Don't drink and Prime

[Tailgate]

Glad I don't... our shopping with Amazon has grown considerably over last couple of years.... looking at the account page, you can track your orders in a number of ways including by year.

Here's our order count

2013- 3 orders
2014- 16
2015- 18
2016- 70 (hello Prime)
2017- 81 so far

Also took out Amazon credit card this year to save an additional 5% on everything.

Easy peasy... love their service, but it's a little scary that they may rule the world.

Do you have a similar history with them?

 

[Meadbh]

I got started early: my first order was a limited edition book in 1994. In 2017 I have had 14 orders, more than half of which have been e-books. That’s been the pattern for the last few years, since I have had Prime. It’s very useful when something large is being delivered, like a golf cart.

As for drinking and Priming, I don’t. When I see an item that I may or may not want to buy, it goes into my Wish List for later review. Usually, I buy only after comparing the price and considering whether this is something I really need.

 

[Katsmeow]

In the early years, we bought physical books:

1998 - 4
1999 - 1
2000 - 10
2001 - 8
2002 - 8
2003 - 9
2004 - 3
2005 - 6
2006 - 0

In 2007, we started having a mix of books and other items:

2007 - 4
2008 - 4
2009 - 7
2010 - 34
2011 - 45
2012 - 30
2013 - 34
2014 - 26
2015 - 45
2016 - 98
2017 - 77

But, wait! Those were all physical items. What about digital orders (mostly Kindle books)? Those are shown separately from the above:

2009 - 45
2010 - 170
2011 - 397 (I believe this was the year we replaced a lot of our physical books with Kindle Books)
2012 - 158
2013 - 183
2014 - 109
2015 - 154
2016 - 131
2017 - 63

 

[dtbach]

I love shopping with Amazon Prime but if I can get it local, I do that now. Jeff B. has enough money already and I like having the money stay in the community.

 

[athena53]

Nope- I deliberately try to buy elsewhere to give other merchants a chance. I don't have Amazon Prime.

 

[braumeister]

Well, you made me look. I think it's neat that Amazon keeps a record of all your orders.

1996	2
1997	0
1998	0
1999	1
2000	4
2001	2
2002	6
2003	11
2004	15
2005	12
2006	15
2007	20
2008	31
2009	29
2010	36
2011	38
2012	39
2013	30
2014	51
2015	71
2016	97
2017	70

I started Prime in 2014, and I guess it shows.

It doesn't bother me a bit that Jeff Bezos is the richest person in the world. He earned it.

When I see an item that I may or may not want to buy, it goes into my Wish List for later review. Usually, I buy only after comparing the price and considering whether this is something I really need.

I do this too.

 

[aja8888]

Started with Amazon when it was an auction site.

Have Prime now, and order only certain items (dog food, small electronics, auto parts). Since they have been loosing things recently, and blame that on 3rd party vendors, I am getting disillusioned with Amazon. I am focusing more on other retailers and buying local.

They are getting sloppy and less customer oriented.

 

[Which Roger]

I haven't had any of the negative experiences that aja8888 mentions. Their shipping has been fast and reliable, and I get streaming video and music on top of all the buying benefits. Any one of these 3 would probably be worth the 99 bucks to me, and I'm getting all 3 for that price! Amazon is the first place I go to shop.

 

[bw5972]

My Amazon orders by year (hard goods, not digital)

2002 1
2003 0
2004 0
2005 0
2006 7
2007 18
2008 5
2009 17
2010 16
2011 33
2012 65
2013 87
2014 82
2015 71
2016 108
2017 80

 

[Jerry1]

When I shop, I shop for the best deal and consider all my needs. If I want it right away or if I want to see it before I buy it, I may pay a little bit more local. However, Prime or not, Amazon gets my business because they get me what I want at the best prices. There's just no way for a local business to stock all that Amazon can warehouse. Prime does help a bit, because getting something in two days is a bonus (that I pay for), but the cost/value equation usually drives me to Amazon.

To the OP, I do agree, that Prime (and getting something in two days), has made it a bit too easy to shop/buy. I'll need to work on my self restraint as I move into retirement. I'm not too bad, but that's like the dieter that says they don't eat too much. Guilty.

 

[Amethyst]

My walmart.com order list looks like everyone else's amazon list. I go through the befrugal.com site to get a few cents back on the dollar, and that site tracks the orders.

Hardly ever use amazon.

Edit to add: Walmart.com carries Bob's Red Mill cereal products, which go very fast in the Amethyst household.

 

[exnavynuke]

2010 11
2011 27
2012 29
2013 29
2014 72
2015 175
2016 138
2017 140

 

[TrvlBug]

Nope- I deliberately try to buy elsewhere to give other merchants a chance. I don't have Amazon Prime.

That's my philosophy too, but it's getting harder and harder. I trek out to wherever(s), they don't carry the item or the salesperson doesn't know where to locate it, then back home and onto Amazon. The other day was at Target where I just about had to pry the salesperson's cellphone out of his hands and he misdirected me to the location of the item. I looked some more, gave up, went home, ordered it on Amazon. I should post this on the pet peeves thread .

 

[rodi]

I was a little afraid to look.. I'm a heavy amazon user. It's so easy... Just this week I ordered 2 display port cables because older son had scavenged 2 monitors that were being thrown out at school. Sure I could have driven to Fryes or Best Buy... and probably would have paid more... not to mention time and money.

Here's my usage:

1999 - 1
2000 - 1
2001 - 0
2002 - 3
2003- 3
2004 - 4
2005 - 0
2006 - 2
2007 - 4
2008 - 8
2009 - 8
2010 - 5
2011 - 15
2012 - 34
2013 - 35
2014 - 62
2015 - 100
2016 - 105
2017 ytd - 100

The jump is probably a combination of getting prime AND when I retired (2014) and had more little projects to get stuff for.

But prime definitely increased my amazon shopping - great marketing on their part.

For those that argue they shop by price... so do I. And often Prime is cheaper when you factor in shipping (or even without considering shipping. Not always - yesterday I ordered something from Lowes because it was significantly cheaper than Prime.

 

[4legsgood]

I use Amazon Prime to purchase many things, stream videos, and some restaurant delivery. I consider it part of my plan for aging in place and want to support it.

 

[frayne]

82 orders YTD. I simply love Amazon and the ease to buy damn near anything and have it delivered to your door in a couple of days. Beats the hell out of following DW around the mall for hours on end. Their customer service and return policies are AAA IMHO.

 

[ziggy29]

When you live way out in the boonies and it's 50 miles to the nearest "city" and 80+ miles to the nearest metro area, it is a lifeline.

 

[FIREd]

Our only car has a very small trunk, so we rely on Amazon to deliver a lot of bulky items. My last order was for a fireplace insert.

 

[athena53]

That's my philosophy too, but it's getting harder and harder. I trek out to wherever(s), they don't carry the item or the salesperson doesn't know where to locate it, then back home and onto Amazon.

Yeah, I run into that but I rarely go to Amazon first. I wanted a platinum chain to hold DH's and my wedding bands (less likely to break than gold) and it's not something a local store would carry- got it off e-Bay. I went to 3 brick and mortar places looking for a new case for my iPhone 5 and they had every imaginable version for the 8 but none at all for the 5. Got an Otter case off e-Bay at a very nice price- I'm sure they bought a few gross from a store loading up on cases for more current versions. I'm running out of jolokia pepper powder that I bought at a specialty store 1,200 miles from here- nothing I'll find in a local grocery but plenty of small spice merchants on the Internet.

For larger items such as electronics and appliances- Costco (after comparing prices and factoring in the 2% Executive member rebate).

I am deliberately resisting Amazon Prime because I don't want to make Amazon my first "go-to" for everything. Competition is good.

 

[Another Reader]

Starting in 2006, the most orders in one year have been four. No orders in 2010 or 2011. Saving my pennies to buy distressed properties no doubt (or broke because I bought them). In 2016 and 2017, I have ordered three items so far. All three have been Instant Pots, one for the house, one as a gift, and a 3 qt for Arizona.

Apparently I bought an expensive set of Cuisinart cookware in November, 2007. Ordered it on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I don't have the cookware, so it must have been a gift. Scratching my head to remember if it was a Christmas or a wedding present and who it was for. Haven't come up with the answer yet.

ETA: I don't drink, so my buying resistance remains strong.

 

[W2R]

Here's our order count

2013- 3 orders
2014- 16
2015- 18
2016- 70 (hello Prime)
2017- 81 so far

Also took out Amazon credit card this year to save an additional 5% on everything.

Easy peasy... love their service, but it's a little scary that they may rule the world.

Do you have a similar history with them?

Yes! Here is my Amazon history since retirement:

2010 - 4
2011 - 17
2012 - 31
2013 - 46
2014 - 53
2015 - 43
2016 - 38
2017 - 35 (so far)

My perception has been that I am an extreme "Amazon junkie" and do a lot of recreational shopping there. I can tell that here on the ER Forum, I am among the pros when it comes to Amazon shopping.

I utterly adore Amazon Prime shipping, because to me the faster shipping means near instant gratification. Like you I have an Amazon Prime Visa card that gives me 5% back.

I don't buy everything I see there. Often I bookmark things (in my browser) that I might want to buy, wait a couple of weeks, and then either buy them or delete the bookmark.

 

[Meadbh]

I don't buy everything I see there. Often I bookmark things (in my browser) that I might want to buy, wait a couple of weeks, and then either buy them or delete the bookmark.

Funny, that is what I use the Wish List for.

 

[W2R]

Funny, that is what I use the Wish List for.

I just like to do it "my way" (like Frank Sinatra? ) I also keep subfolders called "Maybe later" (for those things I don't want now but just can't let go of yet), "Kindle books", and "Video games", and so on. That way if I want a video game but can't think of any good ones to get, I can just peek in there and see what I bookmarked. I also bookmark things there from other online stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

 

[Cobra9777]

I only shop locally for items I need right away... and of course fresh meat, seafood, and vegetables. It's difficult to understand how Amazon can beat the local price AND have it on my doorstep in 2 days. And the inventory is incredible. I was doing a woodworking project recently and needed a very specific size and style of decorative nail. Went to Home Depot, Lowes, and Ace. They all had the style but only in a few popular lengths. After wasting a lot of time and gas, went back home and got what I wanted for less on Amazon. They are quickly becoming my go-to for everything and I have no problem with that so long as the value proposition is so compelling. My "Saved for Later" list grows by the day but I do have some self control.

Here's my order history:

2008 - 4
2009 - 1
2010 - 0
2011 - 2
2012 - 1
2013 - 5
2014 - 14
2015 - 43
2016 - 79
2017 - 79 (YTD)

 

[Ready]

Is there a way to see the year by year totals all at once or do you have to pull up each year individually?