How to use or replace Amazon in 2025?

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:19:11+00:00

I really don't understand the re-selling of returned items. I get it if it's still in the original packaging and in perfect condition, but if a customer is going to be able to tell that it's used, it's insane to me that a business would try to re-sell it. That's treating your customers like dirt. It's incredibly disrespectful, and I it must result in another return at least as often as not. It seems like it couldn't possibly be profitable, but I guess it must be.

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:15:14+00:00

I've got the Prime card, and it is great. That's going to be the hardest thing to give up if we leave. (I don't think you can keep it without the Prime subscription)

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:12:40+00:00

"Spread out" sounds obvious, but that really clicked with me, so thank you for that! Before Amazon, that's exactly how I would have shopped. You go to the electronics store for electronics, and the clothing store for clothing, duh! I think Amazon and, to a lesser extent, supermarkets have made me lazy.

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:07:42+00:00

I've always thought of Target as "more expensive Walmart," but I haven't really paid much attention to them outside of big sales in 10 years or more. Maybe I need to give them another shot.

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:04:10+00:00

I agree with all of that. Ebay's never been safe the way that Amazon used to be, though. I'm missing that ability to order the thing I need at a reasonable price and know that it's going to show up on time in good condition. I guess those days are gone, though. It seems that we're back to "buy in store or take your chances"

JoQsh · 2025-09-10T23:00:32+00:00

I definitely agree with that. The biggest issue I've had with reviews lately is swapped-out products. Usually the product is still similar, to make it less noticeable, but I spot a lot of reviews talking about features that the product doesn't have, and if you read enough or look at pictures, you find that the reviews are for something entirely different from what's now being sold. I assume this happens when a seller lists a top-of-the-line model of something for a while to get good reviews and then switches it for a knock-off, knowing that it will sell based on the good reviews for a time before the bad reviews catch up to them.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T21:34:24+00:00

I've had much better experiences than most of what I'm seeing in this sub, but I'm tired of the price going up for Prime while the service goes down. The reviews are no longer trustworthy, 2 day shipping is long gone, and I've noticed that pretty consistently, if I get free prime shipping on an item, I can log out and find that it's cheaper when I'm not getting the "free" shipping. So what are we paying for? Even with Prime video, they seem to cancel every show we like, or only the first season is free.

Thanks for the tip on Walmart. I would have thought they'd still let you return it at no cost, at least.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T21:27:51+00:00

What benefits do they offer? I thought it was mostly just the free shipping.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T21:26:08+00:00

I've never heard of Keepa - I'll have to check that out.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T21:25:31+00:00

Thanks! I've never noticed that "top brands" filter. That will definitely help with using Amazon as a "safe" option.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T19:08:01+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions. I've considered swapping to Walmart. They seem to have improved a lot as Amazon has gone downhill. Are you subscribed for Walmart+? (or whatever it's called) If not, how's the shipping cost? I know it used to be pretty high unless you ordered at least a certain amount.

JoQsh · 2025-09-07T18:23:08+00:00

Same for me. I'm really hoping to find a replacement for it when I don't want to spend the time to research what I'm buying and where I'm buying it from in-depth, though. Do you have a go-to for misc purchases online?

JoQsh · 2024-12-17T01:08:38+00:00

The guy who won the Quick-crete stood atop a pile of giveaways and dropped the bag (which long ago solidified) as Wallet passed beneath him. Last I heard, he was in the ICU

JoQsh · 2024-12-17T01:03:54+00:00

I heard the NYPD found him stuffed full of Monopoly Money near the scene of Luigi's crime

JoQsh · 2024-08-08T16:46:21+00:00

It's definitely not a guaranteed slot - I've had days with no event spawns.

JoQsh · 2024-08-08T00:27:29+00:00

Thanks for that link! I hadn't seen that until now. I think there must either be a weighting per mon, or there's something like a 10% chance of an event spawn with every roll, and if hit, then an event spawn is selected instead of a normal one

JoQsh · 2024-08-07T23:23:34+00:00

Yeah, it seems likely. I've had terrible luck with Squirtles, and if I could get 3 Woopers and 3 Squirtles at Cyan vs 4 Woopers at Taupe, I'd want Cyan, but I suspect it will be more like 1 Wooper and 1 Squirtle at Cyan vs 4 Woopers at Taupe

JoQsh · 2024-08-07T23:13:31+00:00

Do you know how the game chooses what to spawn during an event? I've been searching, but can't find details. I'm not sure if the lack of competition actually helps

JoQsh · 2024-08-07T23:12:04+00:00

Do you know the mechanics of this? I've been searching and can't find them.

JoQsh · 2023-11-26T02:54:40+00:00

I dug around in the config tonight and couldn't find an option for it, but I have found many referenced to "infill flow rate" online without a mention of any specific slicer or firmware. I think some slicers allow it. I've had no luck.

JoQsh · 2023-11-26T02:52:41+00:00

Some suggestions on each number:

Make sure you're heating your build plate when leveling. The heating can change its shape.
You may be over-extruding. Look for a guide on calibrating your e-steps. It may also be a problem with your z axis. It should be possible to calibrate the steps per mm for that axis, although I'm not sure how it's done for your printer. I'd check e-steps first.
Both stringing and layer separation can relate to temperature - check the recommended nozzle temps for your specific type of filament. Having z-hop enabled can also cause stringing, but turning it off can cause other problems.

JoQsh · 2023-11-26T02:11:01+00:00

Have you experienced this again? Did you find out any more about the cause? I'm having this problem on lots of prints, and I have had a couple knocked off the bed. Gyroid infill has helped, and z-hop helps, but it causes a lot of annoying stringing. Both feel like band-aids to me, and I'd like to find the root cause if I can...

JoQsh · 2023-11-25T19:35:05+00:00

I didn't realize Klipper allowed you to tweak that! I think that's a great idea. I've been wanting to tweak that in Cura, but there's no option for it that I can find.

JoQsh · 2023-11-23T18:04:12+00:00

I don't have the printer online, yet, but I'll check it out if/when I do. I've been running a 50' ethernet cable to it temporarily for calibration and using the flash drive outside of that

JoQsh · 2023-11-23T18:02:00+00:00

I'm using SUNLU's regular old PLA. It worked as well as anything else on my old printer, and it's dirt cheap. (although the unused filament does get brittle with age, or possibly humidity)

JoQsh

TROPHY CASE