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+--- Thread: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics (/showthread.php?tid=19667)
Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - terracore - 05-25-2018
With the possibility of bad air being constantly in our forecast I wanted to get an air conditioner so that if we had to close all our doors and windows we wouldn't also have to battle heat exhaustion.
At first I wanted a portable air conditioner- one that I could move from room to room (they use tubes to hook up to the outside). This paragraph only serves as a warning. They are incredibly energy inefficient. Air conditioners have an "energy efficiency rating" (EER) that compare their energy consumption to the BTUs they deliver. The portable units had EERs between 2-3. A crappy window A/C was around 10, 11 was the norm, and "energy star" was about 12.2. (higher numbers are better) Portable air conditioners I researched used between 940-1200 watts to deliver the same cooling capacity as a cheap window unit burning 360-700 watts. Also, the portable units cost at least twice as much. If you are looking to move a portable air conditioner between two rooms, it's actually cheaper to buy two window units in the upfront cost, and in the ongoing cost you'll save money forever, even if you frequently run them both at the same time.
I checked out Home Depot and Walmart for air conditioners today. I wasn't impressed, so I went home and looked at Amazon and found a model I was interested in. Since I have Prime, ordering an appliance is usually a PASS/FAIL situation. Either they let you order to be shipped to Hawaii, or they do not. They let me order it, but instead of free prime shipping, I had to select between two different shipping charges (I think Expedited or Express). Around $25 and $31 for 6 or 7 day delivery.
I got on the amazon chat and inquired. The first time they offered no explanation but told me to place the order, give them the order number, and that they would waive the shipping charges. But while chatting I was getting buyers remorse on the unit I selected and decided I wasn't ready to order yet, so I thanked them and left the chat. I eventually found a different unit I wanted that looked like my solar array would run it and.... same problem. "Choose your Prime shipping options." No free options. Back to the chat I went.
On the next chat agent I inquired more specifically why this was happening and it explained that my zip code had no "standard" shipping cost available so I had to choose between Expedited or Express, but to place the order and that they would try to take the shipping cost off, but that there was no guarantee, but they could cancel it if I wasn't okay with the shipping cost. I placed the order and they were able to remove the shipping cost.
Amazon prime cost just went up from $99 to $119. What I gathered from my experience today is that free prime shipping to Hawaii is 1) either coming to an end or will have limitations or 2) some things that they would never ship to Hawaii they will if you pay a shipping cost. I'm hoping it's the latter.
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 05-25-2018
my zip code had no "standard" shipping cost available
If Amazon was intending to use FedEx to ship the AC unit, this might have affected the charges:
FedEx has multiple methods of shipping available, but let's simplify and use the three basic types:
2 Day
Standard Overnight
Priority
Large shippers receive discounts from FedEx based on volume and the types of shipping they are most likely to use. In the case of mainland to Big Island shipping, FedEx does not include Standard Overnight as a shipping option to any location on the Big Island. If Amazon normally would ship Standard Overnight to most locations as their Free Shipping option, when they put in your zip code it will show it's not available. Your order will then only display the higher cost shipping option, and not the free option.
Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - terracore - 05-25-2018
Amazon uses a variety of vendors- USPS, Parcelpool, FedEx, FedEx Ground, UPS, etc.
None of that is relevant to the end-user when Prime membership advertises that it provides free shipping, and the Prime checkout screen only offers paid-delivery options.
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 05-25-2018
None of that is relevant to the end-user
Amazon probably has an algorithm which chooses the shipping method for a particular order, that is, your order is not reviewed by a human taking time to decide between all of the methods and options you mentioned. If the algorithmic assigns FedEx to ship your order, it will also determine Standard Overnight is not an available option to a Big Island zip code, and will show you the paid shipping method as the only one available.
Amazon has robots in their warehouses, they use algorithms to make recommendations based on your past purchases, and likely algorithms to choose the most economically efficient way to ship an order, so they can afford a (generally) free shipping policy. Humans cost money.
Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - terracore - 05-25-2018
Agreed, but the spectators won't get any entertainment if we don't debate something. There must be something here we can pick apart?
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - TomK - 05-25-2018
Well, I was actually interested in the A/C units you were looking at on Amazon, terracore, but how about we argue about delivery times instead?
PS. How about this? I ordered the OTA antenna you recommended some time ago from Amazon. I use it as an indoor antenna and it works well, but falls over when there's an earthquake, and Amazon never told me of this problem. Not sure I can trust your opinion these days.
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 05-25-2018
TomK -
Speaking of delivery times, Amazon has a new feature that allows you track your box once it's loaded on the delivery van, and is within 10 stops of your drop off. They claim it's nationwide, but whether we residents of the Lava Zone are included, we'll have to see:
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-find-out-how-many-stops-away-your-amazon-deliver-1826291276
PS - my TV antennas seem to be earthquake proof as they survived in an upright position. Let me know when you're ready to upgrade to a premium high quality model, and I'll post the manufacturer and model number.
Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - terracore - 05-25-2018
"Well, I was actually interested in the A/C units you were looking at on Amazon, terracore, but how about we argue about delivery times instead?
PS. How about this? I ordered the OTA antenna you recommended some time ago from Amazon. I use it as an indoor antenna and it works well, but falls over when there's an earthquake, and Amazon never told me of this problem. Not sure I can trust your opinion these days."
I don't know, county regulations? Kalakoa?
ETA: post stepped
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - TomK - 05-25-2018
terracore didn't say which A/C models he looked at on Amazon, so think he should be banned from punatalk.
RE: Air conditioners and Amazon - 3 un/related topics - HereOnThePrimalEdge - 05-25-2018
terracore didn't say which A/C models he looked at
That's true!
What if he didn't actually look at AC units at all? He might have wanted to impress us as if he's some savvy cool guy Puna 1%er ($20,000+ yearly income) shopping for high end appliances, when for all we know he was scrolling through shoe glue or 500 yard rolls of duct tape, like the rest of us. What proof do we have?
Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index