Why did Alexa give me free stuff?

ruouttaurmind thought this was worth mentioning said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 8:48pm ET

I have never used Alexa to place an order before, and I was reviewing the Alexa daily deals, and a couple of the items came up as $0.00 after the Alexa discount. Is this a feature? Bug? Random giveaway?

Don’t get me wrong, I dig free stuff as much as anyone. But it’s got me curious.

10 comments, 49 replies
Comment

RiotDemon said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 9:17pm ET:

Get anything good?

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- @RiotDemon Nothing spectacular. Vitamin D caps and a sterling silver necklace. Total value about $25. I’ll give the vitamins to one of my girls at work, and the necklace to my young niece:
  
  ruouttaurmind said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 9:29pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind She offered me that necklace for $12.
  /giphy bitch
  
  sammydog01 said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 7:20am ET
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OldCatLady said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 9:26pm ET:

Details please!

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- @OldCatLady (up there)
  
  ruouttaurmind said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 9:30pm ET
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sammydog01 said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 10:51pm ET:

She thinks you’re hot?

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- @sammydog01 I am, but Alexa prolly goes for the badbot types. Like @giphy
  
  /giphy giphy and Alexa sitting in a tree, kissing
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 5:23am ET
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- Ya. Just like giphy to cheap out and throw up a cat vid.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 5:30am ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  /image giphy and Alexa sitting in a tree, kissing
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:55am ET
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- @RiotDemon Dang! That one looks like giphy vomited on Christmas.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 10:25am ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  I tried with extra words added… Kept giving me Christmas vomit.
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:33am ET
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- @RiotDemon The caption in the pic says “Nice picture from me”. Apparently in Hungary they have a very different criterion for “nice”?
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:36am ET
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phatmass said Thu, Jun 8th 2017 at 11:27pm ET:

I just tried and it only gave me $2 off

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thekenya said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:04am ET:

That is odd

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ELUNO said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:31am ET:

Are you sure it didn’t just use any gift card amount you had?

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- @ELUNO Yup. No gift cards available on my account.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 5:28am ET
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- @ELUNO The order confirmations indicate the item cost is $0.00 before sales tax or payment. When paying by gift card or account credit Amz still charges sales tax.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:24am ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  
  I hope they can figure out and fill in your address, because in both orders, there’s a large empty box.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:27am ET
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- @PlacidPenguin It’s a cruel, evil joke propagated by Alexa and giphy. Make me think I’m getting free stuff, only to deliver it to the ether.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:29am ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  
  So you ARE sending stuff to Texas.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:30am ET
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- @PlacidPenguin Vitamin D and silver necklaces. You know, just a rando assortment to make them say “uh… huh?”
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:40am ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  
  @woodhouse might take the Vitamin D…
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:12pm ET
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- @PlacidPenguin Hey! What are you trying to say, guy? We get plenty of Vitamin D here in the heart of Texas. Except today. Today it’s flooding. But later today, it’ll be sunny out!
  
  woodhouse said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:24pm ET
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- @woodhouse
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:28pm ET
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- @PlacidPenguin
  
  So you ARE sending stuff to Texas.
  
  f00l said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 1:27pm ET
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- @f00l
  
  Well yeah, that’s where @denboy is.
  
  Oh wait… You were quoting me.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 1:29pm ET
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- @PlacidPenguin I’m not in Texas right now
  
  denboy said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 1:58pm ET
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- @denboy
  
  No rush.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 2:05pm ET
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- @PlacidPenguin just for that, I’m going to listen to YYZ followed by subdivisions
  
  denboy said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 2:21pm ET
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- @denboy
  
  I don’t listen to music, so I dunno if you’re punishing yourself, or rewarding yourself.
  
  Then again, even if people don’t like them, each individual has their own taste in music.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 2:39pm ET
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- @PlacidPenguin
  /image rush band
  
  denboy said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 2:47pm ET
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- @denboy
  /youtube yyz
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 5:45pm ET
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- @RiotDemon too bad @placidpenguin won’t listen because it’s music.
  
  denboy said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 12:23pm ET
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- @denboy I ended up listening to it at least.
  
  RiotDemon said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 2:12pm ET
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- @RiotDemon gold star for you
  /image gold star
  
  denboy said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 10:57pm ET
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Smitty2525 said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 7:32am ET:

You don’t live in a fully automated home do you?

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- @cranky1950 Nope. I don’t even have an Alexa or Dot. I used my FireTV stick glommed together with the FireTV app, Alexa app, and my iPad to access the Alexa deals.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:27am ET
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daveinwarsh said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:52am ET:

Our Alexa suddenly announced “Are you sure that you want to order a box of guns?” a few months ago.
I think she heard something on TV.
Maybe I should have checked if it was a box of FREE guns before I blurted out “No, Cancel”…

I leave the mute button on lately.

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- @daveinwarsh I wasn’t aware Amz sold guns by the box.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:03pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  
  You must be looking at the wrong section of Amazon.
  
  PlacidPenguin said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:05pm ET
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- @daveinwarsh This is why I leave voice purchasing off.
  
  sammydog01 said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 12:09pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind I wasn’t aware of this fact either.
  I’m thinking that Alexa can circumvent most rules and regulations.
  I’m pretty sure it was a big box of these:
  
  daveinwarsh said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 5:55pm ET
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- @daveinwarsh and you cancelled it???
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:38pm ET
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- @daveinwarsh
  /giphy big box of guns
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:38pm ET
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- Freakin’ giphy.
  
  ruouttaurmind said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:39pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind
  /image gif big box of guns
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:56pm ET
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- @RiotDemon Yeah. oops…
  
  daveinwarsh said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:57pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind My wife won’t let me have a box of those. damn.
  
  daveinwarsh said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:58pm ET
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- @daveinwarsh
  /giphy shame
  
  RiotDemon said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 6:58pm ET
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- @ruouttaurmind best guns ever…
  
  sohmageek said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 11:25pm ET
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sligett said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 2:30pm ET:

Why didn’t Alexa give me free stuff? I do see some $1 Dash buttons, but until I play with the ones I already have I can likely postpone buying more.

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- @sligett people actually use those?
  
  phatmass said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 10:26pm ET
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- @phatmass I use them to fill a drawer.
  
  sammydog01 said Fri, Jun 9th 2017 at 10:31pm ET
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- @phatmass I have heard that they are a big hit with children–never have paper towels been as exciting to acquire. Or… probably acquire. Unless somebody already pressed the button. HEY, DID ANYBODY PRESS THE BUTTON RECENTLY FOR PAPER TOWELS? OK. I’M GOING TO PRESS IT.
  
  I keep thinking I should reprogram (or whatever) one or three to purchase pizzas.
  
  InnocuousFarmer said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 10:52am ET
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- @InnocuousFarmer I have one that sends me a box of fancy chocolates. I pushed it once for the discount and need to take the battery out so I don’t do it by accident. Or when I’m having a bad day. Or on Mondays.
  
  sammydog01 said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 11:38am ET
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- @InnocuousFarmer
  
  narfcake said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 12:56pm ET
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- @phatmass I have two that I have used. Once each. I’ll use them again in about a year to reorder washing machine cleaner and dog treats. whee.
  
  sligett said Sun, Jun 11th 2017 at 2:24pm ET
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blaineg said Sat, Jun 10th 2017 at 11:28am ET:

Nobody has posted this yet?

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- @blaineg I was reading this thread and was going to post it if nobody else had
  
  smyle said Sat, Jun 10th 2017 at 12:42pm ET
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