Searching for items on Amazon

I agree with you. I haven't yet found a way of filtering out 'marketplace' sellers. It's annoying when it isn't clearly evident who the seller is, without clicking on the item and checking.

Amazon could improve their website by allowing users to choose the number of items they want to view on the screen at one time, instead of turning lots of pages for some items. Other websites offer many more viewing options than Amazon, it's time they updated their website.

I agree. I have just bought an Ipod case. It mentioned free delivery on items over £15. When I had confirmed the order it came up showing £4-50 delivery!!! I won't be ordering on Amazon again.

db7 wrote: »

I don't understand what you mean by "most searches should be able to filter out marketplace sellers by default". My point is that today I used the following search terms: "usb external hard drive" and the fifth drive it found was from a seller I don't know anything about. It's only when you add it order your basket and sign in that you find out that they want to charge £5 postage as opposed to Amazon's free postage over £15.

That's because you're not ordering from Amazon .... you're ordering from a retailer called 'eye systems' who have an online shop hosted on the Amazon.co.uk website .... therefore there will be a cost involved in 'eye systems' packaging and posting the item to you - for which you will be charged via Amazon who will keep a proportion as a 'processing fee' before passing the remainder to 'eye systems' to cover the costs involved.

If this is the search results page to which you refer ... http://amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb+external+hard+drive&Go.x=13&Go.y=10 ...
you will note that Amazon inform you of which products are eligible for free super saver delivery ... the 5th item on the list has no note advising you so therefore I would not be surprised at the fact a P&P charge is levied.

There are alternatives to this ... the 2nd item on the list is cheaper, has free P&P and has a larger capacity and is sold by Amazon themselves.
It is also available here ... http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=240914&sourceid=2459&CAWELAID=84121214 ... with a range of postal options here ... http://www.misco.co.uk/content/about/delivery.asp?bp=1 ...
you will note that these options are weight sensitive and the cheapest option for a package weighing 1.9 kg is 1-3 working days @ £5.86

I wouldn't be too fooled by FREE delivery as usually there is a hidden cost built in to the selling price somewhere [it is an operating cost and any business will seek to at least cover it although not necessarily visibly] and it usually means delivery at a snails pace.

Play.com [amongst others] offer 'free' delivery but the VAT situation and Jersey may allow them some room to build the cost in to the selling price without you being aware of it.
Even so if this is the same product then the price disparagy would seem to negate any argument about postal fees ... http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/1099179/Western-Digital-250GB-My-Book-Premium-1C-External-Hard-Drive-USB2-0-Firewire/Product.html

This is an interesting read with some insight on the Amazon business model ... http://money.howstuffworks.com/amazon.htm

hope it helps

I agree it'd be useful to have it, I just won't order from Marketplace sellers. If I wanted to pay extra postage and buy from someone with no reputation I'd go to eBay.

The closest I can get is to revert back to Google. Search for:

"<your search term>" "Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk" site:amazon.co.uk

This won't give you prices or pictures but it'll at least cut the junk.