Amazon release-date delivery? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Kidd]

I currently have a late delivery from Amazon. It was supposed to have been delivered last Friday. I got the notification and a "We're working with the shipper to get things back on track." message with a "Check back after Friday if it's not here and we'll help.". Funny thing is, UPS shows all that's happened so far is a label got created. Their tracking shows they've never received the package from Amazon. This is the first thing in several years that I've had shipping issues causing a "late" delivery. Everything else has been shoddy packaging causing stuff to be damaged.

That means your package got lost in the Fulfillment Center, the label fell off, or the carrier simply didn't scan it. With the number of packages that go out of FC's on a daily basis, it happens. It's likely you'll never see that original package. There are exceptions and sometimes a package does show up, even if there's no tracking, which is why Amazon wants you to wait a certain number of days before they issue a replacement or refund.

 

[BobO'Link]

I currently have a late delivery from Amazon. It was supposed to have been delivered last Friday. I got the notification and a "We're working with the shipper to get things back on track." message with a "Check back after Friday if it's not here and we'll help.". Funny thing is, UPS shows all that's happened so far is a label got created. Their tracking shows they've never received the package from Amazon. This is the first thing in several years that I've had shipping issues causing a "late" delivery. Everything else has been shoddy packaging causing stuff to be damaged.

Interestingly, the package suddenly had tracking information this morning and is on its way. Based on the current location it should arrive Monday (UPS so MLK day shouldn't affect delivery), Tuesday at the latest

 

[Robert Crawford]

Interestingly, the package suddenly had tracking information this morning and is on its way. Based on the current location it should arrive Monday (UPS so MLK day shouldn't affect delivery), Tuesday at the latest

I wouldn't be too sure about that as UPS sometimes transfers small deliveries to USPS.

 

[BobO'Link]

I wouldn't be too sure about that as UPS sometimes transfers small deliveries to USPS.

This one is scheduled to be delivered by UPS. While it *could* be a USPS delivery it's rare, at least for me, for them to offload it unless it's specifically designated UPS Mail Innovations. Even with those I have a 50/50 shot of UPS delivering it themselves. I'd rather it come USPS as I have fewer issues with package/product condition with them delivering.

 

[Sam Favate]

So it was all for nothing - the phone call to Amazon, the worrying about release dates, etc. First Man in 4k was delivered today.

I still don't understand why Amazon defaulted to a release date of 1/30.

 

[Robert Crawford]

So it was all for nothing - the phone call to Amazon, the worrying about release dates, etc. First Man in 4k was delivered today.

I still don't understand why Amazon defaulted to a release date of 1/30.

Because they try to be conservative in their estimates while most of the time they actually beat those estimated delivery dates. It's happened to me so often I've lost track.

 

[Sam Favate]

I've noticed a trend in the last couple of months. Amazon now routinely delivers blu-rays about two days after release date. At least four of my recent orders have been scheduled for delivery two days after release.

Anyone else notice this?

Just another step down for Amazon's service, which I think is getting worse all the time. I'm pretty fearful of the lousy service that happens every holiday season. What are we paying for again?

 

[Johnny Angell]

I've noticed a trend in the last couple of months. Amazon now routinely delivers blu-rays about two days after release date. At least four of my recent orders have been scheduled for delivery two days after release.

Anyone else notice this?

Just another step down for Amazon's service, which I think is getting worse all the time. I'm pretty fearful of the lousy service that happens every holiday season. What are we paying for again?

Maybe people like me are part of the problem. I wouldn’t notice if the disc arrived late and many times I select the slow boat from china shipping to get the $1 credit.

 

[Mark-P]

Maybe people like me are part of the problem. I wouldn’t notice if the disc arrived late and many times I select the slow boat from china shipping to get the $1 credit.

Me too. Compared to all the other places I order stuff from, Amazon is always the quickest. But I really don't obsess over whether or not it is delivered on the exact date promised.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Maybe people like me are part of the problem. I wouldn’t notice if the disc arrived late and many times I select the slow boat from china shipping to get the $1 credit.

Same here. I rarely care if a disc gets delivered by release date, as I almost never watch a new disc immediately. I use the "no rush" shipping option most of the time, earning digital credits for movie rentals or Kindle book purchases.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Never a problem unless I'm ordering something from Warner Archives or one of their tv show mods. I'll usually get it about a month after release date. Still waiting on "Veronica Mars" for example, when in fact I pre-ordered it the day it was made available and the thing officially came out on Oct 22. My cart says it will be delivered "before Dec. 3." That's the last time for me. From now on I order or pre-order directly from WBShop.

The only other problem is their endless feud with Disney. I've totally given up pre-ordering any Disney titles from them. I'll hunt down exclusive editions from Best Buy and Target. I'll get my blu-rays. Nobody's losing here except Amazon.

 

[David Norman]

Never a problem unless I'm ordering something from Warner Archives or one of their tv show mods. I'll usually get it about a month after release date. Still waiting on "Veronica Mars" for example, when in fact I pre-ordered it the day it was made available and the thing officially came out on Oct 22. My cart says it will be delivered "before Dec. 3." That's the last time for me. From now on I order or pre-order directly from WBShop.

The only other problem is their endless feud with Disney. I've totally given up pre-ordering any Disney titles from them. I'll hunt down exclusive editions from Best Buy and Target. I'll get my blu-rays. Nobody's losing here except Amazon.

1) I'd also add the Universal and Sony MOD items -- the worst one was the Stan and Ollie release, but most of the others tend to run the same pattern as WAC. Not surprising since those are all Allied Vaughn distributed/produced titles.

2) I don't think I'll ever understand the "if not Amazon, then WBShop." While WbShop is more reliable than amazon (not hard to better than the worst), but why jump to by far the most expensive retailer who aren't that much better than most of the other nonAmazon options. $16-23 shipped from BestBuy or Bullmoose or B&N or DeepDiscount or Allied Vaughn's Direct outlet MovieZyng (or 4-5 other sources) vs $29+ tax for a single normal release at WBShop. Unless of course you're waiting for a 4/44 sale

 

[RICK BOND]

Amazon has Not been Reliable of late. Especially with WB Archive titles ! I pre ordered Days of Wine and Roses in Mid September and the other day I get a Email from them telling me ...Out of Stock !? I had to order from a reliable seller on ebay that I have used in the past because of Amazon telling me the last minute .. Out of Stock ! : (

 

[Ryan Barrett]

Amazon has Not been Reliable of late. Especially with WB Archive titles ! I pre ordered Days of Wine and Roses in Mid September and the other day I get a Email from them telling me ...Out of Stock !? I had to order from a reliable seller on ebay that I have used in the past because of Amazon telling me the last minute .. Out of Stock ! : (

For what it's worth - I waited with bated breath till the recent release of THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS popped up for pre-order. The second I saw it was live, I pre-ordered both it and FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE. Release day came and went, and I received the message - will ship between November and January...I cancelled, ordered through Best Buy, my order for both arrived 2 days later.

I'm a very patient individual, but I was extremely frustrated by this...I don't know if Amazon is totally to blame or if Warner Brothers didn't press enough of either title to meet demand. I almost get into the mind set of, why have a release date at all. I know for a fact that the pre-orders I have for 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND and THE WHOLE NINE YARDS won't be available on release day...again, possibly due to when Sony presses the disc(s).

 

[David Norman]

F..I don't know if Amazon is totally to blame or if Warner Brothers didn't press enough of either title to meet demand. I almost get into the mind set of, why have a release date at all. I know for a fact that the pre-orders I have for 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND and THE WHOLE NINE YARDS won't be available on release day...again, possibly due to when Sony presses the disc(s).

A shortage that only affects Amazon for months despite all other retailers including tiny independents like Bullmoose getting,shipping, and restocking the same products that Amazon is wks to months late with. While Amazon may be the single largest seller, they certainly are not head and shoulders more than the ALLIANCE group of retailers -- I;m honestly not convinced that Amazon even outsells ALLIANCE as a group since they handle most stock for B&N, DeepDiscount (and the sisters), most of BBY Media, a large part of Walmart, FYE/TCM and a ton of other smaller retailers. I'm not 100% sure who WbShop gets their discs from - ?? Directly from Allied Vaughn or via ALLIANCE since I know most non-WAC media from WB comes via Alliance. It does appear WBShop ships their own WAC instead of farming it out of the ALLIANCE Kentucky Warehouse.

Even Target which seems 100% supplied by the much smaller Ingram tends to get things out in a reasonable time though my Fearless Vampire Killers was a couple weeks late, but for $12 I'm not unhappy. Family Video is also sourced by Ingram


The stranger thing is I'm 95% sure Amazon sources a lot of their Physical Media from Alliance, but ships out of their own Warehouses. The main ALLIANCE Warehouse in Shepherdsville, KY literally is within eyesight if not adjacent to both Amazon and Best Buy loading docks so I'm sure they are all interlinked somehow. Basically it means that Amazon should have an easy source of discs from WAC (Sony MOD, etc), but some sort of contract issue/dispute is preventing them from getting those discs. Is Warner blocking Amazon specifically from getting those discs but not most other Warner product, is Amazon actively rejecting those discs, or my favorite conspiracy theory of all time is that Amazon actually is hording their supply of Allied-Vaughn product and intentionally not selling it to prevent Warner/A-V from getting sales from already produced product in some sort of financial power play to wring more $$/control/?? concessions from Warner again.

 

[BobO'Link]

Maybe people like me are part of the problem. I wouldn’t notice if the disc arrived late and many times I select the slow boat from china shipping to get the $1 credit.

I actually get annoyed when they give me a "free shipping upgrade" on an item I've selected "slow boat shipping" as it's not clear if you still get that little extra (and I've never remembered to check and see once one of those items does ship).

I *never* order something for "release day" shipping. It's highly unlikely I'd watch it that day (too much back log) and frequently goes on sale for much less than I paid before I get around to it anyway.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

My release date pre-order of 'Hobbes and Shaw' is not expected until Thursday. Not a Disney or Warner release, so seems to just be general Amazon wankery.

 

[Malcolm R]

I don't so much care about speed of delivery most of the time, but I do find it annoying when Amazon promises something they then don't fulfill, such as Sunday delivery.

I've had a couple orders recently that they've promised will be delivered on Sunday. The mailing labels even indicate "Sunday Delivery" on them, but the local carriers do not deliver them until Monday.

Unless they can guarantee that the local carrier will deliver on Sunday, they shouldn't make such promises. Just say it will be delivered on Monday.