Purchasing arduino and associated components - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 07:58:38 pm
content: I buy a lot of Arduino and associated components to connect to them, as well all manner of widgets from China...just for fun really.Buying from China is very inexpensive and I have had excellent luck with the stuff I have purchased.Downside is that often it takes a month or so to arrive...which is OK I guess...I can go outside and knock down trees with my tractor while I am waiting.Today, I discovered that I can get lots of these things on Amazon Prime. Order today and it shows up in a couple of days.Who knew?

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 08:20:55 pm
content: how much is prime?

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 09:15:16 pm
content: Quote from: metrologist on June 08, 2018, 08:20:55 pmI think it is $99 for a year. I use it all the time. This is just another benefit.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 09:37:19 pm
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 08, 2018, 09:15:16 pmThe price of Amazon Prime just went up to $129/year.

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 09:48:00 pm
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on June 08, 2018, 09:37:19 pmGRRR!!!I am pretty sure I have come out ahead so far on my purchases, but the increase decreases my margin of satisfaction!

author: tsman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 09:55:03 pm
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 08, 2018, 07:58:38 pmSure. It is the same China sellers but they're using Amazon Marketplace with Amazon holding the stock as well. You'll pay more for the speedy delivery though because of the Amazon fees.If I'm ordering cheap bits from China then I'll usually do it through somebody like Banggood who have faster shipping even with the free tier. Fastest I've gotten stuff was 7 days actually and shipping was $1. Ordering from Aliexpress usually takes well over a month unless I pay lots for express.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 10:39:26 pm
content: For small cheap items from China found on ebay I just restrict search results to US only. You will usually see the same items, just slightly higher cost due to USPS postage. The added cost gets the item to you in just a couple of days, which is usually worth it to me.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 12:09:09 am
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 08, 2018, 09:48:00 pmThere are other benefits beyond Sunday delivery. I also watch movies on Amazon Prime (and Netflix) on my Roku Box.I make several orders per week and it's a rare week that I don't make at least one. I figure I'm making out on shipping even if I didn't get the other advantages. Same day Sunday delivery is great! I have a short attention span...There a lot of features:https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Prime-One-Year-Membership/dp/B00DBYBNEEThe dumb part is that both my wife and I have separate Prime accounts. At some point we should dump one of them and just share an Amazon account. Or not...

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 01:50:18 am
content: Quote from: rstofer on June 09, 2018, 12:09:09 amHmmm. rstofer...i have read a number of your posts...you are a smart dude...but two prime accounts???There is probably method in your madness...er uh...method in HER madness!!

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 04:32:17 am
content: Yeah, there are a number of US resellers on ebay that just buy the same parts in bulk from china and then ship them locally - filtering by origination is the way to find them among the pile.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 06:57:19 am
content: I generally like Amazon but I never could figure out the big draw of Prime. I already get free shipping without Prime, I just wait until I have enough stuff in my cart before I pull the trigger, or I pay a few bucks for shipping, doesn't come close to $129. The video streaming service is ok, but not worth the cost, I guess there are some other perks too? Is everyone just so obsessed with instant gratification that it's worth spending $130 bucks a year just to have stuff show up faster?

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 11:47:05 am
content: Quote from: james_s on June 09, 2018, 06:57:19 amRuh roh. I hope this does not devolve into the "dont insult beginners" thread!Yes, it is all about instant gratification. The video streaming is pretty bad unless you want to watch C movies. I dont use the audio streaming either. I just get free instant gratification, no wait, I am into gratification generally! I order something from China every day, and after about 30 days, I get something in the mail every day, so I get gratification every day. On top of that...my coffee is delivered in bed while I read the news on my ipad. Life is grand.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 02:22:09 pm
content: Considering how ridiculously overpriced many things are in America, Amazon Prime might seem like a bargain to a lot of people. I may have to give it another look.

author: tsman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 02:43:20 pm
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 09, 2018, 01:50:18 amThe "new" Amazon Prime scheme is that everybody in the linked family uses the payment details for the main person so I can see why somebody would still want to keep it separate. They changed it a few years back to curb people sharing a single Prime subscription to random friends/family. Anybody grandfathered into the old scheme still has separate payment details though.Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 09, 2018, 11:47:05 amReminds me ofthis

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 04:01:13 pm
content: Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 09, 2018, 01:50:18 amFinancially, we pretty much lead our own lives. She has her bank accounts, I have mine. She has her credit cards, I have mine. I don't peruse her orders and she doesn't see how much money I have spent on toys.Considering the small cost of a second account, maybe it's better this way. All in the interests of domestic tranquility!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 04:06:16 pm
content: Back when it was $79 it almost made sense, but along with the price hikes they changed most of the stuff that I'd want to get right away into "add ons" which means it's back to keeping a running cart and pulling the trigger when it has enough stuff in it to get the free shipping.One really great thing about Amazon though is the reviews, they are overall the most useful reviews I'm aware of. Occasionally there is a fake one but those are usually pretty easy to spot.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 04:11:11 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on June 09, 2018, 06:57:19 amAbsolutely!I'm getting really old, I want the packages before I depart. I also have a short attention span. That's the main reason I don't knowingly order from China. By the time stuff gets here from China I will have forgotten why I ordered it. I will have moved on.I don't like shopping at stores. Now that we have these 'mega' stores, it's a lengthy exercise just getting the stuff from gardening on one end of the store and hardware on the other. These monster stores are a serious pain in the lower back.I buy just about everything over the Internet. Do I save money with Prime? Sure! Consider, say, $5 shipping and $130/year: If I make 26 orders over the year, I break even. I make 26 orders per MONTH and I don't expect to wait until I bundle a large order to save on shipping. Yesterday I ordered 2 SDHC cards for a project. They'll be here tomorrow. I didn't have to think about waiting on more 'needs', I just ordered them for Sunday delivery. Remember, short attention span!I could have driven over to Best Buy and picked them up but what's the point? I can wait until Sunday (but not Monday) and I don't even have to get out of my jammies to place the order.I'm pretty sure Amazon has my shipping label on speed dial. There's probably a spool of printed labels sitting on a bench just waiting for my next order.It's known as 'instant gratification'. I want it NOW!

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 04:43:32 pm
content: I don't use Prime, but I buy things through Amazon nonetheless. Sometimes they ship locally, sometimes you get things shipped directly from China. Interestingly, even things shipped from China arrive within two weeks or so. If I order the same thing through eBay, it is 3 to 6 months. Go figure.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 06:52:08 pm
content: Amazon's delving into the shipping business makes for interesting results. Last month I ordered some stuff and the projected delivery time was a week. No biggie as I'm used to it not being subscribed to Prime. The following day I get an email that my items will arrive tomorrow. Winner, winner...

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2018, 07:58:39 pm
content: Quote from: rstofer on June 09, 2018, 04:11:11 pmI am sure we are brothers...at least cousins!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2018, 02:07:21 am
content: That's very foreign to me. I've always got so many irons in the fire that shipping time rarely matters, a day, a week, 2 weeks, I just don't care. While I'm waiting for one thing to show up I work on something else. I'm not just sitting there on the porch waiting for the mailman and twiddling my thumbs.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 10, 2018, 10:31:01 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on June 08, 2018, 10:39:26 pmIn many cases the seller might be in the U.S., but the item is in China and will take several weeks to get to you.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 10, 2018, 11:00:47 pm
content: Quote from: rstofer on June 09, 2018, 04:01:13 pmWe do the same, but while she has her own Amazon account she uses my Prime membership and has for a long time. I didn't know they started limiting it!