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View Full Version : Has Anyone Else Noticed Amazon Manipulating Prices?



High_Plains_Drifter
06-06-2018, 06:02 AM
Here's what recently happened with me. I bought a new rear differential cover for my GMC truck on Amazon, and it came with a plug that wasn't magnetized. Well you need a magnet in the rear differential same as a transmission to catch all the little fine metal that comes off the gears, so it doesn't work as an abrasive to accelerate gear wear, a magnet will gather that up and hold on to it, SO, I had looked at several different little disc shaped raw magnets, and had one already in the purchase process when I changed my mind and canceled the purchase. Within minutes of checking on what had halted my purchase I decided that what I was buying would after all suit my needs the best, so I went to repurchase it with the Amazon "buy it again" option, and the price of it had DOUBLED... INSTANTLY. What was a $4.75 magnetic was now OVER $9.00 So I started checking the prices of ALL the little disc magnets I had been looking at and ALL the prices had shot up. So I called Amazon and asked them what was going on and they had no explanation other than, "there's nothing we can do about it."

So that got me thinking, I should check other things. The gym that I have in my wish list that I had planned to buy this Fall, it was $575 when I put it in my wish list, and now it's $916. A Panamax line conditioner for home electronics had been $389, now it's $460. A pair of Nikon binoculars were under a hundred, now $170.

It seems to me that Amazon gives you ONE CHANCE to buy something at a low price, or even if you put it in your wish list, if you DON'T buy it, or you take too long to buy it, the price goes way up.

Anyone else notice this?

Tyr-Ziu Saxnot
06-06-2018, 06:06 AM
Here's what recently happened with me. I bought a new rear differential cover for my GMC truck on Amazon, and it came with a plug that wasn't magnetized. Well you need a magnet in the rear differential same as a transmission to catch all the little fine metal that comes off the gears, so it doesn't work as an abrasive to accelerate gear wear, a magnet will gather that up and hold on to it, SO, I had looked at several different little disc shaped raw magnets, and had one already in the purchase process when I changed my mind and canceled the purchase. Within minutes of checking on what had halted my purchase I decided that what I was buying would after all suit my needs the best, so I went to repurchase it with the Amazon "buy it again" option, and the price of it had almost DOUBLED... INSTANTLY. So I started checking the prices of ALL the little disc magnets I had been looking at and ALL the prices had shot up. So I called Amazon and asked them what was going on and they had no explanation other, "there's nothing we can do about it."

So that got me thinking, I should check other things. The gym that I have in my wish list, it was $575 when I put it in my wish list, and now it's $916. A Panamax line conditioner for home electronics had been $389, now it's $460. A pair of Nikon binoculars were under a hundred, now $170.

It seems to me that Amazon gives you ONE CHANCE to buy something at a low price, or even if you put it in your wish list, if you DON'T buy it, or you take too long to buy it, the price goes way up.

Anyone else notice this?

I almost never buy online. I am old school and like to examine up close, hold in my hands things I buy. I also pay cash, so far very few have ever refused cash.
My wife does buy online and it irritates the living hell out of me the way that she often gets ripped doing that.--Tyr

High_Plains_Drifter
06-06-2018, 06:09 AM
I almost never buy online. I am old school and like to examine up close, hold in my hands things I buy. I also pay cash, so far very few have ever refused cash.
My wife does buy online and it irritates the living hell out of me the way that she often gets ripped doing that.--Tyr
When you live out in small town, USA with no big stores around, buying online is more often than not unavoidable when looking for specialty items, or something besides the garbage Walmart sells.

SassyLady
06-06-2018, 08:47 PM
TYR - I use Amazon to buys things I know I already like or have used so I know what the price should be.

HPD - I haven't checked to see if prices have gone up on wish list items. Check to see if there are other retailers selling same thing. It might just be the one supplier that raised prices.

Abbey Marie
06-06-2018, 09:45 PM
It wouldn’t surprise me if Amazon did this, though I can’t say I’ve noticed it. I am a heavy Amazon user since my hip got so bad.

I do occasionally get notices that the price on an item I’ve saved for later has been reduced. Usually by a very tiny amount, lol.