Is Amazon Haul a screaming good deal?

 

Amazon Haul is a specific section of Amazon, basically offering items at cheaper prices than on the Amazon site at large. Some online shoppers liken it to Temu or Shein, with the biggest difference being that it’s affiliated with the more popular Amazon.

 By the company’s own definition, “Amazon Haul is a new shopping experience dedicated to offering customers affordable prices on a wide range of everyday products. Amazon Haul is available on an updated Amazon app, Mobile Web and Desktop.”

 Amazon also describes Amazon Haul as “an engaging shopping experience that brings lower priced products into one convenient destination. The storefront makes it easier than ever to discover sought-after products at lower prices.”

 Categories include women, men, kids, home, electronics, beauty, kitchen, home improvement, accessories, office, and sports.

 

How do you browse items on Amazon Haul?

 As with shopping on Amazon in general, you can search for specific product categories and features. You can sort your search findings by popularity, pricing, customer reviews, and most recently added items.

 There’s also a “Crazy Low” section, offering the cheapest pricing on a large, seemingly random assortment of products. And Amazon Haul usually has a selection of “Flash Deals” priced at $2 or less. For example, one day this grouping offered embroidered letter patches, hair bows, hat hanger hooks, rubber shoe covers, press-on fingernails, off-brand sticky notes, tent pegs, and a slew of junk jewelry – among other intriguing items. As a rule, customers are limited to two Flash Deal offers per order.

 

Selections vary on Amazon Haul.

 Many of the items on Amazon Haul are available in very limited supply. Not infrequently, you might click on a product and discover it is sold out. Apparel and shoes, for example, may be found in just one size or color. Or the listing may indicate only a few are left.

 It’s not a place to hunt for something truly specific. Shopping on Amazon Haul is sort of like hunting through a thrift store or rummage sale – except all the items are brand-new. It’s luck of the draw. Looking for blue suede shoes? You may strike gold, but you’re more likely to find (and perhaps even buy) something you didn’t even know you needed (or wanted).

 

Apparel sizing can be tricky on Amazon Haul.

 Looking closely at the photos in a clothing listing on Amazon Haul, you can usually spot a sizing chart, which likely includes measurements (sometimes in both metric and inch formats). Don’t skip this step. (Learn from my own mistake. I ordered a small jersey shirt, but when it arrived, I discovered it was a plus size small – much too big for me. The product listing on Amazon Haul had not indicated this.)

 

Examine the ingredients carefully on Amazon Haul.

 Quality (or lack thereof) is often evident in the product ingredients. A necklace may be titled as “silver,” but the product specifics may say it’s made of copper with a silver-like coating. Despite the fancy name, it may still turn your skin green. Or the description may indicate it’s made (at least in part) of sterling silver, and you may have struck gold, so to speak.

 Regarding apparel, the same principle holds. Is the shirt all-cotton, rayon, spandex, wool, or what?

 

Look closely at fabric patterns before buying clothes.

 There’s a reason most of the item listings offered on Amazon Haul (and all of Amazon, for that matter) tend to have plentiful photos. Examine these carefully, and you will see if the fabric fits and drapes nicely. Does it have a printed or woven pattern? Does it look sturdy or see-through?

 As a long-time seamstress, I am picky about pattern placement in my clothing. Where do flowers fall on a shirt or dress? Are stripes straight or a little wobbly? Do plaids line up on seams? Do buttons line up properly?

 Amazon is extremely popular among clothing shoppers. Look around in public, and you may grow familiar with certain fabrics. On a recent Sunday, I spotted several people in church wearing vividly printed floral tops that I’d seen on Amazon. If you don't want to be caught matching others (or play "Who Wore It Best?"), you’ll perhaps steer away from the most recognizable patterns. You may feel you can create your own personal style in solids or stripes, rather than that distinctive, but oversold design.

 

Familiar brand names are essentially absent on Amazon Haul.

 OK, you might stumble upon a name you recognize, once in a blue moon. Forever 21 shows up there occasionally. I found a Tommy Hilfiger top once, and I actually picked up some Naturalizer pumps for a song. But that almost never happens.

 Amazon Essentials items often find their way into Amazon Haul. I grabbed a traditional cotton cardigan sweater for $9 and a pair of Lee jeans for $12 in midwinter.

 You might stumble upon something from Calvin Klein, Columbia, Gap, Keds, Levis, Liz Claiborne, Stride Rite, or another favorite maker. But it’s not the norm.

 The lion’s share of brands found on Amazon Haul are unrecognizable to the American shopper. Some of the clothing labels, for example, bear cutesy names that seem designed to evoke US and European styles, but aren’t actually brands we might know. Others are overtly foreign-sounding monikers. Here’s a sampling: Alleroo, Automet, Dimur, Ekouaer, FullSoft, Heymoments, Lomon, Ofeefan, Pantora, Pinspark, PrettyGarden, Trendy Queen, Wiholl, Xieerdou, and Zeagoo. And sometimes items are simply labeled as Generic. (You’ll probably find these brands on Amazon at large too, but they are all the rage on Amazon Haul.)

 

Warning: Some Amazon Haul apparel is NSFW.

 Are you searching for a dress? Tank top? Opaque tights? Workout wear? Get ready for some surprises. Several apparel offerings on Amazon Haul are outright risqué (NSFW = Not Suitable for Work). If your kids are fashion-hunting on the site, you may want to be on-hand to guide the process. It's hard to unsee some of those images. 

 

Despite all these caveats, super deals can be spotted on Amazon Haul.

 If you are a smart shopper with an eye for quality, and if you are willing to take the time to poke around and study items before you order, you can score some great Amazon Haul buys. I spent just under $30 on one order, qualifying for free shipping. And I received 5 really nice wardrobe basics that have become prime picks in my own closet. The order also included one pretty, but poorly printed, tee shirt that ended u in my donations pile.

 

Returns are possible on Amazon Haul.

 The Amazon A to Z Guarantee apparently applies to Amazon Haul purchases. Damaged, defective, or broken items can be returned. Items that don't fit or aren’t exactly what you wanted or expected likely can be sent back as well.

 Generally, you can return any items priced at more than $3 on Amazon Haul, but only within 15 days of delivery. Anything under that price point is regarded as final sale. And returned items must be in pristine brand-new condition. You simply follow the regular Amazon return policy to file a claim, filling out the required info before shipping stuff back.

 

Get ready for some serious wrinkles.

 Amazon Haul items are shipped directly from China. As such, clothing items seem to be always tightly shrink-wrapped very flat in sturdy plastic. They are extremely creased and wrinkled and smell strongly of plastic after their long journey (and probably significant storage before shipping). I’ve been known to launder my purchases at least twice before wearing them. (This, of course, eliminates the option of returning them, so I try to try things on before washing them.)

 

Amazon Prime benefits and services do not apply to Amazon Haul.

 For example, free shipping does not automatically apply to anything you purchase on Amazon Haul. Usually, free shipping comes with orders totaling $25 or more. Other orders usually ship for $3.99, although bulkier and heavier orders may cost more.

 Also, Amazon Haul is not available for Amazon Business customers. At least, not yet.

 

Shipping almost always takes longer on Amazon Haul.

 Because shipping originates in China for Amazon Haul, nothing comes quickly from them. Don’t expect same-day, overnight, or 2-3 day performance, as you might enjoy routinely from Amazon. Most orders take 2-3 weeks. (I have received orders faster, but also slower, than that.)

Your order from Amazon Haul will first have to leave Asia, then work its way through the regular Amazon system before it zips off in your direction. Even so, for non-emergency orders, Amazon Haul pricing can make your order worth the wait, if you find something special at a super cost.

 

Amazon Haul is not the same thing as Amazon Outlet.

 Amazon Outlet is an entirely different department than Amazon Haul. Amazon Outlet offers closeout and overstock items in many categories. Popular picks include Customer Favorites, Deals on Under $10, Deals on Clothing, Deals on Gift Ideas, Deals on Tools & Home Improvement, Last Chance Savings, Overstock Deals, and more. Well-known brands (like Citizen watches, Franklin sports equipment, Keen Sandals, Melissa & Doug toys,  Skechers sneakers, Sony electronics, Toshiba TVs, Under Armour sports apparel, XBox battery packs, Yankee Candles, were all found on a quick search of Amazon Outlet. (Inventory changes often, so shoppers seem to return frequently to see what’s available.)

 Usually, the Amazon Outlet items can be spotted while shopping Amazon in general. Look for the lowest priced choices (such as a garment color), and you likely will be seeing an Amazon Outlet item with a clearance price.

 

How do you find Amazon Haul?

 Amazon Haul is accessible via the search bar or the drop-down menu on the site (Look under Programs and Features, like Amazon Custom, Amazon Luxury, Amazon Outlet, Amazon Premium Brands Shop, and Amazon Second Chance,

 All in all, Amazon Haul can become a time-suck of sorts. It's easy to be drawn in and spend a while sifting through the bargain merchandise. But if you are willing to invest a a few minutes (or more) and you can evaluate quality, you may be surprised at some super finds. 

 

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Image/s: Adapted from product screenshot - fair use

 

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Is your home a no-shoes zone?

  

This seems to be a never-ending debate in many homes.

 Is it really necessary to ask people to step out of their shoes before stepping inside?

 “Kick off your shoes, and stay awhile” might be a popular greeting (at least, in the olden days, so to speak). But does it really matter?

 Sure, shoes can leave scuff marks on fancy flooring. They can drop dust and dirt into carpeting and rugs. And don’t even get us started about what happens when people put their feet on the couch, coffee table, or other furniture.

 But is the argument purely aesthetic, or are their health and safety reasons to request people to enter shoeless?

 How many germs might someone pick up, simply walking through various places before coming to visit? 

• a busy street
• a carnival or county fair
• a commercial kitchen
• a factory
• a farm field or barn
• a grocery store
• a hospital
• a lawn with recent fertilization or weed killer application
• a locker room at the gym
• a parking lot
• a port-a-potty
• a public restroom in a shop, restaurant, or gas station
• a scientific laboratory
• a sports stadium
• an automotive repair shop

 Are you gagging yet? Imagine the many contaminants one might pick up in such spots. Would you sit down and perhaps even eat on any of those floors? But what if those germs were tracked into your home? And what if you have a crawling baby or toddler?

Not to be a Goody Two-Shoes, about this, but I think the no-shoes idea has merit.

 Some folks keep shoe or boot trays just inside their doors, along with big baskets of booties, slippers, or even shower caps. That way, guests can remove their shoes and put on comfy coverings, if they wish.

 Of course, the no-shoes rule pretty much goes out the window, if certain people step outside in stockinged feet. (I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes …)

 And what about bare feet in the summer?

 It’s hard to police the no-shoes rule. But we try as best as we can.

 Then we’ll always find those who firmly believe the rules do not apply to them. For instance, we’ve had a few extended family members that insisted their shoes were clean and refused to remove them. That’s when everyone else looks at us, just waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.

 

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Shopping at a certain J3W3L store was no gem

 

 Might be a while before I shop at J3W3L again. OK, maybe it was just this location. But my experience fell far short of stellar. 

Having not been in a J3W3L store in years (because of geography), I stopping in recently to pick up a few things while passing through that town.

First, grocery shopping on a Monday morning might not have been a great idea. Several shelves were empty, and the aisle were cluttered with cartons, as busy employees restocked the shelves. Maybe they were hit hard over the weekend, which featured a Wild Card Playoff game between the two rival NFL teams in this state borderland. But the story felt a little like a war zone – with lots of missing basic items. (OK, maybe the “war zone” analogy fits.)

 

 I started in the produce section, hunting for a couple of lunch-sized Caesar salads. I picked up the last one after pecking my way through an overflow of Cobb and Southwest bowls. The “best by” date was 10 days away. A produce clerk was restocking nearby items, plucking items from a tall tower of cardboard cartons. I asked him about the Caesar salads, and he said that was all he had. 

è The next day, I pulled the Caesar salad from my fridge, only to find the lettuce brown, gooey and limp. I had to toss the whole thing in the trash – all $4.99 of it.

 Craving a bit of convenience for a particularly busy week, I hit the deli counter next and selected a few prepared items. The deli clerk was very pleasant and efficient – easily the highlight of my trip to the store.

è Digging into the $3.26 cup of macaroni-cheddar salad that evening, I found it pretty dried out and crunchy around the edges. It was bland and boring, without much hint of cheddar. This Wisconsin customer was less than enthused.

è The next noon, I dug into the tomato and arugula balsamic pasta salad. It was supposed to be filled with nutritious color. Alas, it was a $4.39 cup of soggy spaghetti noodles, drowning in dressing, with just two tiny tomato wedges and three tiny wilted arugula leaves. Cue the cheering section – not.

è The salmon I’d purchased was tasty, although a bit tough, for dinner. And I had to cut off about 1/6 of it, because that section was dried and curled and hard as a rock. But it wasn’t a terrible deal for $3.99 (on sale).

è The cheese ravioli ($8.54 for six 2” squares) was barely edible. I had to trim off all four edges of each square … or risk breaking a tooth.

 Overall, the prices at J3W3L was dramatically higher than I find at Costco, Festival, Meijers, Pick /n Save, Piggly Wiggly, Target, WalMart, or other grocery stores I frequent. (Who pays $2.50 for Campbell’s Condensed soup or a can of Lays Stax potato chips or $3 for a cup of pre-cut grapefruit?  OK, I just did, but I likely won’t do that again anytime soon.) Sure, they may be comparable to Heinen’s, Mariano’s, or Sunset Foods. But the quality isn’t exactly on par with those.

 The pinwheel turkey cheddar roll-ups were OK, although they rang up at $6 for 9 little wheels. I think I like the Costco version better, although they make you buy enough for a small army.

 On the plus side, this particular J3W3L store had my favorite Tate’s Ginger Zinger Cookies, which is hard to find. I shelled out almost $7, which is way more than they normally cost, simply because they piqued my long-time craving. (I’ll probably have to start buying those in quantity on Amazon. Somebody just try and stop me!)

 

Here’s the real deal, tarnishing my J3W3L experience.

 By the time I reached the check-out area, I was surprised to find just one lane open. My turn came quickly enough, but things got worse from there. None of the special offers I’d noticed along the way were open to me, because I did not belong to their J3W3L app/customer loyalty program. Oh, well.

 Ringing up my order, the cashier called out my total. I paid, picked up my bags, and headed for my car.

 In the parking lot, the bagging clerk chased me down, beckoning me back into the store. I followed him back through the exit, dragging my half-full shopping cart along.

 The cashier sheepishly informed me that she had not included several of the items I had brought to her station. Apparently, the customer behind me pointed out that those things were not his. (OK, I probably should have glanced back to make sure everything was included. But the tape total was high enough that I’d assumed it was all there.)

 After finishing the follow-up transaction, the cashier urged me to sign up for the J3W3L app/customer loyalty program. I was only too happy to assure her that I was from another state and decline the offer.

 That’s right. This J3W3L was no gem.

 

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 Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.