Free Super Saver Shipping takes forever, why?

Shipping is never free. Merchants always adjust thier prices to allow
for shipping costs. Those who think they aren't paying Amazon some
sort of shipping premium even on items with supposed "free shipping"
have been fooled.

I placed an order on 8/22/09. I wasn't in a hurrry to receive it, so I
chose the 5-9 day free shipping option. I checked on my order
yesterday (8/30/09). My item is scheduled to ship between 9/25/09 and
10/15/09. WTF??? That's much longer than any reasonable person would
expect from 5-9 day shipping, even allowing a few days for actual
delivery. What's more, I can't change my shipping method now because
Amazon says it's being prepared for shipping. I'm not in a hurry to
get the thing, but I don't want to wait 1 to 2 months either. I refuse
to believe it takes Amazon that long to deliver a 10 lb package. Lag
time is deliberate.

I'm in the same boat with a $100+ order from Amazon - Super Saver 2+
weeks and still no delivery.

I will NEVER use Amazon again.

I mostly buy CDs and there are several alternatives to Amazon with
reasonable shipping charges AND lower prices.

Amazon needs to to be upfront about the black hole of Super Saver
Shipping.

I have also had a problem with super saver shipping. Amazon gave me a
delivery estimate of 5-9 business days. Apparently this is the time it
takes to ship the item FedEx to the US Post office. Once the US Post
Office receives it they have a 12-14 calendar day delivery time (from
the day they receive it). If you add the 12-14 calendar days to
Amazon's 5-9 business days, you get a total shipping time of up to 28
days. I think this is ridiculous. I would have never ordered fdrom
Amazon if they had given me a shipping estimate of 28 days. Amazon
should do a better job informing their customers up front about this
because I will NEVER buy anything else from Amazon eve if I have to
pay more for it.

Nothing is free! You are paying for shipping. Over all setting the
price as it is sometimes require buying more items therefore more
profits. Standard shipping is all that one ask. It appears as though
Amazon deliberately holds back shipping an item. I am currently on my
5th day waiting. And I must say I am frustrated. Yet if I bought this
same item in my local store I would most likely foot out an additional
20 bucks. So just the thought of that ease my frustration. But then
again if this is a ploy by which Amazon is scraping for every penny or
dollar on a sale, it's really not worth it in the long run because
next time I will choose another and avoid them. When you take my money
release it from your hands and send me what I paid for! Tha's not
unreasonable is it?

i ordered a lens and filter for my dslr camera from amazon. i placed
the order on dec 18 with super saver shipping and now, jan 4, neither
piece is shipped yet. heres what it says for the items:
Shipping estimate: January 15, 2009 - January 22, 2009
that is ludicrous... if i would have known they would take a MONTH to
ship my items, i would have just paid the extra ~$10!!!

I completely understand the frustration here. The only explanation
that makes sense is if they really have some special kind of
aggregated shipment like a previous poster suggested. The idea that
their shipping personnel are too busy packaging next day orders is
ludicrous. The frustrating part is being sent a shipment date that is
several days after the order, suggesting they are sitting on the order
as if to articificially slow down the process. The efficiency of a
modern warehouse these days could easily have any in-stock package
ready to go in under 24 hours. Many are automated by computers. They
should tell you this: "super-saver is free cause we know a guy that
will haul a truckload for us at a low flat rate, so we wait until will
can load that puppy to the top. Our estimated shipment is based on
being the first package in the load, 200 more and we'll have a full
truck to send on its way!"

No, he right the super saver SUCKS!!!! It's SOOOOOO slow!!!!

once again, i am somehow surprised by the lack of support from readers
here at Planet Feedback. No longer will i be.

The majority of responders to my letter have defended Amazon.com and
their free super saver shipping. Many state outright that i have no
warranted complaint.

Essentially, you are saying that the current speed for free shipping
Amazon offers does not need to get any faster. Do you really believe
Amazon cannot do any better??

wow.

my items have not yet shipped.

It's slow because it's free! If you want faster shipping, pay for
regular shipping.

That being said - I ordered 2 items from Amazon and selected
super-saver (same order). I think I received them both within a week.
They even shipped them separately when one wasn't available
immediately.

Here is another thought....

The items that you purchase, are they the more "popular" items or are
they items that have been out a few years and not as many people are
purchasing them?

I ask this because I work for a book distributor. Amazon.com gets
their inventory directly from other
distributors/publishers/manufacturers and a lot of times unless its a
"popular" item, Amazon might not have many on hand. If its out of
stock (which you might not see unless you opt for the faster shipping)
then they have to in turn send us an order for that particular item
which we would ship out. When all is said and done, by the time we
send out the item and Amazon's Distribution Center receives it, there
are the six days past. Don't quote me on it but Amazon might base
their inventory levels on previous sales and if they show they are not
moving an item as quickly as they would want, they will return (at
least in our case) the items.

What I would suggest you do (especially if its a book), is see who the
publisher is. Do a web search and see if they perhaps have the item
you are looking for. A lot of times there might be a web sale meaning
you would get a decent discount off the book. Once the you calculate
the time and the cost, you might find you save yourself more in the
long run.

Hope this helps!

of course it'll be slower shipping if its free and from amazon. What
do you expect??

It's 25.00 and up to get free Super Saver Shipping on amazon.com for
all eligible items.

It's slow because it's free. The customers who paid for faster
shipping get priority over you. If you want it faster, pay for the
shipping. (Which usually isn't too bad for regular ground shipping.)

I have purchased from amazon.com for years now and I ALWAYS use the
free shipping option. I will normally get them quickly, but sometimes
I don't. I don't complain because I didn't pay for any shipping.

I don't see a valid complaint.

I too get irritated with Amazon's sometimes turtle speed. When
ordering books, I prefer to use Barnes & Noble because:
-they also have free 3 day shipping in addition to the 3-8 day, which
generally is what Amazon's is.
-said free shipping is often overnight due to my proximity to NYC
-oh and I'm a B&N member so sometimes they beat Amazon's prices.

Check where there other distribution centers are, it may be an option
for you.

did you opt to have all your items shipped together?

Sometimes if some items are low stock and you are requesting
everything ship together for the free shipping, they have to wait on
ALL the items to be ready. You kind of have to decide what is more
important to you - not paying for shipping or getting your items
quickly. You can't get both.

And the Super Saver limit is ONLY $50 - 2 hardcover books can put you
past that! Its not like you are buying THOUSANDS of dollars to get the
free shipping.

As others have said, if you get it for free, you're kind of at their
mercy.

Like Leanne said -- because it's free! If you want faster shipping,
pay for the ground shipping charges. I don't know of other websites
as "big" as amazon that offer free shipping. I suppose they're out
there, though.

Lol, because it is free. They do this to deter you from using it.
Doesn't make much sense to complain about it after if you read how
long it would take and decided to use that method of shipping for that
one item. And just because it qualifies for Super Saver Shipping,
doesn't mean you have to use it. It gives you an option when you are
placing the order. So it is not like you were forced or anything.

my super saver items came quicker than my paid shipping market place
stuff. My husband hates Amazon, they make me buy too much stuff lol!

Sometimes they might not even have the item in the warehouse. Meaning,
maybe they are low stock or expecting a shipment. Sometimes, it takes
a few days for items that I've ordered (I've bought a lot off of
amazon.com) aren't available immediately.

Like the other posters have said, sometimes they like to put the
latest date on there; sort of worst case scenario type deal and
usually I get the item much earlier than what they said.

I love amazon.com. Maybe you should try sending this direct to them if
they don't respond through PFB. They have always responded quickly to
all of my comments/concerns that I've e-mail them.

Good luck.

First, some facts.

The "Super Saver" shipping method uses something called "UPS Mail
Innovation" (or similar service). It's a method whereby items that
are going to the same geographic area are "bundled." They don't ship
until they reach a certain amount (say 100 pounds). Then, the items
are shipped, but to ANOTHER place where they wait until they have
enough. Finally (eventually), it's sent to your area where it's
delivered. This method typically involves by UPS (or other shipping
carrier) and the US Postal Service.

It's free to you because it's a cheaper method for Amazon.

If you care about speed, then you are more than welcome to pay for one
of the many shipping options they have. If cost is more important
than speed, then take the free shipping.

As others have said, items frequently do arrive ahead of schedule.
But, if they don't, then you have no one to blame other than yourself.
Why? Because you chose the free shipping.

Shop elsewhere. Guess what? You'll either have to pay for shipping,
reach a higher dollar value to get free shipping, wait for a "sale,"
or the company will use the same slow service than Amazon does. You'd
be hard pressed to find anyone that will give you faster free
shipping, on a regular basis, and at Amazon's prices.

It may or may not take 6 days for them to start the process.

My guess, from having placed a lot of Super Saver Shipping orders
witih Amazon, is that they have a bunch of shipping options where they
may have to do something very fast with very little notice, and the
easiest way to balance things out and have enough people available to
work on shipping all the time without having a bunch of them hanging
around doing nothing during the slow times is to have shipping that
can be done when the overnight and 2-day shipping people aren't
ordering, whether that's this afternoon or the day after tomorrow. If
you place an order on a Thursday in January when there's no "Harry
Potter" book or insanely expensive ridiculously hyped gaming system
about to launch, you may find that you have your stuff within 6 days.
If you decide you absolutely have to have something right now and it's
two days before J.K. Rowling releases a book telling the events in the
Harry Potter series from Neville Longbottom's point of view, you're
going to want to pay for shipping.

If you want faster free shipping, you might want to look into whether
you're willing to pay for an Amazon Prime subscription. Two-day
shipping on most stuff you actually buy from Amazon is, if not free,
at least "free". (And depending on how much you buy and how fast you
want or need it, Prime can actually be a really good deal.)

It depends on which warehouse it's sent from. Amazon has many
warehouses. Most times, I get my super saver shipping items from the
one in Louisville, KY.

The last couple of orders have come from California.

When you make the choice to use super saver shipping, you agree to
however long it takes to process and ship out the item. If you don't
want to wait, then choose another method.

Super saver shipping is an economy option by definition, and it's
free.

We could pay much higher prices and get "free" overnight delivery, but
that defeats the whole idea of "free shipping".

The "level at which [free] shpping is reached" would increase to, say,
$250 or more, if they included expedited shipping. Are you willing to
accept that change to Amazon's policy?

M.G., you will more than likely get them faster. Amazon.com always
give a "worst case scenario" about shipping. Just like the previous
poster, I usually get my items before they say they will ship.

You could adopt a "wait and see" attitude before saying you will shop
elsewhere. I think you will suprised.

I've ordered from Amazon a few times and each time I was able to use
the free shipping and believe it or not I always had my items before
the original ship date. And that was even with items I ordered at
Christmas. I always had the items within a week of ordering them.. I
just ordered a few items this past Sunday using he free shipping..
They said they wouldn;t be shipped until about the 23rd, well guess
what, I got an email yesterday saying my items have been shipped which
means I should have them by Friday (Saturday at the latest), I guess
they say the reason they say a few extra days is so they can work on
the orders for those who actually pay for next day shipping first.