Amazon Amazon Amazon

51chevy

Are all the members here working for Amazon marketing or something. You know there are other places to buy things. I think Bezos has enough Billions for now. I avoid them at all costs.

Ratkity

Camping World is great. Amazon is losing its shine because of third party deliveries, and as you said, there are other places. I tend to run to my local RV supply guy because he's a small biz and I like talking to him.

Tabaz

"Dance with the one that brung ya."  I always try to shop at local merchants rather than the Big Box retailers or Amazon.  If we don't support them now, they will surely go out of business and we'll lose the convenience of having them nearby.

klenger

etrailer has a lot of stuff, ... more than just towing.  Great service, but the free shipping doesn't kick in till $100 and delivery is longer to AZ because everything ships from the same warehouse.  At least their basic shipping charges are reasonable. 

ChanW

Yes, I prefer to shop local (DW & I are local merchants ourselves), but sometimes it's hard to find exactly what you want locally.

Amazon is screwing up these days, too big and in too much of a hurry for that "same day delivery". I'm receiving terrible service from them, and way too often will receive 'counterfeit', 'factory seconds', damaged, or previously purchased / returned items.

Bezos started with pride of their service. No more.

Camping World is probably a good alternative, if you make sure not to give them your address! They've put me on so many mailing lists my snail-mailbox (and email) is full of junk again! This, after only one online purchase!

+1 for eTrailer

pthomas745

I pay for Amazon prime, can find exactly what I need easily, and have it delivered to my door in just a couple of days.  Many of the products I've bought on Amazon are simply unobtainable in local stores. 

Luckyj

To me, having something delivered to my door is a pain and create too much individual trafic, when a truck will usually go to one local place.  And you tyen go pic it up local when doing a shoping round localy.

but like some have said, in small regions or small town, some of the things are just i possible to get or even order and some of the things are just not available in canada.  Then, amazon is the solution.

remeber that every google order is single and heavy packaging, that does not really exist when choping localy.

we might be in the small rv camping, but that does not mean that we should leave a heavy carbon trace.

NHCraig

I'm neutral on Amazon, but I think one reason you see them so much here is that if you mention a product and someone asks for a link or picture, the easiest place to find and post that is from Amazon.  Once you see it, you can search for yourself and buy it where you please.

lkc001

I go out of my way to NOT shop Camping World because they are such shysters. . . I get a fair amount from Amazon because like another posted above, I can't find it in local stores & I'm not saving money running all over town burning gas to find something--I also find that the majority of the things I have purchase from Amazon after researching prices from other places, that Amazon is @ the same and many times less, especially when other places add in their ridiculous shipping charges--so I'm saving money on some things.  I hope their service does not get worse, though, I have also noticed a decline in the service with some deliveries lately. 

jkjenn

Life is too short for boycotts....in most cases. There are no local stores for me...even though we have a camping world in Pittsburgh now. It would take me an hour to get there. Amazon just works.

lkc001

I tend to boycott shysters, sorry.  To each his own

Cbusguy

Camping world,  if you enjoy premium prices for the same thing.   

The other place is walmart on line,   but navigating is much more difficult.

Honestly there is no local RV stores with any sort of inventory locally.   Now I use Home depot or lowes for the majority of my needs....

lkc001

@Cbusguy I have found the same thing, and I live in a suburb just north of Denver and any Camping World or trailer supply around here really, really marks up the prices.  It's gouging.   I like being able to order online and it just shows up

Mouseketab

I actually use ebay more than Amazon. I do much prefer ordering online though. It takes me 5 minutes to find a specific item I want online. It takes HOURS to find it locally. Even if I shop locally, I also prefer to order online, and pickup in store, as I don't want to go tromping through the store.

Arwen

I bought my first year of Amazon Prime this Spring and am loving it! I live in a rural area, where it is impossible to find much of I need for camping.  I tried Camper's world, but the nearest one is over an hour away, and Amazon nearly aways has a lower price for the same item.  I do try to by locally when I can, and just bought an Ultimate Jack from my local Tractor Supply yesterday, so my new bike rack (from Amazon) will work.

mreric

i would love to order stuff somewhere else,   even a brink and mortar store.    but i have not seen anywhere that can beat the price,   delivery time, selection and return policy.     if you have different site that you can recommend i would be welcome to use it.   another one i have seen catching up is Walmart.com

Dalehelman

pthomas745 said:

I pay for Amazon prime, can find exactly what I need easily, and have it delivered to my door in just a couple of days.  Many of the products I've bought on Amazon are simply unobtainable in local stores. 

X2

wooper

I understand the feeling behind those who don't use Amazon.  But after having just bought a T@B, I ended up realizing I needed a variety of connectors, parts, fuses, etc. on a daily basis for about two weeks.  It was easy for me to go to Amazon and order what I needed, delivered for free in two days...some the next day.  Everything was delivered on time or before time in good order.  And the prices were good also.  I haven't experience anything but good products and good service since I started using Prime a few years back...and the movies are good too!!  If someone can show me where to find the same variety of products for the same price with the same 2 day free shipping, please do.  Otherwise this becomes too much of a political discussion for me.

Dalehelman

wooper said:

I understand the feeling behind those who don't use Amazon.  But after having just bought a T@B, I ended up realizing I needed a variety of connectors, parts, fuses, etc. on a daily basis for about two weeks.  It was easy for me to go to Amazon and order what I needed, delivered for free in two days...some the next day.  Everything was delivered on time or before time in good order.  And the prices were good also.  I haven't experience anything but good products and good service since I started using Prime a few years back...and the movies are good too!!  If someone can show me where to find the same variety of products for the same price with the same 2 day free shipping, please do.  Otherwise this becomes too much of a political discussion for me.

Well said. X2

abenteurer

My opinion:

++1 for local suppliers, even at higher price

+1 for other than Amazon on-line, even at higher price

0 neutral for Amazon, check for product quality always

-10 fake shopping sites

-100 forum fakes

ontheroad

Living in Canada...our Amazon is not the same and does not offer the same "stuff" as the American site...it takes a little work but I prefer to touch and feel at a store in my hood...even if I have to drive a little further for it...so glad I'm not an online shopper...

jgram2

@abenteurer Oh no! What’s a forum fake? I’m almost afraid to ask.

ChanW

and how is this political?

Maybe the 'forum fakes' @abenteurer is referring to is the fake product reviews on Amazon.

jgram2

Thanks @ChanW, that makes sense. 

jkjenn

I have a fairly apolitical view on Amazon, mostly due to the fact that my work has focused on the trends that go along with digital transformation. The truth is, your local business can compete but must adopt modern methods and tech. There are some RV dealers who have done this and I have ordered from them, before (Tweety's.)  

Why do I like Amazon? They offer me wider variety at competitive prices and they do it in a way that works for me. I was an Amazon early adopter. My conversion came when I was sick in bed with bronchitis  and needed to do my Christmas shopping. I Have my mome ts of frustration with Amazon but by and large they do a pretty impressive job of carrying what I want and need and getting it to me quickly.

TerryV6

“Forum fake”. I’d venture a guess and think she means the product reviews of a product on Amazon.  It’s been reported that some positive reviews are not real.  So, if you see a product with 34 reviews and they are all 5 stars, I’d be suspicious.  If there are 1000 mostly positives, that be more real.

Cbusguy

many of the reviews now have verified purchase beside them.    I look at those.

There is a couple of companys that in trouble with the FTC over fake reviews.  Link

gspdx

I shop local, do use Amazon, and do use eTrailer.  I have found a local RV dealer - not the one that sells T@Bs - has a pretty good parts department and the employees are helpful and friendly.

But there are just some things I can't find locally.  And traffic has gotten so bad in town that when I get done with work I don't want to spend 2 hours on the road and back to pick something up.  Is it better to have delivery drivers on the road or all of us running the roads?  I just don't know.

I won't go to Camping World anymore because of what was mentioned above.  Not a good company.

Also with my Amazon Prime membership I use for my TV service and music streaming.  The only other TV I have is an antenna so it's a pretty good value for me.