Anyone else finding buying on Amazon frustrating these days? - Halloween

[MelissaG]

It being Prime Day, I figured I'd go check out Amazon to buy toy toppers for the bath bombs I have planned to sell to the kids for Halloween and OMG the reviews are bad. Even if the negative reviews are maybe 2% of the total reviews, the ones that are there are really really horrifying. Like mold growing on the toys horrifying. I'm scared to order from them. Checked Walmart, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Family Dollar and none of them have anything resembling something I'd be willing to sell, it's all creepy critters. Not sure what to do. Should I just wait until August or something when they hopefully come out with more? Apparently Amazon is a bust.

 

[AliOop]

I can't remember now, but it might have been @cmzaha who found some things like that on Temu. I've only ordered from them once, with mixed results as to quality - but nothing with mold.

 

[paradisi]

One of the known problems on amazon is the gaming of reviews both by sellers and by competitors.

I despise amazon but the reviews may deserve inspection.

How are the reviews on other things from those sellers?

Or maybe buy from a local store?

So much of the cheap goods via amazon and temu come from sketchy sources ethically.

 

[MelissaG]

One of the known problems on amazon is the gaming of reviews both by sellers and by competitors.

I despise amazon but the reviews may deserve inspection.

How are the reviews on other things from those sellers?

Or maybe buy from a local store?

So much of the cheap goods via amazon and temu come from sketchy sources ethically.

I'd love to buy local. Doesn't seem like anywhere has what I want. If they do, I have to order them in. I HATE shopping in and around New Orleans. This area doesn't have what most of the rest of the country does and I don't really know why.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Have you searched Oriental Trading Company? I just found some cute glow in the dark rubber duckies. Would they work? Searched for Halloween toys.

Edited to add mini+halloween+toys search link at OTC.

 

[MelissaG]

Have you searched Oriental Trading Company? I just found some cute glow in the dark rubber duckies. Would they work? Searched for Halloween toys.

Edited to add mini+halloween+toys search link at OTC.

Just pulled them up. I will have to look after I get back from doordashing tonight but they look promising. Not to mention good prices, and adorable product.

 

[Booker]

My last run-in with Amazon was with an ice cream maker that never got sent and this was in May. At least they credited my account. Been a bit leery since.

I was going to suggest Oriental Trading company too, very fun to look at!

Good luck, Halloween is my favorite holiday!

 

[MelissaG]

My last run-in with Amazon was with an ice cream maker that never got sent and this was in May. At least they credited my account. Been a bit leery since.

I was going to suggest Oriental Trading company too, very fun to look at!

Good luck, Halloween is my favorite holiday!

Yeah, its ever since COVID. Reviews have gotten so bad on Amazon.

I LOVE Halloween. Such really good memories of it. It's a toss up for Christmas and Halloween to me.

 

[katili]

Something for sure has changed with Amazon over time, I'm finding everything even worse since January. I order a lot on Amazon and have been getting "new" items that have clearly been used, it's horrid. They tried to give me a hard time about a return cause of that, ugh. I know Temu has it's own concerns but at least their stuff has always arrived in the condition I expect.

 

[olivia322]

Do you guys on actually buying stuff in July for Hallowen? Or just planning it out?

 

[MelissaG]

Do you guys on actually buying stuff in July for Hallowen? Or just planning it out?

Yes. I'm just waiting for one more thing for my bath bombs. I ordered two things from Amazon. The rest, I purchased elsewhere. I've gotten to the point where I trust buying online less than I did even a few years ago.

 

[MomInWA]

Do you guys on actually buying stuff in July for Hallowen? Or just planning it out?

@olivia322 My daughter is a fan of all things spooky or ethereal. She loves Celtic or mythology. I went over to her house the other day and she had all Halloween dish towels in her kitchen! When she was a little girl we had a joke. Let’s replace Thanksgiving and Christmas and have three halloweens! Because she likes it so much. She’s very cute about it, happy little spooky ghosties. To each their own I suppose! Also I notice if you want the good decorations you have to buy them early, before they sell out. For any holiday. Speaking as a religious Home Goods shopper.

 

[MomInWA]

Anyway, about Amazon. I’ve noticed they sell so much cheap junk now. They all look the same, but have different names like “Lilijoop” or whatever. Random. For a while, we used to order groceries from Whole Foods for home delivery. But they replaced well known brands with these random ones and you never know what you’ll actually get. They say they’re out of something, here’s a similar replacement. I went back to doing my own shopping at our local store.

 

[MelissaG]

Yes. I'm just waiting for one more thing for my bath bombs. I ordered two things from Amazon. The rest, I purchased elsewhere. I've gotten to the point where I trust buying online less than I did even a few years ago.

Anyway, about Amazon. I’ve noticed they sell so much cheap junk now. They all look the same, but have different names like “Lilijoop” or whatever. Random. For a while, we used to order groceries from Whole Foods for home delivery. But they replaced well known brands with these random ones and you never know what you’ll actually get. They say they’re out of something, here’s a similar replacement. I went back to doing my own shopping at our local store.

With the shipping costs, I've started buying as much locally as I can.

 

[Ford]

I hear you about used items. Round molds purchased. Smelled of fragrance, with noticeable water spots from the dishwasher.

 

[Dee Jones]

Yes. I'm just waiting for one more thing for my bath bombs. I ordered two things from Amazon. The rest, I purchased elsewhere. I've gotten to the point where I trust buying online less than I did even a few years ago.

Of course. All crafters do.

 

[Becky1024]

Anyway, about Amazon. I’ve noticed they sell so much cheap junk now. They all look the same, but have different names like “Lilijoop” or whatever. Random. For a while, we used to order groceries from Whole Foods for home delivery. But they replaced well known brands with these random ones and you never know what you’ll actually get. They say they’re out of something, here’s a similar replacement. I went back to doing my own shopping at our local store.

I’ve noticed the same thing for the past year or so. Have had to return some things and I never did that before.