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Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

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Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#91

Given the algorithmic pricing on a lot of things (everything?) sold on Amazon there’s probably money to be made building some bot that checks for pricing mistakes and buys when one is found.

I believe this was common on eBay. People also looked for common misspellings of items, misspellings that would lead items to get fewer ids and usually end underpriced relative to similar items.

I don't have this automated, but this is definitely still a thing, at least for used test equipment. I'm not clever enough to automate it fully, since often constructing the search terms is fairly difficult, but I definitely have scored some incredible deals ($40 for a perfectly fine HP spectrum analyzer a month ago). The only automation is some simple greasemonkey scripts, but there are definitely deals to be had on mis-categorized items. Likely this works best on specialized equipment that the average bulk auction buyer doesn't recognize, I would suspect that most industrial/scientific equipment would apply. This certainly won't apply to consumer items like a laptop though, the item has to be esoteric enough that a non-expert has difficulty even determining what it is.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#92
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A father and son were walking down the street. The father tips his hat to a woman they pass. The son asks: "Father, why did you tip your hat to her? She's a prostitute, not a lady." The father replies: "Son, you are correct, she is no lady. But I am a gentleman."

In many countries prostitution is as legal as software development. I think we should refrain from these jokes, especially since most do it out of a lack of alternative careers and to feed families.

Most actually do it because of human trafficking, violence, drugs, mafia, etc.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#93
post #55
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's unethical about buying something for the listed price? edit: rephrased for clarity

What if you accidentally paid extra to a bank, supermarket, paying back your friend, whomever and the recipient thought "Wow, great, I ain't tellin' -I get to keep that, that's awesome!"

I worked at a movie theater during college and people didn't really get in trouble if your till was under. But if it was over it was a instant strike.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#94
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon is less customer-friendly than ever before. They refused to adjust a TV I purchased 7 days ago to the Prime Day pricing which was $400 off. The only solution according to them was to purchase another TV at the Prime pricing and return the original. That's unfriendly to the customer, it's unfriendly to the planet, and it's unfriendly to Amazon's bottom line. An all-around disaster.

Not trying to pick a fight, I'm genuinely curious- why should Amazon be expected to do that? Even with their attitude for good customer service, if you purchased an item a week ago why should they give you money now because it is on sale? Prime day isn't exactly a secret, I would say the fair argument here is that you wanted a TV in a hurry and weren't interested in waiting for the sale. Otherwise, should they also r…

They should do it because they'd have to do it anyway, just with a lot of nonsense in between with shipping, if the customer insists and does the return.

The difference with your 2 year old PC is that nobody has a 2 year return window.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#95
post #4

They will cancel majority of the purchases. However, if you were smart, you'd have chosen 1 day shipping and have received the item. Me? I was not smart and did not select 1 day shipping so it looks like my order will most likely be canceled once Amazon deals with this...

Hold out hope. It gives excellent publicity to Prime day and their brand if they don't cancel them - why ruin that with potentially bad publicity, etc. over what probably amounts to a few hundred thousand dollars, which they can easily afford to cover.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#96
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon is less customer-friendly than ever before. They refused to adjust a TV I purchased 7 days ago to the Prime Day pricing which was $400 off. The only solution according to them was to purchase another TV at the Prime pricing and return the original. That's unfriendly to the customer, it's unfriendly to the planet, and it's unfriendly to Amazon's bottom line. An all-around disaster.

Not trying to pick a fight, I'm genuinely curious- why should Amazon be expected to do that? Even with their attitude for good customer service, if you purchased an item a week ago why should they give you money now because it is on sale? Prime day isn't exactly a secret, I would say the fair argument here is that you wanted a TV in a hurry and weren't interested in waiting for the sale. Otherwise, should they also r…

It's standard practice in retail that price adjustments are made if a price cut happens within the return period of the purchase.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#97
I'll go on and say something, perhaps, controversial.

This "price mistake" was not a mistake at all. This was intentional move by amazon to attract publicity.

Once these news spread, people will remember. And next year they will have a few extra million people browsing amazon "looking for that super deal".

This "price mistake" is simply part of the advertising/marketing stratagy by amazon to create extra excitement about prime day.

People will be coming back for years ... looking for that 100$ super lens. This is money well spent.

WELL DONE AMAZON MARKETING GURUS!!!

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#98
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A father and son were walking down the street. The father tips his hat to a woman they pass. The son asks: "Father, why did you tip your hat to her? She's a prostitute, not a lady." The father replies: "Son, you are correct, she is no lady. But I am a gentleman."

In many countries prostitution is as legal as software development. I think we should refrain from these jokes, especially since most do it out of a lack of alternative careers and to feed families.

I read it completely the opposite. The son looks down at the prostitute, but the father sees humanity in her and does not judge and treats her as a fellow person with dignity.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#99
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon is less customer-friendly than ever before. They refused to adjust a TV I purchased 7 days ago to the Prime Day pricing which was $400 off. The only solution according to them was to purchase another TV at the Prime pricing and return the original. That's unfriendly to the customer, it's unfriendly to the planet, and it's unfriendly to Amazon's bottom line. An all-around disaster.

Not trying to pick a fight, I'm genuinely curious- why should Amazon be expected to do that? Even with their attitude for good customer service, if you purchased an item a week ago why should they give you money now because it is on sale? Prime day isn't exactly a secret, I would say the fair argument here is that you wanted a TV in a hurry and weren't interested in waiting for the sale. Otherwise, should they also r…

If it's still within the return window for the product, it seems perfectly reasonable to honor the discount. Amazon would actually save money by doing this, because they're not incurring the costs of the additional delivery or return.

Re: Amazon Accidentally Sold $13k Camera Gear for $100 on Prime Day

#100

A previous similar incident became a legendary in-joke over at MetaFilter 18 years ago: Astounding. I can't take a moral argument seriously from any of you who jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of an honest mistake. I don't want to hear ever again about greedy corporations or crooked politicians. You people just showed that you're willing to turn a blind eye when it is to your benefit. How does that make yo…

Can you change your quote block formatting? It’s essentially impossible to read on mobile.
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