# What's Wrong With Amazon?



## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

As most of you know, Cheftalk has a partnership agreement with Amazon. If you use our direct links, anything you purchase from Amazon helps support the Cheftalk site.

What could be better? Or simpler? Cheftalk gets a small rebate on any books or cookware you purchase from Amazon. Merchandize you are buying anyway. Providing you use the direct links.

Unfortunately, based on a survey we conducted earlier this fall, fewer than 1/3 of you who buy books on-line use those links. We're really curious why.

The direct links to Amazon are a way of supporting Cheftalk that costs you nothing. Yet, more than 2/3 of you are not doing so. We're sure there have to be reasons. We just don't know what they are.

So, please, anwer the poll. But keep in mind, too, that polls rarely tell the whole story. So we encourage you to expand on your response as part of a discussion.

Thanks.


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## notbert (Sep 23, 2007)

I do quite a bit of shopping through Amazon, and would be happy to help give something back to this site. The discussions here have, on more than one occasion, helped me to reach a decision on a particular piece of equipment or brought a new cookbook to my collection. That being said, unless they are right under my nose (I am not discounting that possibility either!), I can't for the life of me find the darn things. Are they in the reviews section somewhere, or what?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Hmm. I don't generally think of Amazon as an internet vendor for what I'm shopping for online. Usually there are specialty vendors with better pricing/shipping for the niche items I'm looking for. Not to mention availability of the niche items that Amazon often doesn't have.

As to the massmarket items like DVDs, music, books I tend to buy them on clearance, used, or the new market isn't producing much of what I'm interested in. I suppose I don't feel the pressure to have it NOW and pay the premium for it. Could be I'm cheap. Or both. And the Library supplies them for the cost of the taxes I'm already paying anyway.

e-books, I'm not a fan of the Kindle format compared to epub for various technical reasons. I know I can convert epub to work on the Kindle but I see no reason for the extra steps. Kindle was late to the library lending as well giving epub a leg up there too.

In light of my admision to being cheap, I do check Amazon daily for the free Android app for my tablet. But that doesn't help Cheftalk.

I'll try to keep Cheftalk in mind next time I have a reason to buy via Amazon though.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Firstly, I had no idea that Amazon had business negotiations with www.cheftalk.com

however, when I have needed an English or Spanish or Italian culinary book and could not find it here in the Madrid Capital, Amazon has been a marvelous source of dvds, cds, cook books and non fiction or fiction and they ship ASAP --- thus, I find them to be a great source with books worldwide in many foreign langs. which is what I enjoy most.

Speaking several foreign languages, English my native tongue, I enjoy the option of practicing my other spoken languages and the selections in Madrid are on the tiny side for Italian, Portuguese, German and French and in most cases non existent except for Language Learning Coursebooks.

I had ordered a historic novel for myself in the form of Audio Cds of a telenovela ( an 1860s saga, based on a history, the Brazilian classic " The Slave, Isaura " about a white girl born into slavery ) and could not be happier to have gifted myself. The books and Cds are far cheaper from Amazon than in Madrid too and shipping was to my door.

Too bad, that nobody can find the Amazon " log in " or that members do not have a Code of their own ... It is beneficial to all who want to buy from Amazon ( I do and shall continue to do it especially for any books or Cds that I cannot buy here in Spain --- and foreign lang. materials ) and profitable for Chef Talk too ... and the discounts ... Unfortunately it is Not Marketed on this website, and if it is here, it is well hidden ...

Why don´t we just ask Nico about how to do ?

Margcata.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Do not use Amazon that much, but if I did, I'd surely use the ChefTalk link, *if I knew where to find it!*

I generally access ChefTalk with a link directly to New Posts, and have not taken the time to explore the site.


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## sweetie pie (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't shop on line. I only shop in stores. Sorry.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

i do use amazon, in fact i just did for christmas, but wasn't aware of the cheftalk link..i would have definately used it... why wouldn't i?.....someone needs to inform us or remind us of that...where is it anyway? joey


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Can anybody provide directions to the link to Amazon that helps support ChefTalk?


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

The best way to find out if there is a link, is to write Nico an email. Since he oversees this Community and their needs, he would be the best place to begin.

I too, am a client of Amazon, however, why don´t we all have a spokesperson write Nico --- he does not need 100 emails on same subject.

Well, Happy Holidays.


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## pohaku (Jul 11, 2011)

I shop at Amazon a lot.  With a kid away at college and another one leaving in a year, Amazon Prime gets a regular workout.  So I would be happy to run it through the site if someone would tell me the location of the link.  It isn't obvious.  Needs a prominent location on the home page if it is going to be used.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

On the old cheftalk site, we used to have a link to amazon that would benefit ChefTalk anytime someone would use it to purchase from amazon. However, when we moved to the new platform that went away and it was never something that was put back into the site. In fact I am not even sure we are able to offer that any longer so I will have to check with our platform partners Huddler. Thanks for the interest in wanting to support the site it really is very encouraging. The problem with the Amazon affiliate program is that even with hundreds of sales the return is very low. We would need hundreds of people on a regular basis purchasing high end items from amazon for it to really be of any use to the site. In the past this was something I was eager to grow but no longer feel like it is worth the effort. While we are very happy about any revenue we get from sales through amazon on the current platform it is not a primary focus for us.

If you are reviewing a book or product on ChefTalk you should see an amazon link on the right like this:



Just click on the green button that says "See It".

If you really want to help out the site you can do so by posting reviews of products you already own to help build our reviews section. Reviews draw a lot of new members to the site and help grow our community. In addition posting "How-to" articles and photo galleries are also great ways to help out ChefTalk.

Thanks everyone,

Nicko


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## waynus (May 29, 2010)

I buy almost all my cookbooks on line. Unfortunately Amazon charges so much for postage it simply is not worth it. Most Australians that buy online, buy from The Book depository because it does not charge such outrageous rates.


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