This is in part an investment related post in that it deals with what I consider to be major AMZN problems.
I am finding that Amazon sells products that I buy at a higher cost than WalMart.Com. That is particularly and almost invariably the case when the item is being sold by one of Amazon's third party sellers.
I am finding that Amazon sells products that I buy at a higher cost than WalMart.Com. That is particularly and almost invariably the case when the item is being sold by one of Amazon's third party sellers.
An example was the purchase of Round-Up Weed Killer that I bought for $16.88 at WMT: Roundup Weed & Grass Killer III Wand Comfort Wand Ready-To-Use 1.33 gal - Walmart.com Amazon sells the same product in a 1.1 gallon container for $19.99. Amazon.com : Roundup 5109010 Weed and Grass Killer III Ready-to-Use Comfort Wand Sprayer, 1.10-Gallon : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon: 1.1 Gallons = 140.8 ounces
Amazon: 1.1 Gallons = 140.8 ounces
Cost $19.98
Cost Per Ounce = $.1419
WalMart: 1.33 gallons = 170.24 ounces
Cost $16.88
Cost Per Ounce = $.0992
AMZN is 43% more expensive.
Needless to say, I bought two from WMT.
Amazon is counting on customers remaining so sticky to them that they will not even compare prices.
When I last bought a weed killer product from AMZN, a weed and feed that hooks up to a hose, almost the entire content leaked out into the box coating over one-half of the box's surfaces area. AMZN had put other household products in the same box and a small piece of bubble wrap. The contents would easily move up and down, back and forth, in the delivery process. When I left a comment about what had happened, AMZN deleted it, saying the comment was not about the product. Yes, it was about the manufacturers inability to seal the container and about AMZN's pathetic and inappropriate packing job. I did not bother asking for a refund which is too much trouble with this retailer. I just threw the package and its contents in the garbage.
Cost Per Ounce = $.1419
WalMart: 1.33 gallons = 170.24 ounces
Cost $16.88
Cost Per Ounce = $.0992
AMZN is 43% more expensive.
Needless to say, I bought two from WMT.
Amazon is counting on customers remaining so sticky to them that they will not even compare prices.
When I last bought a weed killer product from AMZN, a weed and feed that hooks up to a hose, almost the entire content leaked out into the box coating over one-half of the box's surfaces area. AMZN had put other household products in the same box and a small piece of bubble wrap. The contents would easily move up and down, back and forth, in the delivery process. When I left a comment about what had happened, AMZN deleted it, saying the comment was not about the product. Yes, it was about the manufacturers inability to seal the container and about AMZN's pathetic and inappropriate packing job. I did not bother asking for a refund which is too much trouble with this retailer. I just threw the package and its contents in the garbage.
Eventually, more consumers will wise up to Amazon's prices. WMT offers free two day delivery on orders over $35 and no annual fee is charged.
Amazon increased this month its annual fee to $119 for its Prime Membership. While that includes access to Prime Video, I basically get the same videos through Netflix which has far better original programming.
Amazon took a nice picture of my last delivery using its delivery service:
The package was allegedly delivered to me last Monday. I still have not received it.
Since Amazon ask me what I thought about the photo, I replied that it was a nice photo of someone else's front porch. Perhaps, if Amazon managed to deliver the package in my neighborhood, I will eventually receive the two packages. I personally do not find depositing a package somewhere in my zip code to be delivery to me. Amazon apparently disagrees.
This is the second time within the past five weeks that Amazon has been unable to locate my home.
Amazon increased this month its annual fee to $119 for its Prime Membership. While that includes access to Prime Video, I basically get the same videos through Netflix which has far better original programming.
Amazon took a nice picture of my last delivery using its delivery service:
Since Amazon ask me what I thought about the photo, I replied that it was a nice photo of someone else's front porch. Perhaps, if Amazon managed to deliver the package in my neighborhood, I will eventually receive the two packages. I personally do not find depositing a package somewhere in my zip code to be delivery to me. Amazon apparently disagrees.
This is the second time within the past five weeks that Amazon has been unable to locate my home.
Wow.
ReplyDeleteAside from all the problems you mention, I strongly question shipping a liquid that is probably on a hazardous materials list (herbicide?) with inadequate packaging.
Cathie: The only reasonable way to deliver a weed kill product is in a separate box from other products and to package the product properly. AMZN should not have to be told to do it that way. Once the contents spilled out and soaked the other items, the only option was to throw everything into a heavy duty trash bag and to enclose that bag in another one.
ReplyDeleteWMT sent the two Round-UP containers, which I received yesterday, in a separate box and wrapped the containers to prevent movement.
++++
The market does not appear concerned about the antics of NK and the possibility that the summit meeting planned for next month will not happen. Maybe it was premature to nominate Donald for the Nobel Peace Prize.
While the outcome is not certain KIM may just be playing Donald.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-southkorea-talks/u-s-still-hopeful-of-trump-kim-summit-despite-north-korea-threat-idUSKCN1IG2ZI
The destruction of the tunnels at the nuclear test site was a nothing burger. The site was no longer usable according to intelligence reports and China wanted NK to close it given its proximity to the border and concerns about radiation passing over China from the blasts.
++
There are several news reports, including one from the South China Post, that a state controlled Chinese company agreed to lend an Indonesian developer $500M or so to build a resort. The project includes a Trump branded housing, hotel and golf course. That happened two days before Donald reversed course on the ZTE sanctions.
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2145808/trump-indonesia-project-latest-stop-chinas-belt-and-road
When comparing the WMT and AMZN websites, an important distinction is that WMT will disclose the price per some measurement unit, like ounces for the RoundUp product, while AMZN does not supply that information.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Is it difficult? Kroger does it for every product in their store.
Or is it because AMZN does not want to make it easy for customers to compare prices from different sellers. The problem in easy comparison shopping is different size availability.
While a more thorough study comparing prices would be necessary to form a firm conclusion, my current opinion is that AMZN's strategy is to create stickiness among a large retail customer base and then charge more than WMT and possibly other retailers. How many AMZN customers who order frequently compare prices? I doubt that the number is more than 1%.
A neighbor apparently delivered my package today. It was sitting on my front porch when I went out to fetch the mail. Amazon says it was delivered on Monday.
ReplyDeleteOne of the two items that had gone missing was Amino Tabs 2222 which I take for reasons that I have forgotten. The reason probably has to do with my mostly inappropriate eating habits.
++++
Another one of my small cap biotechs has been doing well as of late.
Aldeyra Therapeutics Inc.
$8.88 +$0.4295 +5.08%
Last Updated: May 16, 2018 3:37 p.m. EDT
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/aldx
Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated on 8/15 a buy rating with a $23 price target.
https://www.smarteranalyst.com/brief/cantor-fitzgerald-sticks-to-its-buy-rating-for-aldeyra-therapeutics/
The market cap is about $166M.
This is another one where there could be a crash and burn if one drug candidate, currently in multiple clinical trials, fails.
Reproxalap Trials:
https://www.aldeyra.com/development-status/
The 10 year treasury yield rose to a new 7 year high today.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.marketwatch.com/story/10-year-government-bond-yield-holds-ground-near-7-year-peak-2018-05-16
The yield is currently at 3.102% as of May 16, 2018 4:46 p.m. EDT:
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/bond/tmubmusd10y?countrycode=bx
The 2 year treasury is currently at 2.6%. The dividend yield on the S & P 500 is about 1.9%:
https://www.ft.com/content/db99b212-57e3-11e8-bdb7-f6677d2e1ce8
The Bond Ghouls can not blame the German 10 year bond for the new highs in the U.S. 10 year yield.
Germany 10 Year Government Bond
0.606% -0.043%
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/bond/tmbmkde-10y?countrycode=bx
The 3 month treasury bill now provides a higher yield than the S & P 500:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-15/cash-looks-competitive-as-short-term-rates-move-ever-higher
I mentioned above that one of my missing items was a container of 320 Amino Acid tablets. I bought that item on 3/12/18 and paid Amazon $26.28. Earlier today, I checked the WMT price which was $21.91 or 20% cheaper than what I paid AMZN.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.walmart.com/ip/Optimum-Nutrition-Superior-Amino-2222-Capsules-320-Ct/26959970
I wanted to check and be sure that the product count was the same. So I went back to AMZN.
The AMZN price had changed to $21.91, the exact same price as WMT. Obviously, I was tracked by an AMZN cookie to the WMT page and AMZN then changed its price to match the WMT to the penny.
I will have snapshots in tomorrow's post.