Ned W.

Costco has good products and reasonable prices, and they are decent to their workers, by most accounts. They are also responsive when you email them with a question.

I've had a few minor complaints over the 20 years I have used B&H, but overall they have been great. Prices are good, service has been fine. I had a defective Panasonic LX100 and they replaced it quickly without question. There is often free shipping, and no sales tax is collected for California customers, as it is with Amazon.

The company came to Lompoc, CA and drove many small businesses out, with their cheap foreign products. They also pay starvation wages. I just can't support them.

Bought a few appliances. Stove was defective. They said "We'll replace it but we have to charge your credit card briefly for a second one. It's just a formality. The charge will of course be removed as soon as the defective one is back in the store" (it was an exchange). You can guess the rest. Took two months of calling to get them to remove the second charge for a $2,000 stove. Left hand unaware of right hand, etc. Also, their Sears brand products don't have the decent quality they used to have. A shame. Was a good company.

Amazon was great. Now it is terrible.

A. They have become very sneaky, with a complicated order procedure that tries to trick you into signing up for Amazon Prime (my 91-year-old mother was a victim) by making the buttons for that bright orange, as if that is the default for ordering. The "free shipping" now is also obfuscated: It used to be at the top, now is in with "Free Shipping! - (if you get our credit card)". "Amazon Pantry" as well--what is that? Complicated. Sometimes I choose an item and it comes up in the cart that I ordered two (no, I didn't click twice). Sneaky. Don't like it at all. Used to be simple and quick.

B. Shipping is now much less reliable, time-wise. They have taken to using the post office, which does not re-deliver, and tracking delivery dates are no longer accurate a lot of the time.

C. Free shipping was $25 minimum order, then $35, now--apparently--$49.

D. Aren't so great to their employees, from what I understand. I always look for an alternative (B&H for electronics, for instance).

E. Amazon-shipped items still pretty reliable, but I have had increasing problems with outside store orders. Seems like they don't vet the stores so well anymore. I notice that many Amazon-affiliated stores are rated badly by Resellerratings.

F. Customer service is like communicating with robots (which may be what you are doing). Returns have been fine for me, however.

Amazon needs to take a page from Costco, which has held its quality--and continued to make a good profit--even though it is at the top in its field and treats its employees very well. I will avoid Amazon whenever possible.