Has Amazon Prime Restricted Shipping to Northern NSW?

tanksinatra on 13/10/2024 - 22:12
Last edited 14/10/2024 - 08:58 by 1 other user

As a Amazon Prime subscriber I've been using Prime for years and recently I've noticed that many of the food specials are listed as 'currently unavailable'.

Previously ordered lots of stuff without a problem. Pretty much any address I've tried south of 2488 has this problem (i.e. Pottsville, Byron bay, Ballina etc).

I contacted Amazon support about this, but they only advise that item is 'out of stock' (it's not) and they refused to comment on whether or not their service areas have changed (they clearly have).

Anyone else run into this problem?

I'm feeling a bit misled by Amazon. I recently renewed my Prime membership and expected Amazon to continue servicing my area, but it seems they have been covertly reducing their delivery coverage. I'm planning on cancelling my Prime membership and asking for a refund citing services not delivered.

Would that be reasonable?

Thanks

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Comments

  • Hybroid on 13/10/2024 - 22:18

    It might help to post links to some of these items for others to check if they're available to them (or just change address to 2000).

  • tryonthis on 13/10/2024 - 22:26
    +1

    I've also run into the same problem in regional Western Vic. I've noticed most subscriber items no longer ship to my address, as well as random items such as board games etc. Bit of a bummer tbh.

  • TooSerious2 on 13/10/2024 - 22:51
    +1

    Same in rural qld. Products are in stock if i use a city address

  • morse on 14/10/2024 - 03:18
    +1

    They probably don’t have enough drivers servicing that area but don’t want to admit it as it damages their brand.

    • bohn on 14/10/2024 - 10:46

      in my area it's not about not having enough drivers, they've changed the courier contracts - all my packages (that I can get shipped) come via CODExpress which they never used to.

  • geekcohen on 14/10/2024 - 05:40
    +2

    The same goes for regional VIC; some items might only be "Metro." I end up getting it delivered to my sister and then collecting it from her. A bit of a pain but it works.

    • HamBoi69 on 14/10/2024 - 06:57

      Links to products?

      • geekcohen on 14/10/2024 - 07:43

        Don't have any handy at the moment. Most things I can get, it might be the odd thing I cannot.

        • HamBoi69 on 14/10/2024 - 07:56

          What courier do they normally ship with?

          • geekcohen on 14/10/2024 - 11:37

            @HamBoi69: Can be a mixture of Australia Post or CodExpress (used to be Global Express/Toll).

      • bohn on 14/10/2024 - 10:48

        https://www.amazon.com.au/Viva-Paper-Towel-White-Pack/dp/B07…

        one example
        ships to metro right now, not to me.

        Same goes for quilton toilet paper, dynamo 3.8L etc

        Amazon says I have bought viva paper towels 20 times - now can never buy it.

        Everything used to come via AusPost/Toll - now what does come comes via CODExpress

        • HamBoi69 on 14/10/2024 - 11:18

          CODExpress is Amazon's own logistics business. Hence why, they offer shipping to limited areas.

          • bohn on 14/10/2024 - 11:22

            @HamBoi69: yeah, never had one from them in the year or two I have had prime though. Always AusPost/Toll
            They've changed things up a bit and shafted many it seems

    • Payne on 14/10/2024 - 09:55
      +1

      Exactly the same scenario here. I guess Amazon are starting to figure out which things they don't make (enough) money on because shipping is too expensive to certain areas.

      I've also seen the price change on certain items depending on the delivery location. For example, play around with the postcode on this (https://www.amazon.com.au/TP-Link-Wireless-Low-Profile-Inclu…) and watch the price change.

      Makes sense I guess. They're in it for the profit like we're in it for the bargain.

      • bohn on 14/10/2024 - 10:50
        +1

        that's interesting
        not sure I had seen that before.

        luckily I have 28deg price protection… but I shouldn't need to do that ;)

  • mckaul on 14/10/2024 - 08:57
    +1

    I encountered this the other day, my in-laws (2483) have prime so I often get them to buy things for me. These were nappies & wipes, showing available to me near the border but unavailable to them.

  • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 09:32
    -3

    Has Amazon Prime Restricted Shipping to Northern NSW?

    Are you surprised? Shipping is costly.

    • tanksinatra on 14/10/2024 - 09:53

      This wasn't a problem in the past. What's changed?
      I'm not exactly rural either, there's an Amazon locker just a few kilometres away.

      I subscribed to Amazon Prime to have this delivery service. It seems like Amazon have reduced their service area without telling me while continuing to bill me for Prime.

      • Fayble1212 on 14/10/2024 - 10:08

        In Sydney, Amazon Prime have started rolling out their own "Prime" vehicle and drivers (similar to the US). I imagine this may be part of their on-going roll-out of the service that they'll restrict their Flex service (Uber of Amazon deliveries) and just start employing directly.

        It costs Amazon $180-$220 per block of Amazon Flex, so employing full-time is much more profitable.

        Therefore, minimalising their service offering.

        • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 10:41

          It costs Amazon $180-$220 per block of Amazon Flex, so employing full-time is much more profitable.

          I'm not sure how employing their own full time works would be cheaper.

          A block is 3 hours, so lets assume 3 blocks equals a FT worker, so a Flex worker would be paid <$700 for this, but that includes all wages, insurances, running costs of the flex worker supplied vehicle.

          Can't see Amazon putting a Prime delivery van on the road for 9 hours a day for under $700/day.

          • Fayble1212 on 14/10/2024 - 11:59

            @JimmyF: All vehicles, insurances, maintenance, wages, are all business expenses.

            They wouldn't have built their own fleet of planes, trucks, etc if it wasn't more profitable then using third party carriers.

            • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 12:08

              @Fayble1212:

              All vehicles, insurances, maintenance, wages, are all business expenses.

              Paying a Amazon Flex worker is a business expense as well.

              So the question is, is it cheaper to pay upto $700/day for a flex worker who supplies everything or employ your own staff, buy your own vehicles and pay your own insurance etc.

              They wouldn't have built their own fleet of planes, trucks, etc if it wasn't more profitable then using third party carriers.

              As above, they asked the question and the answer was yes its cheaper to have their own fleet of planes. Sometimes its not about being cheaper but having control over it.

              • Fayble1212 on 14/10/2024 - 13:46

                @JimmyF: Correct, so you've answered your own question.

                • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 14:08

                  @Fayble1212: LOL Good dodge, but you haven't answered which you think is cheaper… paying upto $700/day for a flex worker who supplies everything or employ your own staff, buy your own vehicles and pay your own insurance etc.

                  • Fayble1212 on 14/10/2024 - 15:22

                    @JimmyF: Makes zero difference to me, I am in a location where I get prime by 10pm if ordered by 8am.

                    Happy days.

                    • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 16:06

                      @Fayble1212:

                      Makes zero difference to me, I am in a location where I get prime by 10pm if ordered by 8am.

                      That's nice but not related to the statement you made that employing full-time is more profitable for them which I disagreed with.

                      So which you think is cheaper… paying upto $700/day for a flex worker who supplies everything or employing your own staff, buy your own vehicles and pay your own insurance etc.

                      Honestly no FTE is going to work 9 hours, so its really closer to <$450 in 2 x Flex worker block costs to equal one 1 Amazon FTE.

        • randomusername2017 on 22/10/2024 - 12:03

          I think you'll find it's DSP rollout

      • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 10:36
        +1

        This wasn't a problem in the past. What's changed?

        Shipping was always costly, Amazon was just wearing it. What has changed is they are cutting services that are not making money.

        How do your parcels arrive? Via Auspost or Courier or Amazing Flex?

        I'm not exactly rural either, there's an Amazon locker just a few kilometres away.

        Have you tried getting deliveries to this instead?

        • tanksinatra on 14/10/2024 - 10:43
          +1

          What has changed is they are cutting services that are not making money.

          My concern is that Amazon are billing me for a Prime membership in a region that they don’t serve. Isn’t that unethical?

          Have you tried getting delivers to this instead?

          I have tried getting deliveries to the local locker. Every time the checkout just gives me an error. It seems like they won’t deliver to their own lockers either, which is weird.

          • JimmyF on 14/10/2024 - 11:16

            @tanksinatra:

            My concern is that Amazon are billing me for a Prime membership in a region that they don’t serve. Isn’t that unethical?

            I'm sure they ship many other things to your area, just not things that can't be delivered cheaply. How do your parcels arrive? Auspost or Courier or Amazing Flex?

            Shipping a $4 packet of Twisties via a courier isn't profitable for them.

            I guess you're welcome to cancel your membership and ask for a refund if it no longer works.

  • teacherer on 14/10/2024 - 10:30
    +1

    Yes

    4670 is goneeee

  • GangGang on 14/10/2024 - 11:58
    +1

    I have the same issue. It has been like this for a few months.

    I'm now sending my packages to a parcel locker two suburbs away that doesn't appear "out of stock." However, for some reason, my items are getting lost in another state when putting the parcel locker address.

  • foxmulder on 14/10/2024 - 12:12
    +1

    I'm sure with a valid reason such as yours, you should be able to argue with them and get most of your annual subs back.

  • shane2770 on 15/10/2024 - 17:15

    I'm in West Sydney and noticed no more next Day prime deliveries if I order today it will be delivered Friday not tomorrow.
    I'm only 20 minutes away from Bella Vista warehouse

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