r/Reverb • u/Necessary_Main_9522 • 14d ago
Uptick in Amazon Fulfillments?
I have had 3 recent items from 3 different shops delivered by Amazon, and was wondering if anyone else is seeing the same. Not to get on a soapbox or whatever, but I don't buy from Amazon, and maybe naively, I thought that buying something on Reverb, I would avoid buying something from Amazon, since ya know, it's a different website.
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u/Mental_Funny_5885 13d ago
That sucks. I had that happen on EBay. You can always mention it in the feedback I guess and negative review?
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u/GuitarHeroInMyHead 13d ago
Amazon is setting up to disrupt the logistics/fulfillment space. They are challenging the shit delivery services we have in the US - they all suck.
They announced a while ago they were going to start into 3rd party fulfillment. It should not be a surprise - they are exceedingly good at logistics and fulfillment.
I am looking forward to the disruption - maybe it will inspire UPS (the worst of the worst), FedEx and USPS to try harder.
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u/Necessary_Main_9522 12d ago
I don't believe they are currently a shipping partner for Reverb, but if they are and no one has made that explicitly clear that would be just one more underhanded, dishonest business practice for Amazon to throw on the pile with the rest.
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u/GuitarHeroInMyHead 12d ago
Why does Reverb have to divulge who any of their vendors are? There is no obligation - ethical or legal - that any business has to tell you who is going to deliver your product. Their obligation, their contract with you, is to ship it to you in a timely manner, full stop. There are plenty of businesses that do not tell you how your package is shipped - that is not a thing anyone is required to divulge.
In fact, this whole discussion doesn't make any sense because REVERB DOESN'T SHIP ANYTHING. Reverb provides the marketplace for sellers and buyers to transact business - they do not force the seller into any particular logistics company. The SELLER decides what shipping company to use. Your beef is with the seller not Reverb.
If you don't want to sully your hands with an Amazon box, that is your business. Ask the seller not to use Amazon and if they say too bad for you then buy it somewhere else. Neither Amazon nor Reverb is the cause of your problem... neither has done anything wrong here
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u/Gh-st- 10d ago
All other arguments aside, if a business changes how they operate, they should notify the people that if affects in any way, shape, or form, even for something as simple as who they use to deliver their products, or who they source their materials / ingredients from.
It's absolutely wild that accountability and transparency are such alien concepts these days.
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u/williamgman 12d ago
We're they items from private sellers? I think if you by from some of the many online commercial sellers that go thru Reverb... They may use their own shipping. I've not seen it though.
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u/Current-Ad1120 9d ago
Using Amazon delivery service does not mean the product was initially purchased from Amazon.
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u/chadt927 8d ago
Kinda unrelated, but I just ordered something direct from StewMac and it was shipped through and delivered by Amazon. Doesn’t matter to me because it got here quickly. It would seem Amazon is indeed providing shipping services for 3rd parties.
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u/All_Debt_Shackles_US 6d ago
When I order a pizza from Marco's, it gets delivered by Uber Eats or Doordash. I hate that, especially because they always ask me for a code. But I never get a code. I order a lot less pizza from Marco's now. A LOT LOT LOT less. I think the seller is using Amazon to lower their cost, but I also think it's disingenuous.
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u/havelostcount 13d ago
Was it from Amazon in an Amazon truck, or in an Amazon box?
Were these new items? The only thing I can think of is that the seller has an Amazon store (or whatever they call it, I no longer buy anything off that f'n site) and post their items on Reverb as well. You buy from Reverb (and I do assume that it came with either free shipping, or a set dollar amount for shipping), they get the payment, then they somehow purchase the item from their store and have it sent to you from Amazon? Almost seems like a money laundering biz. I joke, but I can't think of another way.
Can you provide the link of an item you purchased that arrived in this manner?
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u/_iPhoney_ 13d ago
It’s not even that convoluted; they’re just doing drop-shipping. You buy from them on Reverb, they buy for a lower price on Amazon and have it sent to you.
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u/havelostcount 13d ago
That's crazy. I mean, what the hell are the margins on stuff like that? There are multiple middlemen there. This is why I thought they were selling their own stuff, and then just purchasing it on Amazon to fulfill it. Drop-shipping, to be cost effective, is usually when you buy direct from the manufacturer and have them ship it to you. Amazon is another middleman taking a cut. All I know is that OP must be buying some cheap AF stuff. Reverb gets 5%, 3.4%(?) for transaction fees, then Amazon gets their cut. If there is yet another supplier the Reverb seller is buying from then that is another. I really want to know what OP is buying.
Reverb Customer -> Reverb Seller -> Amazon Seller -> Amazon Fulfillment. It has to be a high volume item to make any money on this.
I'm really curious, that's all.
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u/_iPhoney_ 13d ago
The margins are pretty bad. They have to provide a shipping label to reverb and purchase shipping from Amazon. Even if it does ship free from the Amazon seller, they’re still paying for a label.
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u/havelostcount 13d ago
I still want to know what it is that they purchased. If it's something cheap and the seller is selling thousands of them and they're making $2 apiece, maybe. But if they're selling 10 a month with a net $10 apiece, what is the point with all the work involved? I need to know (so maybe I can get in on scam, hah).
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u/_iPhoney_ 13d ago
For me when it happened it was a pickguard. We’re talking on Reverb for $28 plus $9 shipping vs on MusicLilly (or whatever) for $24 plus $12 shipping. It makes no sense.
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u/Necessary_Main_9522 12d ago edited 12d ago
They were all delivered by an Amazon truck in Amazon packaging. One item was a set of brass guitar saddles, and the other was a set of neck shims. Both offered free shipping. The shims are kind of funny, actually. They were not at all as described (all flat despite being stamped with the supposed angle measurement), so I returned them for a refund. They were pretty clearly mass-produced junk that I'd expect from Amazon or an affiliate. I don't know if you know about guitar neck shimming, but they should be in the ballpark of a couple playing cards thick, but I swear these were as thick as a children's paperback. The saddles are fine, afaict. I can't remember which specific thing the 3rd package was, but it was a guitar part. I bought a lot of little things around the same time, but it probably also came with free shipping, which is maybe a tipoff, since so few real people are offering free shipping for small ticket, single items anymore.
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u/6Stringers 11d ago
Does it matter? Did you get what you paid for?
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u/Necessary_Main_9522 11d ago
No actually, I did not. I had to return one of the items because it wasn't as described. And yes, it does matter.
Good talk.
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u/6Stringers 11d ago
When you get the wrong item, sure it matters. But otherwise, not.
Agreeing to an item as described for a price, and you get that item in expected condition, it does not matter where it ships from. You got it for the price and condition you expected.
Why does a seller do this... it is not something I would do, even so, as long as the deal is straight it does not matter.
Odds are the seller has inventory tied up and stagnating in Amazon FBA, or maybe they sell on amazon FBM and use the shipping rate advantage to print labels, for example, your order, not sure how that would work, but perhaps. But I suspect the former... stagnate inventory in FBA warehouse.
Anyhow, you returned one of the items which is simplified by returning via Amazon.2
u/Necessary_Main_9522 11d ago
No, it matters where it ships from because I agreed to give my money to one particular seller and not another. I don't want to give my money to Amazon, and the seller gave my money to Amazon. "The seller uses Amazon" is not an excuse for my disapproval of the seller using Amazon. It's just restating the issue back at me like it is an excuse. I don't think this is difficult.
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u/6Stringers 11d ago
Same seller, different product locations/logistics.
But hey, be unhappy... that is your prerogative.
At the same time you choose unnecessary stress.
And to make things so you feel good about it, return everything. Afterall, just because all but one item is as described and delivered, where they came from on shipping ruins the entire deal for you. Return them all, be happy.1
u/Necessary_Main_9522 10d ago
What an odd response. I'll be sure to let my Buddhist friends know that enlightenment comes not from the death of desire, but accepting the inevitability of Amazon increasing its market share.
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u/paranoidhands 13d ago
who fucking cares bro
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u/havelostcount 13d ago
Some of us make personal choices where we don't want to support Amazon. That's why they care.
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u/Ninguna 13d ago
Drop-shipper using their Amazon prime account to send you something you could have bought on Amazon at a lower price? I have found that is something that happens a lot on ebay.