Amazon gives non-Prime members free shipping at $35 or more of eligible items. Instead of simply letting users get the product with free shipping, they’ve added a discount that prices it exactly one cent below the $35 limit, while only subsidizing the price with $3.38, which is about half of what they’ll then charge you for shipping.

    • d00ery@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      I’ve switched to eBay. The delivery time is often the same and the returns are ok too

      • TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I wish I could do more shopping there, but eBay in Canada is extremely expensive which has lead to it being kind of a ghost town compared to the US. $20-$50 shipping fees, even on tiny items, is common.

        So I’ve started to use AliExpress more often. Literally the exact same item on Amazon but without the markup - sometimes even half the price. It’s not a great solution but the online shopping selection here in Canada is awful.

      • way_of_UwU@programming.dev
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        3 days ago

        I’ve found that a lot of stuff listed on Amazon is about the price of shipping higher than it is on eBay I guess to account for the free Prime shipping. If you don’t have Prime, there really isn’t much reason to not use eBay since you’d be getting doubly screwed without the free shipping on Amazon.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Start using Amazon, but in an elaborate drop shipping scam where you sell a $.25 item for $38 and have Amazon pay you $3.99 to ship it to yourself as a proxy.

    • PlainSimpleGarak@lemmings.world
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      3 days ago

      It’s too convenient. Order something Sunday night, I’ll definitely have it by Tuesday afternoon if not earlier. I always wait until I have enough items I need over $50 before I place an order anyway.

      • dan@upvote.au
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        3 days ago

        In my area I can order something popular at midnight and receive it by 10am. If you’re in a major metro area, they can usually do next day, same day, and overnight on a lot of items.

        • Auli@lemmy.ca
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          3 days ago

          Sure but you don’t need it. Yes it’s nice. But once I canceled prime I just order less junk I don’t need. It was like an addiction. Just browse oh that looks cool.

      • qaz@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        90% procent of products on Amazon are from AliExpress dropshippers anyway