patrick.net

OK. I admit. I do try and price compare amazon on items as sometimes I have found large variances, especially in specialty items (like recirc pumps , etc).
And if the price is about the same I have no problem ordering directly from the vendor.

But, I am just about to give up on wasting my time. The last few orders I placed with other vendors simply didn't get fulfilled correctly.
I ordered three nebo flashlights - not cheap, but mid-price - and a few days later I get the order slip showing all 3 but only 2 in the actual box.
And they are not the only vendor with an order picking problem I do call up, give them the order#, and they apologize and say they will ship
me the missing product. But still, I don't like it. They need to get these orders 100% correct when you are relying on remote delivery. I am not sure
why they trusted me to say that I only got two and was missing one. I feel like it puts the onus on me to correct their problems and I keep waiting for them to say "you are lying!" - which would really piss me off.

And, also recently, bought an expensive automatic watch but was delivered an empty box. It was several emails and pics back and forth before they admitted they likely had a problem with their fulfillment center. But again - how do you prove a "box was empty when I opened it up". What if they got stubborn and said that I simply wanted a "second" one?

So while not an Amazon fan and hate their dominance, I never have problems with them. Returns are super easy (though I hardly ever return).
Ordering is easy. These 3rd parties need to do better. If there is a problem with Amazon it is not in the order picking but a misrepresentation of what was bought. And then you just return.

Maybe I just have bad luck...
Venting.