Amazon (how can they get away with price changes in cart?)

[sheryl]

DH and/or I will add things to our Amazon cart to buy.  But, we are not ready to buy/finalize transaction at that time. Maybe we've decided if we can find locally, or check on Craigslist and so on.  But, our items are in our cart to remind us what we want.  

After so much time, this product price goes up and another goes down.

It seems like a game.  It does NOT motivate me to buy more quickly.   It irritates me to NOT respond.  Or, remove items and hope I can find them again.

Would you suggest putting them in our wish list?   Would that solve the issue?

(rant over)

[Selkie]

8 minutes ago, sheryl said:

DH and/or I will add things to our Amazon cart to buy.  But, we are not ready to buy/finalize transaction at that time. Maybe we've decided if we can find locally, or check on Craigslist and so on.  But, our items are in our cart to remind us what we want.  

After so much time, this product price goes up and another goes down.

It seems like a game.  It does NOT motivate me to buy more quickly.   It irritates me to NOT respond.  Or, remove items and hope I can find them again.

Would you suggest putting them in our wish list?   Would that solve the issue?

(rant over)

Wish list prices change, too.

[PeterPan]

Have you tried using camelcamelcamel to see how the prices are trending? I always check if it's a more expensive ($20-30+) item. Legos, almost anything. You just drag in the link and check it. Nuts, they probably have a browser extension for it. 

So amazon will have prices that are sort of clearance. If they're low like that, you better just buy. So to me, I'm looking to see if it's a "buy" price or just their normal price. If I really wanted it and it's a buy price, I'm going to buy it and put it on slow poke shipping (the one that gets you the promo credits). If I happen to find it another way or change my mind, I just cancel the order. But that at least locks in the price.

Usually for me, if I put something in my cart and leave it a while, the price DROPS. So if I don't like the price, that's what I do. They know what is in people's carts, so I figure that 5-10% drop is their polite way of saying if you didn't like the price will you like it better now, lol. 

If the price goes UP, I take that to mean demand increased, supply is running out. Pricing is controlled by bots, algorithms, so it's not personal. If you wait and demand goes up and the commodity is running out, well...

Edited June 8, 2020 by PeterPan

[J-rap]

Prices do go up and down frequently on Amazon, no matter where you have them stored.  Some people keep things in their cart for months, so you can't expect the price to remain the same forever.  There are a couple things you can try, however, to see if you can get a lower price.  Sometimes the price is slightly different on different devices, for example laptop vs iPad vs smartphone.  Or sometimes, you can find them cheaper through Amazon's third party sellers.  I have an app called Honey that's pretty good at doing a price comparison on the item I want and finding the cheapest seller (on Amazon).  

[JustEm]

You haven't committed to buying it so the price changes as it would even if it wasn't in your cart.  The price would change in your wish list as well. Amazon prices change regularly, they always have. 

[Spryte]

I put things in the save for later section of the cart all the time, and just watch the prices go up and down with the notifications. I don’t expect the prices to stay the same for too long, just like I wouldn’t expect the price at a store to stay the same always if I didn’t buy an item.  
 

I hear good things about camel camel camel, but haven’t used them.  

[Andromeda]

Amazon changes their prices all the time. They are pretty up front about that.

 There's nothing that can be done to prevent price changes. You can keep items in wish lists, which may make price changes a bit less visible, if that helps with the visual changes, but the prices will continue to change. Amazon is a business, and they use the tools they have to remain competitive. Pretty much all retailers change prices, just maybe not as frequently. Products go on sale, return to retail price, go on sale again with a different discount than before, etc. It's just business.

Here is an article that explains the "how" a little bit more.

[Soror]

Someone could have something in their cart for years, it means nothing it isn't fair to expect that price changes won't occur just because you have something in your cart. Now, if they tried to change the price after you bought that would be unjust. I'd just save to your wishlist if seeing the price change notifications is annoying for you.

Edited June 8, 2020 by soror

[gardenmom5]

you haven't paid for it, you have no contract.  I've had things in my active cart  get sold-out from under me.  when that happens, I consider it my fault for not actually buying it right then.  I've also had price drops for items in my cart - it goes both ways.  

I have prime, so I don't worry about if I have $35 worth of stuff in my cart.   I try to lump stuff together  - so it's a larger shipment instead of a bunch of smaller ones, but if I'm ordering something that's a bigger deal - I won't wait.

[QueenCat]

I've had prices go down more often than they've gone up.

[katilac]

2 hours ago, soror said:

Someone could have something in their cart for years 

🙋‍♀️

My 'saved for later' is a scary place 😄

And yeah, even sitting in the cart, prices are going to change. You can't expect Amazon to hold items for you or freeze the price as you check for better deals elsewhere. It has nothing to do with it being in your cart; prices change all the time. 

Side note: as far as hoping you can find items again, just check your browsing history. I think it goes pretty far back.

[prairiewindmomma]

Apples at the store do this. Why do you feel that amazon has wronged you by using pricing algorithms?

[LucyStoner]

If you walked around a store for a week or a month with this stuff in a literal cart, the prices could change before you check out.  Putting into your cart doesn’t mean you get to lock in the price.  

[Tree Frog]

3 hours ago, soror said:

Someone could have something in their cart for years

Does that mean they aren't purchasing for years, too? I put things in my cart that I want to keep in front of me, but may not want to buy right away. But when I want to purchase something else, I move it to my wish list. Is there a way to put something in the cart, but not purchase an item or two when buying other things?

[vonfirmath]

 

4 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

Does that mean they aren't purchasing for years, too? I put things in my cart that I want to keep in front of me, but may not want to buy right away. But when I want to purchase something else, I move it to my wish list. Is there a way to put something in the cart, but not purchase an item or two when buying other things?

Actually yes.

See that section "Saved for Later" underneath the cart proper?

I know I have things in there that have been there for years.. I ought to clean it out probably

[gardenmom5]

22 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

Does that mean they aren't purchasing for years, too? I put things in my cart that I want to keep in front of me, but may not want to buy right away. But when I want to purchase something else, I move it to my wish list. Is there a way to put something in the cart, but not purchase an item or two when buying other things?

save for later. - it's still in the "cart", just not the active cart so when you make a purchase you don't purchase that item.  If I put it on a wish list - I'll forget about it.  I put stuff there when I'm buying down the road and doing "research".

and yeah - saved for later is a really scary place .  . . 

[Tanaqui]

I actually just recently cleared out my saved for later. Hundreds, hundreds of items.

OP, Amazon does some shady stuff, but this just isn't one of them. Every retailer changes prices sometimes, and there are no online retailers that honor "the price it was when you put it in the cart is the price you pay forever".  Would you expect your grocery store to never change the price of butter just because you sometimes buy butter there but sometimes you buy butter elsewhere?

[Pen]

You are not obligated to buy it. They are not obligated to have it at same price—or even at all... it could sell out or be discontinued before you decide you want to buy .  Like TP.  It isn’t in an actual cart.

[sheryl]

OK, I get what y'all are sayi ng.  FWIW, I like Amazon and have been a customer for years.  To the pp, I don't know if they have "wronged me" as you put it.  I didn't say that.

With that in mind, the reality is that it is indeed annoying.  I "hear" what the consensus thought is about not expecting them to "hold" an item and "lock" in on that price.   Why not?  We ordered a king bed back in January or so.   We were having carpet installed in 2 bedrooms (we have hardwoods that I would have preferred keeping but dh insisted on being able to step on carpet in the morning so I relented lol and that's another story) and we knew we wanted the carpet installed BEFORE bed delivery.  We ordered our bed and carpet. Then co19 hit so we waited and chose to wait longer for distancing reasons.  

The mattress company nor Lowe's raised our prices for our products.  They were in warehouse for MONTHS!  

If I ask a retailer to hold something for me, they do not increase the price.  Sometimes though I've benefited from it decreasing because of a special sale.  That's unexpected.

I still hold it is NOT right.  It's Bezo's business and he can run it as he likes.  After reading the replies and my reasoning above, I wish he would offer a check out window of 2-3 days before implementing increased prices.  That just makes for good customer service along the lines of pricing only.

eta:  this is not able not being obligated.  Surely no one is obligated.  

Edited June 8, 2020 by sheryl

[Tap]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

OK, I get what y'all are sayi ng.  FWIW, I like Amazon and have been a customer for years.  To the pp, I don't know if they have "wronged me" as you put it.  I didn't say that.

With that in mind, the reality is that it is indeed annoying.  I "hear" what the consensus thought is about not expecting them to "hold" an item and "lock" in on that price.   Why not?  We ordered a king bed back in January or so.   We were having carpet installed in 2 bedrooms (we have hardwoods that I would have preferred keeping but dh insisted on being able to step on carpet in the morning so I relented lol and that's another story) and we knew we wanted the carpet installed BEFORE bed delivery.  We ordered our bed and carpet. Then co19 hit so we waited and chose to wait longer for distancing reasons.  

The mattress company nor Lowe's raised our prices for our products.  They were in warehouse for MONTHS!  

If I ask a retailer to hold something for me, they do not increase the price.  Sometimes though I've benefited from it decreasing because of a special sale.  That's unexpected.

I still hold it is NOT right.  It's Bezo's business and he can run it as he likes.  After reading the replies and my reasoning above, I wish he would offer a check out window of 2-3 days before implementing increased prices.  That just makes for good customer service along the lines of pricing only.

eta:  this is not able not being obligated.  Surely no one is obligated.  

I haven't had a price change in my cart if the order is processed before midnight. Beyond midnight, I am not surprised if a price/availability changes. I don't think of putting things in my cart, as the same as asking a retailer to hold something for me. It isn't securing an item. It could also sell out before finishing the transaction, in that case the first transaction to complete, is the one who gets the item. 

The only time I see Amazon do anything like a hold with secured pricing, is when they are having lightening deals. It goes in your cart and there is a timer actively counting it down until it is released from the cart. I have seen this at other retailers too. Nordstrom used to be this way, I am not sure if they still do or not.  

Edited June 8, 2020 by Tap

[EmseB]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

OK, I get what y'all are sayi ng.  FWIW, I like Amazon and have been a customer for years.  To the pp, I don't know if they have "wronged me" as you put it.  I didn't say that.

With that in mind, the reality is that it is indeed annoying.  I "hear" what the consensus thought is about not expecting them to "hold" an item and "lock" in on that price.   Why not?  We ordered a king bed back in January or so.   We were having carpet installed in 2 bedrooms (we have hardwoods that I would have preferred keeping but dh insisted on being able to step on carpet in the morning so I relented lol and that's another story) and we knew we wanted the carpet installed BEFORE bed delivery.  We ordered our bed and carpet. Then co19 hit so we waited and chose to wait longer for distancing reasons.  

The mattress company nor Lowe's raised our prices for our products.  They were in warehouse for MONTHS!  

If I ask a retailer to hold something for me, they do not increase the price.  Sometimes though I've benefited from it decreasing because of a special sale.  That's unexpected.

I still hold it is NOT right.  It's Bezo's business and he can run it as he likes.  After reading the replies and my reasoning above, I wish he would offer a check out window of 2-3 days before implementing increased prices.  That just makes for good customer service along the lines of pricing only.

eta:  this is not able not being obligated.  Surely no one is obligated.  

Did you pay for these items and then they held them? Or you don't pay until delivery?

I think ordering from Lowe's or HD and then waiting for delivery is very common. Their store policy is that you pay the price that is listed when ordering the item. But putting something in your Amazon cart is not ordering said item. In fact, the item may be ordered by 10 other people and then goes out of stock before you ever purchase it so it's no longer available at all. These are different things, different stores, different business models. It isn't wrong for Amazon to have one policy and Lowe's to have another. By necessity an online retailer is going to have to have a different policy as far as selling items vs. just holding something in your cart.

TL;DR -- you're talking about ordering something from Lowe's and having them hold it for you until you're ready to receive it vs. not ordering something from Amazon and still wanting them to hold it at the same price until you decide you do or don't want to actually order it. These are two different things.

Edited June 8, 2020 by EmseB

[LuvToRead]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

OK, I get what y'all are sayi ng.  FWIW, I like Amazon and have been a customer for years.  To the pp, I don't know if they have "wronged me" as you put it.  I didn't say that.

With that in mind, the reality is that it is indeed annoying.  I "hear" what the consensus thought is about not expecting them to "hold" an item and "lock" in on that price.   Why not?  We ordered a king bed back in January or so.   We were having carpet installed in 2 bedrooms (we have hardwoods that I would have preferred keeping but dh insisted on being able to step on carpet in the morning so I relented lol and that's another story) and we knew we wanted the carpet installed BEFORE bed delivery.  We ordered our bed and carpet. Then co19 hit so we waited and chose to wait longer for distancing reasons.  

The mattress company nor Lowe's raised our prices for our products.  They were in warehouse for MONTHS!  

If I ask a retailer to hold something for me, they do not increase the price.  Sometimes though I've benefited from it decreasing because of a special sale.  That's unexpected.

I still hold it is NOT right.  It's Bezo's business and he can run it as he likes.  After reading the replies and my reasoning above, I wish he would offer a check out window of 2-3 days before implementing increased prices.  That just makes for good customer service along the lines of pricing only.

eta:  this is not able not being obligated.  Surely no one is obligated.  

Amazon isn't holding anything for you.  You put it in your cart so you are holding it for yourself.  You ordered the bed and the carpet so you had entered into a transaction with the store.  Putting something in your shopping cart is not the same as ordering it. 

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

If you paid for, or put a contract on those things, than of course the price won't change. The closest comparison is what someone upthread said - putting items in your cart at a store and then leaving it there for a week or month and expecting the price to be the same when you finally go check out

Edited June 8, 2020 by Sk8ermaiden

[Tanaqui]

Quote

I still hold it is NOT right.  It's Bezo's business and he can run it as he likes.  After reading the replies and my reasoning above, I wish he would offer a check out window of 2-3 days before implementing increased prices.  That just makes for good customer service along the lines of pricing only.

 

Many things you purchase "off of Amazon" are not actually sold by Amazon, they're sold by other retailers through Amazon. You're suggesting, what, that they can't change their prices? Do you know how this would harm them?

This isn't you asking them to hold a product, or putting a down payment on something. This is you window shopping and then coming back later and being annoyed that the prices changed. THAT is the comparison - you walked into Lowes in person, said "Oh, this is cute!", came back a month later to buy it. "How could they change the price on me? Just last month/last week/yesterday I said it was cute!" Or, if you're married to the cart idea, it's you going to the grocery store, filling your cart with stuff, hiding it behind a display, and then being annoyed two weeks later to find that you missed all the sales and that, in the meantime, somebody came through and put some of the stuff away.

[Tree Frog]

2 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

 

Actually yes.

See that section "Saved for Later" underneath the cart proper?

I know I have things in there that have been there for years.. I ought to clean it out probably

 

2 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

save for later. - it's still in the "cart", just not the active cart so when you make a purchase you don't purchase that item.  If I put it on a wish list - I'll forget about it.  I put stuff there when I'm buying down the road and doing "research".

and yeah - saved for later is a really scary place .  . . 

Thanks. I use "saved for later", but thought y'all might know something I needed to learn. 😂

[sheryl]

3 hours ago, Tap said:

I haven't had a price change in my cart if the order is processed before midnight. Beyond midnight, I am not surprised if a price/availability changes. I don't think of putting things in my cart, as the same as asking a retailer to hold something for me. It isn't securing an item. It could also sell out before finishing the transaction, in that case the first transaction to complete, is the one who gets the item. 

The only time I see Amazon do anything like a hold with secured pricing, is when they are having lightening deals. It goes in your cart and there is a timer actively counting it down until it is released from the cart. I have seen this at other retailers too. Nordstrom used to be this way, I am not sure if they still do or not.  

Tap, we have several purchases to make and when I see something I like I put it in the cart.  I'm not asking for an indefinite "hold/lock".   Hmmm.  I think we need to stick to dogs LOL as I do see putting my things in the cart as a hold just as holding at a retailer irl.  

 

[sheryl]

4 hours ago, WendyAndMilo said:

Did you actually pay for the mattress at Lowe's or the mattress company?  I don't know of any retailers that will "hold" something without at least some sort of deposit.

Carpet - paid up front
Bed set - paid AFTER delivery

[sheryl]

2 hours ago, EmseB said:

Did you pay for these items and then they held them? Or you don't pay until delivery?

I think ordering from Lowe's or HD and then waiting for delivery is very common. Their store policy is that you pay the price that is listed when ordering the item. But putting something in your Amazon cart is not ordering said item. In fact, the item may be ordered by 10 other people and then goes out of stock before you ever purchase it so it's no longer available at all. These are different things, different stores, different business models. It isn't wrong for Amazon to have one policy and Lowe's to have another. By necessity an online retailer is going to have to have a different policy as far as selling items vs. just holding something in your cart.

TL;DR -- you're talking about ordering something from Lowe's and having them hold it for you until you're ready to receive it vs. not ordering something from Amazon and still wanting them to hold it at the same price until you decide you do or don't want to actually order it. These are two different things.

I will have to disagree with you.  

[sheryl]

2 hours ago, LuvToRead said:

Amazon isn't holding anything for you.  You put it in your cart so you are holding it for yourself.  You ordered the bed and the carpet so you had entered into a transaction with the store.  Putting something in your shopping cart is not the same as ordering it. 

 

Ummm.  That's dicey.  Amazon is indeed holding for me as that is what a cart does.  AND, I'm holding it for myself.  

Yes, but if the philosophy above applied to Lowe's (just take 1 example) then bed set would have the right to increase or decrease the price because we did not pay for it until after delivery.  

[sheryl]

2 hours ago, Sk8ermaiden said:

If you paid for, or put a contract on those things, than of course the price won't change. The closest comparison is what someone upthread said - putting items in your cart at a store and then leaving it there for a week or month and expecting the price to be the same when you finally go check out

Read all the replies and now enters other variables.  

[sheryl]

2 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

 

Many things you purchase "off of Amazon" are not actually sold by Amazon, they're sold by other retailers through Amazon. You're suggesting, what, that they can't change their prices? Do you know how this would harm them?

This isn't you asking them to hold a product, or putting a down payment on something. This is you window shopping and then coming back later and being annoyed that the prices changed. THAT is the comparison - you walked into Lowes in person, said "Oh, this is cute!", came back a month later to buy it. "How could they change the price on me? Just last month/last week/yesterday I said it was cute!" Or, if you're married to the cart idea, it's you going to the grocery store, filling your cart with stuff, hiding it behind a display, and then being annoyed two weeks later to find that you missed all the sales and that, in the meantime, somebody came through and put some of the stuff away.

Wow, ok.  Well, I don't recall that  I suggested anything to Amazon.  I was making a point only that it seems silly.  Now, I will say I agree that companies raise and lower prices. Hello - I'm a consumer as well.  🙂  BUT,  a cart holds ite ms for purchase.   Bezos (sp?) can do what he wants.  I'll still continue to shop his online mega store.  We can afford to pay the increase.  That's not my point as well.  Most have missed my point by adding other variables.  I'm saying it's silly to increase and decrease.  To me when I see a product go up/down 1 penny - that is simply absurd.

[LuvToRead]

10 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Ummm.  That's dicey.  Amazon is indeed holding for me as that is what a cart does.  AND, I'm holding it for myself.  

Yes, but if the philosophy above applied to Lowe's (just take 1 example) then bed set would have the right to increase or decrease the price because we did not pay for it until after delivery. 

How is Amazon holding it for you?  Did you contact them directly and ask them not to sell it to someone else and would they also hold the price?

I am assuming Lowe's knew you wanted the bed set because you somehow communicated that to them.  (I didn't even know Lowe's sold beds btw)

Edited June 8, 2020 by LuvToRead

[sheryl]

7 minutes ago, WendyAndMilo said:

Paying after delivery =/= "holding".

Help me understand that.

I could have cancelled the order of them "holding" our merchandise.  Perhaps that same bed during the time it was HELD in a WAREHOUSE for 3 MONTHS increased or decreased on the floor (store).   I'm fairly certain we would not have paid for the increase or receive a refund.                                            

[sheryl]

Oh my goodness.  Holding in as much as it's placed in my  cart.  No, I didn't call and ask them to hold anything for me.  Why?  Have you done that successfully?

I've lost items as well for not acting quickly enough but that is a different issue.

My only point is my cart holding my merchandise and daily price fluctuations on some products.  

[Kassia]

https://splinternews.com/how-to-not-get-screwed-on-amazon-1793862519  explains the price fluctuations

[Pawz4me]

I totally do not understand the issue here.

If I put something in my Amazon cart and the price changed that same day . . . yeah, that would bug me. I'd see that similarly to shopping in person at a store (let's say Target), putting an item in my cart and then by the time I meandered up to the checkout line the price had changed. That wouldn't be right.

But if I put something in my Amazon cart and the price changed the next day or week . . . I might kick myself if the price went up, but no way would I blame it on Amazon. That's normal shopping stuff. It's no different at all than if I looked at an item in person at Target one day, went home to think on it, and when I went back the next day or the next week the price had gone up. That's on me for waiting.

[Library Momma]

An Amazon cart is not like a cart at Lowes.  When you take something off the shelf at Lowes and put in in a cart no one else can buy it.  A cart on Amazon is more like a wish list.  Something you would like to or intend to buy but until you do it isn't allocated to you.  The price can change at any time and often that is a reflection of the price they pay for the items.  When their cost goes up or down the price they charge goes up or down.

When you purchase a mattress at a store, even if you have a period of time to pay, you still purchased the item.  You just owe them the money for whatever that period of time is.  

 

[Tap]

36 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Tap, we have several purchases to make and when I see something I like I put it in the cart.  I'm not asking for an indefinite "hold/lock".   Hmmm.  I think we need to stick to dogs LOL as I do see putting my things in the cart as a hold just as holding at a retailer irl.  

 

Your assumption that they are "holding it for you" is wrong. Virtual shopping carts are not the same as taking a tangible item off the shelf and putting it on hold at a store. It doesn't work that way. They aren't holding it for you, the price isn't protected and everyone here is responding to tell you that Amazon doesn't operate like that. I am sorry you are irritated that the system doesn't work the way you want it to.  It would be super cool if it did work that way!!!! I am sure we would all love it if Amazon had a price lock feature for a few days/weeks after we saw something!! 

[Pen]

You could perhaps check local and Craig list prices and think on purchase first—then if price on Amazon or convenience of Amazon seems better choose “buy”  immediately.  

[LuvToRead]

8 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Oh my goodness.  Holding in as much as it's placed in my  cart.  No, I didn't call and ask them to hold anything for me.  Why?  Have you done that successfully?

I've lost items as well for not acting quickly enough but that is a different issue.

My only point is my cart holding my merchandise and daily price fluctuations on some products.  

Of course not. But I don't consider stuff in my cart as stuff Amazon is holding on my behalf.  I guess we must just have different expectations about virtual shopping carts.

[LucyStoner]

The number of people with things in their cart could, especially for resellers, exceed the stock on hand.  Stock tracking would become utterly impossible if putting it in your digital cart REMOVED it from being available to someone who not only placed it in their cart, but is ready to buy it.  

[EmseB]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

I will have to disagree with you.  

Okay, well, I guess you can disagree with me, but it doesn't really change how online shopping carts work.

[marbel]

My putting something in my cart doesn't obligate me to buy it.  And since Amazon (and every other online retailer) is there to sell things, not act as holding service for things I might buy (but might not), they are not obligated to let me set it in my cart for some indeterminate amount of time without changing the price.  

 

[Corraleno]

3 hours ago, sheryl said:

Ummm.  That's dicey.  Amazon is indeed holding for me as that is what a cart does.  AND, I'm holding it for myself.  

Yes, but if the philosophy above applied to Lowe's (just take 1 example) then bed set would have the right to increase or decrease the price because we did not pay for it until after delivery.  

But you placed an actual order for the bed set, correct? Your card just wasn't charged until it was delivered. You didn't tell the salesman "I'm thinking about possibly buying this bed set at some point in the future, and in the meantime I expect you to not let anyone else buy it, and you also have to let me buy it at today's price even if it goes up before I decide to buy it."

It works exactly the same way if you place an actual order on Amazon, if the item is not yet ready to ship (e.g., the item is listed as being in stock a week from when you order it, or you preorder a book that hasn't been released yet). They don't charge your card until the item ships, and you will pay the price you agreed to when you ordered it even if the price goes up between ordering and shipping. Putting something in a virtual shopping cart has no more significance than putting it in a wishlist or just leaving a tab open on your laptop. The price you pay is the price that is listed at the moment you actually place the order.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Corraleno

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, sheryl said:

Ummm.  That's dicey.  Amazon is indeed holding for me as that is what a cart does.  AND, I'm holding it for myself.  

Yes, but if the philosophy above applied to Lowe's (just take 1 example) then bed set would have the right to increase or decrease the price because we did not pay for it until after delivery.  

you made a contract with lowe's to pay for the item even though you wouldn't be paying until the item is delivered.  putting an item into an amazon shopping cart is NOT a contract to actually buy and pay for it until you actually click "buy", and "confirm".  (if you don't click "confirm" - you still have no contract.)

When I put stuff in my ebay shopping cart - it can be sold out from under me because I haven't entered into a contract to actually buy the item.  Sellers aren't going to hold something for a "maybe" shopper when they have an "I want it shopper" right there.  They're in a business, and that's not how business works.

It's the same thing with airline reservations and hotel reservations - it's not your seat at that price until you pay for it.  And yeah - I've had seats sell out from under me while I was going through the process.  that's annoying!

1 hour ago, Library Momma said:

An Amazon cart is not like a cart at Lowes.  When you take something off the shelf at Lowes and put in in a cart no one else can buy it.  A cart on Amazon is more like a wish list.  Something you would like to or intend to buy but until you do it isn't allocated to you.  The price can change at any time and often that is a reflection of the price they pay for the items.  When their cost goes up or down the price they charge goes up or down.

When you purchase a mattress at a store, even if you have a period of time to pay, you still purchased the item.  You just owe them the money for whatever that period of time is.  

 

you contracted to buy the item, if you hadn't confirmed your order with the mattress store, they could have sold your mattress to someone else, or even changed the price.

44 minutes ago, LucyStoner said:

The number of people with things in their cart could, especially for resellers, exceed the stock on hand.  Stock tracking would become utterly impossible if putting it in your digital cart REMOVED it from being available to someone who not only placed it in their cart, but is ready to buy it.  

and it does.  I purchased something from a seller on ebay - and was really ticked out to be told it wasn't available - because they were purchasing it from somewhere else after they received an order.  

[Sk8ermaiden]

2 hours ago, Corraleno said:

But you placed an actual order for the bed set, correct? Your card just wasn't charged until it was delivered. You didn't tell the salesman "I'm thinking about possibly buying this bed set at some point in the future, and in the meantime I expect you to not let anyone else buy it, and you also have to let me buy it at today's price even if it goes up before I decide to buy it."

This is actually pretty similar to how Amazon works too, because if you purchase through Amazon and not a third party, they don't charge you until they ship, no matter how long that is, and of course you will pay the price at which you purchased the item, regardless of if the price has changed since then. 

Putting something in your cart creates no contract.

[PeterPan]

4 hours ago, sheryl said:

Help me understand that.

I could have cancelled the order of them "holding" our merchandise.  Perhaps that same bed during the time it was HELD in a WAREHOUSE for 3 MONTHS increased or decreased on the floor (store).   I'm fairly certain we would not have paid for the increase or receive a refund.                                            

Amazon's schtick involves being CHEAPER than everyone else. They don't get there with customer service or niceties like your local brick & mortar store was willing to do.

So here's the joke of it. You're saying you prefer the way you're able to *cancel a placed order* so long as it hasn't actually been delivered/shipped, and amazon DOES THE SAME THING. So you placed an order with Lowes or whomever, and you're saying you could cancel up until delivery. Well you can do that with amazon too. Your item charges pretty close to when it ships, and you can completely cancel (and get a refund if needed) up until it ships.

So what you don't have with amazon is easy customer service like the ability to delay shipment just by asking. You can delay it somewhat at their pleasure by selecting the slow poke/credit option if available. But as far as being able to cancel up until delivery, yes you can, even with amazon. I have done it plenty of times.

[Paige]

Amazon prices fluctuate like gasoline. You may pull into a parking lot to buy gas at 1.99, but pop into the restroom before filling your tank, come back and the price has gone up or down. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose but the price didn't change because you parked in a spot. It changed because it was going to change regardless of where you are. You don't hold a price- for all the store owner knows, you're going to wash your windshield and move on! However, if you put you CC in for a price of 1.99, if the price changes while you're pumping, you'll still pay 1.99, no matter what. 

It's partly because Amazon has a lot of independent sellers, some even selling the same thing, on the same page. So if I put a book in my cart for X price, but there's lots of sellers, even prime sellers, for that book, and the one that was first in line sells out, the price may change because it bumps down to the next seller. Or maybe a new seller or different seller pops in and offers a lower price...Amazon will then adjust my cart down.

 

[Tap]

5 hours ago, sheryl said:

Help me understand that.

I could have cancelled the order of them "holding" our merchandise.  Perhaps that same bed during the time it was HELD in a WAREHOUSE for 3 MONTHS increased or decreased on the floor (store).   I'm fairly certain we would not have paid for the increase or receive a refund.                                            

You are using this experience as one of your examples of why Amazon should work this way too.  BUT.....you aren't even certain that they would have still charged you the same price if there was a price fluctuation????? 

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, Sk8ermaiden said:

This is actually pretty similar to how Amazon works too, because if you purchase through Amazon and not a third party, they don't charge you until they ship, no matter how long that is, and of course you will pay the price at which you purchased the item, regardless of if the price has changed since then. 

Putting something in your cart creates no contract.

This is the point the OP seems to be struggling with.   in the above scenarios - she entered into a contract to purchase the item.  leaving it in a shopping cart you have no contract.  The seller doesn't know if you're going to buy it or not.  In the meantime, they are paying associated overhead costs of having that item in their possession. so they want it sold and out.  They're not going to wait for a lookeeloo.  (incidentally - my daughter purchased a car from a small dealer who sold it to her at a loss because they'd had it in their stock for six months - and then the bank will actually start charging them higher interest because they still have it on their lot.)

if you confirm a purchase - even with lowe's or home depot, or any other online retailer - you have entered into a contract to purchase the item.  I guarantee - if you just left stuff in your lowes, or home depot, or other online retailer's cart - but did NOT *confirm a purchase* - they could change the price, or sell it out from under you because someone else was willing to buy it now, and not wait to see if they could find it locally for less.