Amazon no rush delivery stopped?

[Ian]

Over the past month I've placed a couple of Amazon orders and I'd usually select "no rush" delivery, as they weren't important items... however this option wasn't available.

Has anyone else seen if "no rush" delivery options are still available through Amazon? I'm not sure if it's related to the amount I spent or area I'm in, but it no longer appears for me.

It's a shame if they've stopped it, as I enjoyed the free £1 kindle credit that they awarded for using no-rush delivery.

 

[V_R]

I've not noticed that, but I have noticed that Prime delivery is **** now, I'm constantly having orders a day (or more!) late. So much so that when my sub runs out I doubt I'll renew it.

 

[Taffycat]

@Ian I have been finding that in addition to Prime one-day delivery, I can also choose to have "free standard delivery" or "free nominated day delivery." (The latter option has actually proved to be pretty useful.)

I have a feeling that "standard" is probably their idea of "no rush" but possibly without the Kindle reward. (Having said that, I am fairly certain that I spotted "no rush" as a specific option on one of our recent recent orders(?) I will be keeping an eye open for it now, to satisfy curiosity.)

I've not noticed that, but I have noticed that Prime delivery is **** now, I'm constantly having orders a day (or more!) late.

@V_R aww, I'm sorry to hear that. Around here, we're fortunate in that Prime delivery is still mostly good. I have often ordered an item very late afternoon, and received it early next day. My biggest quibble would be that unlike DPD, who always give a one-hour delivery time by email, Amazon Logistics (their own delivery people) stretch it to "delivery today, up until 9 PM." Not grumbling though, because for us, it is still really convenient and a huge help.

 

[Becky]

It'll be a shame if they've done away with the no rush option! I like having Prime, but I know what @V_R means about it being a bit pants nowadays. I guess Prime is so common nowadays they're having to rein in the perks!

 

[Ian]

I've not noticed that, but I have noticed that Prime delivery is **** now, I'm constantly having orders a day (or more!) late. So much so that when my sub runs out I doubt I'll renew it.

We've had more problems this past year too, plus lots of prime delivery items now take 3 or 4 days, rather than next day delivery (although it is specified on their website). I wonder if they've had a re-think of prime = next day. I'll probably still renew prime, although I'm on the fence.

I still like using Amazon (a lot!), I think they just raised delivery expectations a couple of years back.

I have a feeling that "standard" is probably their idea of "no rush" but possibly without the Kindle reward. (Having said that, I am fairly certain that I spotted "no rush" as a specific option on one of our recent recent orders(?) I will be keeping an eye open for it now, to satisfy curiosity.)

Yep, I think you're right! Please do let me know if you see it again . I wonder if it'll come back when they're stretched around Christmas.

 

[V_R]

Victims of their own success maybe?

 

[Ian]

Victims of their own success maybe?

Very likely!

 

[Peru Bob]

A short while back Amazon changed Prime delivery from "delivered in two days " to "shipped within two days" here. I don't know what happened to change it back, but is now being delivered in one or two days. Third party sellers often ship quicker than direct from Amazon.

 

[Ian]

A short while back Amazon changed Prime delivery from "delivered in two days " to "shipped within two days" here. I don't know what happened to change it back, but is now being delivered in one or two days. Third party sellers often ship quicker than direct from Amazon.

That's interesting! It does sound like they've had a company wide shift if it's happening over in the USA too.

Just last year I could get pretty much anything next day, or within a couple of hours with Prime Now. They doubled the Prime Now minimum order value last time I looked, so I rarely use it (it seemed a bit too good to be true at the time, so I half expected this would happen eventually).

 

[floppybootstomp]

A pet hate of mine is having to stay in all day for a delivery and even worse than that having to stay at home several days for a delivery. Countering this niggle are two good things 1) DPD one hour time slot 2) having goods delivered to a local pickup point.

I don't mind staying at home for one hour and collecting from a local pick up point means I can collect at my leisure so don't have to stay in at all.

I've never used Prime and I've never noticed this 'No rush' option. I rarely need anything the next day and so have always chosen free delivery.

However, I recently wanted to buy five items from Amazon but every single one came from a different supplier and the total postage was quite horrendous. So I took a look on Ebay and ordered the same five items not only at cheaper prices but all of them with free postage. They are all taking an average of 3 to 4 days to arrive and all will either fit through my letter box or be delivered to a local pick up point 100 Metres away from me.

The best things about Amazon are their no quibble attitude on returns and being able to contact them easily.

The worst thing about Amazon is the way they treat their staff which includes the lousy wages they pay them with a close second thing worst about them being their failure to pay full rate UK taxes (that last paragraph may be political - sorry bout dat )

 

[Peru Bob]

They doubled the Prime Now minimum order value

We have no minimum for Prime delivery. I have a Personal Prime account which I attached to my Business Account and use the Business Account to order.

 

[Becky]

We have no minimum for Prime delivery. I have a Personal Prime account which I attached to my Business Account and use the Business Account to order.

He's just talking about Prime Now - the same day delivery service from Amazon (we get it as part of the Prime membership). It's pretty good, although the range is understandably limited and there is a minimum spend for orders. It's only available in certain cities here in the UK, although I don't know whether it's more widespread in the US.

 

[Peru Bob]

There is a handful of cities in the US that have Prime Now. I wasn't aware of its existence. It's not available to me.

 

[Ian]

There is a handful of cities in the US that have Prime Now. I wasn't aware of its existence. It's not available to me.

It's like that here too - we're just on the edge of the availability from our local city - 1 more mile out and we'd be out of range .

 

[ChristopherP]

We've had more problems this past year too, plus lots of prime delivery items now take 3 or 4 days, rather than next day delivery

We notice that round about this time every year. Things that are normally next day are 3-4 days. I think it's just the Black Friday/Xmas rush as things tend to return to normal afterwards...

I don't think it's just Amazon. We are expecting a delivery from Molton Brown. Got the text from DPD saying "We're going to be delivering today and will text a 1hr time slot by 11am"... which came and went and no sign of the parcel. Logged into DPD who are reporting they haven't even received the consignment, so I think everyone is just feeling the strain in the run up to Xmas.

I've often ordered things at 11pm to have them arrive by 8am next day on Prime. I guess it depends on which warehouse stocks the item. If something is in stock at Peterborough for instance, the cut off time for next day delivery will be much later in the day than if it's further out.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I ordered a Western Digital Black 4Tb Hard Drive from Amazon last week (I needed more game space) and during the order process I inadvertently signed up for their Prime service as they'd designed this process to make it hard to spot that you'd be signing up. I had been offered free delivery as the cost of the drive was £170 and selecting free delivery also selected joining their Prime service.

After figuring how to do it I cancelled their Prime service but apparently I was still receiving this service until the end of the month. Ok then.

The day after I ordered the disk Amazon said they would in fact deliver that day, not the day after as I expected (I placed my order mid morning) but then later in the day they said the order may not arrive. Then the following day they gave the delivery time as 'anytime in the next 4 days'. I noticed the delivery was being undertaken by Amazons own delivery service, not another courier such as DPD, Hermes or UPS.

So I cancelled the order by using Amazons online Chat service which can be really hard to access as you have to basically ignore a 101 'Help' questions and their FAQ's.

I then ordered the same hard disk from Novatech and it arrived the next day. It did cost a little more but it was worth it to obtain a set delivery date.

Amazon have gone a bit crap imo, and I've now whittled down my wishlist with them in preference to alternative suppliers.

The only thing I can say in Amazons favour is that the refund for the hard disk was actually in my bank the day after requesting it, that was good.

 

[muckshifter]

Amazingdotcon has gone downhill these days. I've recently had two deliveries where the driver made no attempt to ring the doorbell. Just left the package on the doorstep in plain view.

The only consolation with buying from Amazingdotcon, is in returns. No quibble, loads of pickup options.

 

[V_R]

Amazon can be great, I ordered a Toslink cable the other day, but changed my mind and sent it back the day I received it. They refunded me and said don't worry about returning it! Granted it was only a fiver but still, I wonder how many people take advantage of that...?