Support NeoGAF

[I collect VHS tapes]

there's just too many damn choices for everything. I hop on Amazon to order something I need, thinking it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. fast forward and I've spent hours reading reviews for tape measurers. I eventually got fed up with the process and ended up not buying one.

this isn't the first time this has happened. had the exact same shit happen last week when I wanted to buy my dog a new toy.

anyone else run into this same problem?

and on a side note, anyone have a decent tape measure they can recommend?

 

[haxan7]

Solution: don't buy from Amazon.

 

[p_xavier]

I actually spend hours to find exactly what I want and still can't find it and sometimes have to google translate in an online store overseas to finally find it.

And OP, if you need to mesure your dick, you know it's too small, save the money.

 

[SirKicksalot]

The trick is to identify which Chinese factory makes the item you want and track down the cheapest version. So many things on Amazon are identical but with different packaging and prices.

 

[thefool]

Barry schwartz book about the subject is neat.

 

[Rest]

and on a side note, anyone have a decent tape measure they can recommend?

Go to the hardware store. Buy the cheapest tape measure they have.

 

[badblue]

Solution: don't buy from Amazon.

Yeah, just go down to the Wal-Mart instead or the Rona, Home Depot or whatever big chain store we go to when we don't buy from online.

 

[Hari Seldon]

My purchasing from amazon has gone down over the years despite COVID. It is just completely fucking overrun with chinese junk and fake reviews.

 

[haxan7]

Go to the hardware store. Buy the cheapest tape measure they have.

best way to measure the penis is with dental floss

 

[Rest]

best way to measure the penis is with dental floss

Your dick is only half a millimeter long?

 

[haxan7]

Your dick is only half a millimeter long?

it's a little bigger than that GOSH

 

[Kilau]

The trick is to identify which Chinese factory makes the item you want and track down the cheapest version. So many things on Amazon are identical but with different packaging and prices.

Exactly, it’s all the same rebranded shit.

 

[hollams]

I went with a laser "tape" measurer and though it's a bit more expensive I am really liking it as it's much easier to use by myself especially for measuring long distances.

 

[strange headache]

 

[Mossybrew]

Nah, I'm usually a "good enough" type person. I will usually look at a couple different options and then just pull the trigger on the one I feel best about after just a few minutes. It's worked for me so far.

 

[Zeroing]

If you think that is a problem, trying to buy a new tv right now is a mess... between VRR and Hdmi ports who do or do not do stuff, panel quality etc etc...I cannot cope with all that mess. I am clueless.

it's a little bigger than that GOSH

 

[Punished Miku]

Solution: don't buy from Amazon.

The solution to a great many problems.

 

[jufonuk]

your user name says you collect VHS tapes? Why?

just stream it, or at the very least bluray... no need to thank me. you are welcome..

 

[zeorhymer]

People complain that the restaurant menu is small.

People complain that the menu is too much.

Humans are confused in general.

 

[Quasicat]

My purchasing from amazon has gone down over the years despite COVID. It is just completely fucking overrun with chinese junk and fake reviews.

Not only the fake reviews, but the question and answer section is completely worthless when it doesn’t contradict itself.

Question: Does this item accept a 4k signal?
Answer: I don’t know, I didn’t buy this.

If you didn’t take the time to buy it, then why take time to give an answer?

 

[nush]

The trick is to identify which Chinese factory makes the item you want and track down the cheapest version. So many things on Amazon are identical but with different packaging and prices.

Exactly, it’s all the same rebranded shit.

There's not "one" Chinese factory making this stuff, there's many copies of copies from so many factories. It might look "the same" online because the other vendors just copied the listing pictures and text. Quite often the cheapest one is going to be shit that breaks.

If you want the real item, just pony up and buy it from a known retailer that has a controlled supply chain, quality inspections and verified suppliers.

 

[p_xavier]

Go to the hardware store. Buy the cheapest tape measure they have.

No, you have intake and outake measures. You need a good tape. I like Stanley myself.

 

[Rest]

No, you have intake and outake measures. You need a good tape. I like Stanley myself.

The only one of those that I've ever needed is whichever one means "the length of the thing you're measuring." I've yet to find a tape measure that can't tell the user that.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Just type in "<favorite tool brand> tape measure" into the search. Or if you're a cheapskate just type tape measure and buy something super cheap. Usually for me it's easy enough to find Chinese junk on Amazon that's slightly better than what I'll find in a local store. If I'm having troubles deciding between two things and they both have 4.5 stars or something I'll hover over the rating and see what the actual percentages are.

 

[Kilau]

There's not "one" Chinese factory making this stuff, there's many copies of copies from so many factories. It might look "the same" online because the other vendors just copied the listing pictures and text. Quite often the cheapest one is going to be shit that breaks.

If you want the real item, just pony up and buy it from a known retailer that has a controlled supply chain, quality inspections and verified suppliers.

Which is what I do. These sellers can be very tricky though. Not just with using the same listing of another item to get tons of incorrect ratings but they also will slip in as an “other option” on a good listing and send you something entirely different from what you ordered if you don’t notice Amazon switched to them off the original seller when they went OOS.

Basically, Amazon is a mine field and has gone to total shit.

 

[Fbh]

Amazon is only useful when you are looking for a specific product from a specific brand.
Otherwise it's basically Aliexpress/Wish 2.0. Full of shitty generic Chinese crap sold under 20 different brand names and full of fake reviews.

 

[TTOOLL]

Amazon is only useful when you are looking for a specific product from a specific brand.
Otherwise it's basically Aliexpress/Wish 2.0. Full of shitty generic Chinese crap sold under 20 different brand names and full of fake reviews.

Bingo!

 

[Star-Lord]

Just go to Target or Walmart. There’s less choices to be distracted by, and no customer reviews to get hooked on or put off by.

 

[TDiddyLive]

there's just too many damn choices for everything. I hop on Amazon to order something I need, thinking it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. fast forward and I've spent hours reading reviews for tape measurers. I eventually got fed up with the process and ended up not buying one.

This actually almost killed Bed Bath and Beyond. Then new management came in and reduced selection, like instead of 12 spatulas to pick from it dropped to 2. Sales skyrocketed.

 

[teezzy]

I collect VHS tapes

Stanley Hand Tools 33-725 1-1/4" X 25' FatMax Tape Measure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTVZCB1/?tag=neogaf0e-20

This one

 

[Soodanim]

The one good thing the cheap Chinese stuff is that between the company names being pseudo-English written in block caps and the product descriptions being Engish with symbols you never see anywhere else (strange bullet points, etc) it’s easy to spot them without digging deeper.

It’s a shame there isn’t a “No cheap Chinese shit” filter to make it more like it used to be. It’s not dissimilar to what Steam did when they opened the floodgates and let anyone publish nearly anything. When you lower the bar, the overall quality goes down. Not that Amazon cares, they still get their cut.

 

[nush]

The one good thing the cheap Chinese stuff is that between the company names being pseudo-English written in block caps and the product descriptions being Engish with symbols you never see anywhere else (strange bullet points, etc) it’s easy to spot them without digging deeper.

It’s a shame there isn’t a “No cheap Chinese shit” filter to make it more like it used to be. It’s not dissimilar to what Steam did when they opened the floodgates and let anyone publish nearly anything. When you lower the bar, the overall quality goes down. Not that Amazon cares, they still get their cut.

I think products marked “Sold by Amazon” and not “Fulfilled by Amazon” is the no Chinese shit filter.

 

[It's all in the wrist]

there's just too many damn choices for everything. I hop on Amazon to order something I need, thinking it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. fast forward and I've spent hours reading reviews for tape measurers. I eventually got fed up with the process and ended up not buying one.

this isn't the first time this has happened. had the exact same shit happen last week when I wanted to buy my dog a new toy.

anyone else run into this same problem?

and on a side note, anyone have a decent tape measure they can recommend?

Get a Stanley fat max. I work on construction sites, it's the standard.

Anyway, 90% of what's on Amazon is total dogshit.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Amazon started being a piece of shit when they cracked down on small sellers for absolutely nothing. I was off Amazon for a year and they apparently had been sending me emails about some kind of transitioning, by the time I had gotten home to sort it, I was told I could no longer sell things on Amazon, despite my clean record and 100% satisfaction from buyers, nevermind my consistency with being fast with sending my items, too. Sometimes, FASTER than Amazon. Ah, well. They are no longer first when it comes to buying things, but, they are still convenient enough to be considered a viable choice.

 

[TheMan]

Maybe shop from other retailers like target that have selection that tends to be more limited to known brands?