No, that thing on Amazon isn't 85% off

If you learn nothing else from me, learn this: A lot of Amazon pricing is b.s. PLUS: Raise your treadmill game with free walking tours of foreign lands.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included herein are affiliate links (usually those in bold blue type), meaning if you make a purchase via one of them, I may get a small commission. I promise you, now and forever, that I won’t choose deals based on whether there’s an affiliate option available.

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January is doing its thing, meaning freezing the toes off much of the country. If you have a room (or two) that just can’t get warm enough, nothing beats a space heater.

Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Meh has a 2-pack of 16-inch electric oscillating ceramic indoor heaters for just $49.99.

Shipping adds $6, but that’s mostly offset with this exclusive coupon code: DSHEATER. Apply that at checkout (click “Got a coupon code?”) to take $5 off your order.

These things crank out up to 1500 watts of fan-powered heat (and can also work as regular fans in the summertime). They have digital displays, wireless remotes, programmable timers, and even automatic temperature monitoring (meaning they’ll stop heating when the room reaches the desired temp). In other words, pretty fancy-schmancy for a mere $25 apiece.

This comes courtesy of Meh, a company I’ve worked with for years and wholeheartedly recommend. (Plus I’ve always loved the tongue-in-cheek name and hilarious product write-ups.)

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QUICK HITS

Want to go for a walk?

🏙️ Speaking of January, this is the time of year I go stir-crazy and desperately wish for a travel adventure. One panacea I discovered recently: virtual walking tours of foreign cities, which you can find in abundance on YouTube. Whether you plunk down on the couch to watch one or, even better, “join” the tour while on your treadmill, these vids let you explore distant and exotic lands for exactly zero dollars.

😮 Have you heard about the Honey scam? Honey, of course, being the PayPal-owned shopping/coupon-code service that, ugh, I’ve recommended many times over the years. It’s a ****show, no question. You can find plenty of detailed explanations online, but if you don’t have the time for a deep-dive, here’s a 3-minute explanation. It’s worth watching.

🫙 In my house we’re switching away from plastic containers to glass ones, in part because the latter last way longer and in part because glass doesn’t contain lord-knows-what chemicals. Here’s a superb deal on the kind I like: This 8-pack of glass storage containers is down to just $22.99; reg. price $60. Their lockable lids are completely leak-proof, but with removable rubber gaskets so you can clean them if needed. Average rating: 4.7 stars from over 800 buyers.

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No, that thing on Amazon isn't 85% off

During a recent episode of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe (a splendid podcast in which smart people discuss scientific things in very relatable ways), one of the hosts made an offhand reference to a drone he’d purchased on Cyber Monday. “It was 85% off!“ he exclaimed, prompting some enthusiastic “Whoa!” responses.

Turns out smart scientists are not necessarily smart shoppers. Because I’m here to tell you, that drone wasn’t 85% off. It probably wasn’t even 50% off. But they could be forgiven thinking it was, because a lot of Amazon sellers engage in shady pricing practices.

It’s all about psychology. Just as we’re wired to believe that $9.99 is somehow a better price than $10, our brains have trouble resisting the instant gratification of a massive discount (real or simply perceived). And online storefronts have made it incredibly easy for sellers to tap into that.

Especially small sellers with off-brand products — like, say, drones. (But this extends to a huge swath of other items as well: tools, clothing, electronics, and so on.)

Here’s one example I found with very little effort: An Amazon seller called Find Beauty (uh, okay) currently lists this decidedly generic drone for $55.99. A quick peek at its price history (thanks to CamelCamelCamel, a tool I mentioned in a previous issue) revealed that it has been selling at that price for the past year — except during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when it was marked up to $100. See the graph below:

So, for about 10 days, the drone’s “list” price was shown to be nearly double, all so that the seller could claim a huge Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount — without actually lowering the price at all. The average shopper (or podcast host) in search of a drone deal might see this and think, “Wow, 45% off! I’m in.”

I see this all the time. Another example: A new $499 robot vacuum is selling for an “introductory” price of just $149 — never mind that it never sold for $499 and never will, because it’s a super-basic budget model. Shenanigans!

Does the blame for this fall squarely at Amazon’s feet? Yes and no. These sellers — of which there are a zillion — have total control over how they price their products and the discounts/promotions they run. I’m not sure what manner of oversight would be required by Amazon to monitor and prevent this kind of trickery.

That said, who’s to blame for the grifter who stands inside a department store and sells you knockoff wristwatches out of his trenchcoat? The store has to accept some responsibility.

Unfortunately, these practices have existed at Amazon for a long time, and unless they get a lot more attention (as happened a few years ago with the whole fake-reviews debacle), I doubt the company will do anything about it.

But you can protect yourself by: A) using a price-history tool like the one mentioned above; B) remembering the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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The zen of LEGO

A few months back I treated myself to a LEGO X-Wing Fighter (it was on sale), thinking it would make a suitably geeky addition to my new office. (Arguably the only benefit to an empty nest is reclaiming one of the kids’ bedrooms.) But I didn’t get the chance to build it until my recent holiday vacation.

Pleased as I was with the finished model (pew-pew!), it was the process of building it that satisfied me most. Every day I’d spend about 20 minutes assembling one of the four main sections, and every day I’d revel in the joy of a singular focus: no screens, no distractions, just a simple bit of construction.

I’m sure adult coloring books and other hobbies have the same appeal. But for whatever reason, I get bored with those kinds of endeavors. Either I get critical of my artistic talent (or lack thereof) or feel like it’s taking too long to complete.

For my brain, however, this LEGO kit was perfect. Simple, relaxing, relatively quick, with an inner child-pleasing finished product.

If you’re interested in seeking this sort of zen for yourself, the X-Wing is no longer on sale (or even in stock), but the LEGO TIE Bomber is down to $51.99 right now, the lowest price on record.

Alternately, if there’s another activity that gives you this kind of pleasure, leave a comment and tell me about it!

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There's also my book: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned Playing Pickleball. And check out my curated book list at Bookshop.org, which donates to local bookstores with every purchase.