscic CDs from classicmultimedia.co.uk. They ship from stock and undercut Amazon on delivery (except for the 'free' delivery option - which often is unavailable for mystical reasons and not divulged until you are in the bowels of the ssl).
All Classic's goods are sent in sealed bags and the company exudes quality in these sorry times, when often it is often found sadly lacking.
Posted by: richard egerton | January 08, 2005 at 10:58 AM
Your words express scorn Macdaddy, but your eyes speak a different story. You will be back. Oh yes, you will be back.
Posted by: Piccadilly McSquiggles | January 07, 2004 at 03:10 PM
Piccalilli, I am now making a concious effort to look at other providers for my online purchases and have just bought a niew hard-drive from overclockers.co.uk
I don't care if Amazon think they have treated me fairly, they have lost some income and they should care about that.
Posted by: Chris McEvoy | January 06, 2004 at 06:30 PM
I doubt it will change user opinion or behavior. Corporations do so many lousy, unethical, evil things far worse than a pricing and scheduling snafu that we simply shrug and accept it. I could write a laundry list of things I hate about Amazon, not related to usability, and yet I still shop there.
McEvoy, when you saw how 'ucked up the situation was, did you still buy from Amazon? Will you buy from Amazon in the future? I bet you will buy, and just be more cautious to avoid this 'quirk.'
Posted by: Piccadilly McSquiggles | December 31, 2003 at 08:05 PM
I was surprised and disappointed by this brief report on Amazon's preordering service (my particular mental model was apparently the same as yours). Regardless of how "fair" their practice might be, you've got to wonder why they didn't see the risk that this situation might lead to confusion, and therefore to a possible erosion of user trust. I can't think what could be more important to an on-line shop than that.
Posted by: Mark Round | December 31, 2003 at 07:53 PM
> I want Amazon to sell my books at the lowest possible price
*Choo!* *Choo!* I hear the clue train coming!
If I buy my Sponge Bob denim jeans at a mall store on Wednesday, and the store puts the jeans on sale the next Saturday, that's my own damn loss. The purpose of the discount is not to give me the "lowest possible price." The purpose is to attract customers to the store and/or cull purchases that might otherwise be made at a competitor's store.
If the salesperson is extra nice, I might be hinted to wait and make my purchase on Saturday, or be allowed to return the jeans on Saturday for the discount. The store is under no obligation to ensure they get the least amount of money from their customers as possible.
People all around me are getting better deals. Some have coupons. Some have membership discounts. Some buy during discount sales. Some get discounts for being over 65 or under 5 years old. Some buy mis-priced products. Is it luck, ignorance, or divine plan?
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. And give not that which is holy to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine. For with such gifts you mock them; and they also shall mock your gift, and in their hate would fain destroy you.
Posted by: Piccadilly McSquiggles | December 30, 2003 at 11:30 PM