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Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

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Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#121
post #65
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>I can’t blame Amazon for actions like these. >>The consumer has come to expect guaranteed overnight or 2 day shipping Amazon created that expectation.

Amazon offered overnight or 2-day shipping, and it turns out that customers apparently love it. I suppose we can quibble over who "creates" the expectation, but note that other things Amazon have offered or tested did not lead to intense customer demand.

Amazon offered 2-day shipping, then changed their free shipping from 5-days to 8-days, deliberately changing a luxury to a necessity so they could up-sell it to more people.

I know I was perfectly happy when packages that I ordered on the weekend arrived in time for the next weekend most of the time, and never paid for expedited shipping. It was only when most of those packages started taking more than a week to arrive that I finally signed up for Prime.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#122
post #6

It’s to the point where I can’t blame Amazon for actions like these. The consumer has come to expect guaranteed overnight or 2 day shipping. When they don’t get that, they get really upset. Amazon doesn’t want its customers to get upset, and it can’t trust its shipping partners because they don’t have the burden of the consumer sentiment. No one blames FedEx for their late package these days, they blame Amazon. Heck,…

Are there any anti trust experts here that can comment on whether this constitutes illegal tying?

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#123
post #6

It’s to the point where I can’t blame Amazon for actions like these. The consumer has come to expect guaranteed overnight or 2 day shipping. When they don’t get that, they get really upset. Amazon doesn’t want its customers to get upset, and it can’t trust its shipping partners because they don’t have the burden of the consumer sentiment. No one blames FedEx for their late package these days, they blame Amazon. Heck,…

>Amazon doesn’t want its customers to get upset,

I wish this was true but it's obviously not seeing that they haven't fixed the commingling and fake/imposter product issues.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#124
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've had plenty of flat-out lies from Amazon delivery before (e.g. they claim delivery attempted at HH:MM PM, while I was in the living room five feet from the door, and yet somehow I must have "missed" their knock), FedEx and UPS alike, although I've never been able to prove it. With the proliferation of people with Ring video doorbells, however, I am surprised that someone does not send footage. "Oh, you tried to d…

I don't think any of this has anything to do with Amazon, or at least it isn't limited to packages from Amazon. I've had several categories of what are almost certainly flat-out lies from various carriers throughout the years: - Packages marked as being delivered, but they don't actually show up for another day or two. (I assume this is a driver who can't be bothered to make it to my building that day but doesn't wan…

I just had USPS tell me a package couldn’t be delivered to a 24/7 staffed hotel because they didn’t have access to the delivery location.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#125
Good riddance. FedEx Ground has a 0% success rate for actually delivering anything to me -- and when I complain, they tell me that if I want my package I have to drive out to the airport to collect it (~45 minutes away).

UPS is only slightly better at delivering packages, but at least they drop off my stuff at a pick-up location a few minutes away.

I would pay extra for an Amazon Prime Actually-Get-Stuff-Delivered service which only uses Canada Post and Amazon's own delivery people.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#126
post #122
post #6

It’s to the point where I can’t blame Amazon for actions like these. The consumer has come to expect guaranteed overnight or 2 day shipping. When they don’t get that, they get really upset. Amazon doesn’t want its customers to get upset, and it can’t trust its shipping partners because they don’t have the burden of the consumer sentiment. No one blames FedEx for their late package these days, they blame Amazon. Heck,…

Are there any anti trust experts here that can comment on whether this constitutes illegal tying?

Only monopolies aren't allowed to utilize a tying strategy. Every other company is free to. Amazon hasn't been found to be a monopoly in any market AFAIK.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#127
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think any of this has anything to do with Amazon, or at least it isn't limited to packages from Amazon. I've had several categories of what are almost certainly flat-out lies from various carriers throughout the years: - Packages marked as being delivered, but they don't actually show up for another day or two. (I assume this is a driver who can't be bothered to make it to my building that day but doesn't wan…

I just had USPS tell me a package couldn’t be delivered to a 24/7 staffed hotel because they didn’t have access to the delivery location.

My apartment building has a call box and someone will buzz them into the package room. When it says “delivery attempted” it’s almost always because the delivery person couldn’t be bothered to try.

Re: Amazon Blocks Sellers from Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments

#130
post #66
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No one blames FedEx for their late package these days, they blame Amazon. As they should. FedEx's customer in this instance is Amazon, not the receiver of the package (who is a customer of Amazon, and Amazon alone). If anyone has the clout these days to hurt FedEx economically if they don't improve, it's Amazon. Amazon should be pushing FedEx (and their other shippers) to be more accountable for late, damaged, and…

Amazon doesn't seem much better. Last week, they 'delivered' an item, marked it delivered. The problem with that is that I didn't get it, and the picture proof was not my house. I have no idea whose house it was. When I called to ask for a refund, they first told me to wait as sometimes they mark things delivered before they are. I told him about the picture. Then he asked me to go door to door in my neighborhood bec…

My Amazon delivery was pretty strange. I had an unknown number call my phone 2-3 times in a row (dumped to voicemail) then a few minutes later a frantic knocking on my door. It's two guys who were out of breath, they handed the package to me, and then jogged away down the apartment hallway.

I think I ordered socks or something... I couldn't care less. It was jarring, just leave the package in the lobby and send me a delivery notification... geez. Prefer FedEx over that experience.

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