Amazon Shipping Lunacy - Prime shipping is great

[Bruce]

This is not a complaint just an observation.

Weeks ago I ordered four 5/16 stainless anchor shackles. They were less than $3 each as prime add on items.

Two arrived within a few days with other items.

The third was delayed a week or so and arrived in a box by itself.

I received an email asking if I wanted to cancel the order or would be willing to wait several months for the fourth. It arrived today in a box by itself. The shipping label shows it was sent UPS next day air from Kentucky to Arkansas. Had I shipped such a package it would have cost at least $35 to ship!

I love Amazon's quick shipping but sometimes their shipping decisions seem insane.

Here is the shackle as it shipped.

 

[BoaterGuy]

That next day shipment probably cost them less than 5 bucks. Enterprise contracts with the major carriers are heavily discounted based on volume.

 

[TheGreekTitan]

It truly is amazing.

There is a package or packages on my doorstep MUCH more often than not. I think my wife is addicted to Prime.

I fill up my truck bed almost monthly to recycle the cardboard.

 

[Bruce]

That next day shipment probably cost them less than 5 bucks. Enterprise contracts with the major carriers are heavily discounted based on volume.

I agree they get a huge discount but I paid less than $3 for the shackle!

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

I have often wondered the same thing with Prime, they must have decent enough margins and low rates on shipping to be able to do this. Paying for Prime every year really pays for itself if you buy a lot online.

 

[Eurocat]

yup, my wife is on the same boat (so to speak). I have boxes almost daily with all kinds of junk. When I ask, I get "ohhh, you know..." so I stopped asking.

 

[Shuck Water]

Amazon made a deal with the devil and now has the USPS doing most of its deliveries. They were apparently losing their ass on the whole prime two day deal with UPS. The good news is that Amazon may have saved the USPS.

 

[Bruce]

Almost all of my deliveries are UPS. I wonder if they are using USPS for a certain distance around their warehouses?

 

[jcsmith77]

I find that it just depends on what size or weight it is whether or not ups or fedex delivers themselves or has usps do the last mile delivery.

 

[Shuck Water]

Most of mine were UPS up until about a year ago. Now 90% are USPS, including Sunday deliveries, the sad part is 2 day means nothing now. It's whenever the postman feels like it. I'd switch but Amazon is the 800lb gorilla.

 

[TheGreekTitan]

I think it really depends on your location. Being in Metro Atlanta, where there is a huge distribution center, we even get same day delivery.

Usually USPS, sometimes UPS and quite often people in personal vehicles...subs as we call them in my industry. But, independent contractors nonetheless.

Waiting for the drones to start flying.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If you add up the $79 fee that millions pay yearly, the shipping costs are peanuts. Love Amazon for home and business, they have come a long way in terms of competitive pricing and selection of products. I just had an issue with a HP mini computer and started a return, to my surprise they provided me with a shipping label to their repair facility. All I need to do is ship it out and hope the repair goes well......no 3 hour tech support call to a far away place that wants to log into my computer.

 

[Big Shasta]

This could shake things up a bit

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/01/12/amazon-shipping-france-colis-priv/78686016/

 

[Mainah]

My UPS guy is at my house almost daily and his wife is an Amazon seller. He has told me it is cheaper for him to send stuff to Amazon through his Amazon account than to ship something UPS as an employee. Packages less than one pound are hugely discounted for economies of scale. Over a pound will depend on the scale. Amazon is of course the elephant that breaks the scale. That said I agree that the logistics and pricing seem impossible. We love Prime and we are loving those buttons and discounts for being on auto delivery as well. Makes our life easier and saves us money so I don't care how they do it .... just keep doing it!

 

[Evil Sports]

Amazon has negotiated ridiculous rates with UPS. I have a FBA seller account and ship them over 100 dozen Evil balls every month . It costs my warehouse like $10 a dozen with our discount. When I send them to Amazon warehouses using their UPS it comes down to like $2 a dozen.

 

[djetok]

Its insane with just the amount of shipping they do in a day let alone a year

According to @Life in an Amazon Warehouse: Fear and Efficiency at 35 Orders Per Second, they have 35 orders per second, which means 1.1B a year. Alibaba has 12.7B a year. @ Alibaba In Numbers – Statistics And Trends [Infographic]

 

[Joe Hellaby]

Mine prime order used to come ups, now nearly everything is delivered USPS in my area for the past year or so. Even what I would consider somewhat large boxes (too big to fit in my mailbox).
Obviously USPS does not deliver really large boxes, they don't have big enough trucks

 

[0627Devildog]

I ordered a Luma Surround Wi-Fi system at 8pm on Wed. . . . Had it by 10am Thursday. Free shipping.

 

[Evil Sports]

They use Fedex, UPS, USPS smart post and other carriers, these are some of the notifications I get when they ship my product,

1 Evil Ball 12" Evil ASA 52-300 Distance with HOT .52/300 - Doze...
Shipped By: USPS

1 Dozen Evil Ball ASA HOT .44 Cor .375 Comp Pack of 12
Shipped By: UPS

1 Dozen Evil Ball ASA HOT .44 Cor .375 Comp Pack of 12
Shipped By: FedEx

1 Evil Ball 12" Evil ASA 52-300 Distance with HOT .52/300 - Doze...
Shipped By: Lone St...

 

[Murf'n'surf]

They use Lazer Ship around here. I think its a local one off private contractor but all they handle is Amazon packages. They used to deliver 90% of my orders and now (2years later) I rarely ever see them driving around town. Maybe another area was more cost effective to deliver?