When HN users recommended it
1 HN user recommended this in 2017, in one comment.
20072026
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
1 HN user recommended this in 2017, in one comment.
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
Here's an example. This is the actual item that spurred me to look at other stores: "Better Than Bouillon" vegetable broth base. For some reason my grocery store carries their chicken and beef bases, but not vegetable.
Wal-Mart - $4.64, free 2-day shipping on orders $35 and up https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Than-Bouillon-Premium-Seas...
Amazon - $15.99, prime eligible https://www.amazon.com/BETTER-BOUILLON-PREMIUM-SEASONED-VEGE... (only listing I can find for the exact product)
Amazon $7.80, add-on item w/ free shipping on $35+ https://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Bouillion-Vegetable-Base/... (similar product from same brand)
I'm not sure what "Superior Touch" is compared to "Premium" but it costs 68% more and I've been using the cheaper one for years. After first looking for it on Amazon, I bought it from Wal-Mart instead.
Related story on another obscure food product - I almost got screwed by subscribe and save because I'd subscribed on a cheap product (around $7, discounted maybe $1), and the price had suddenly tripled when it came time for the next subscription order to go out. As far as I can tell there's no protection for this. You'd think it could check "Hey, you subscribed to this at $7, maybe you don't want to pay $21 for the same thing," but no.
[EDIT - checked order history, the original S&S order was at $6.90. I unfortunately don't have a definite record for the one I cancelled. It's currently available at $10.20 for a 1-pack or $8.70 for a 2-pack, because that makes sense.]
I happened to sign in and notice before it shipped out, so I canceled. And (unsurprisingly) it was still sold near the original price on the listings from every other seller. They'd just offered a minor discount to get people into a subscription and then screw them with a price increase.
I don't think the question should be "Why would you buy from Wal-Mart/Target/etc?" It should be "Why would you buy from Amazon unless you absolutely can't avoid it?"