The Best Online Shopping Alternatives To Amazon
Amazon dominates the world of online shopping but that doesn't mean it's the only place to spend your money. If you love the ease and comfort of making your purchases in your bathrobe, you need Amazon alternatives.
Getting in your car and driving to a store is a thing of the past. Now you can order almost anything online and have it on your doorstep the next morning. Amazon dominates the world of online shopping but that doesn’t mean it’s the only place to spend your money. If you love the ease and comfort of making your purchases in your bathrobe, you need Amazon alternatives. So here they are, the best online shopping alternatives to Amazon.
WALMART As An Amazon Alternative
Walmart has transformed itself into a heavy hitter in the world of online shopping. Their website is much like their physical retail footprint: It’s easy to use and it has a lot to offer. When visited, the shopping giant’s user-friendly website immediately shows you their most tantalizing deals. The search function located at the top of every page page allows for a quick and easy search. You can break down your search into specific departments or leave it open to a general search. The Walmart site also offers suggestions for gifts, home décor, holidays, virtually anything you could ask for. And because it’s Walmart, their pricing is very competitive. The amazingly low cost deals they built their reputation on are part of their online presence too.
A huge part of the Walmart online shopping experience the way their products are shipped. Like Amazon Prime, Walmart offers free next day delivery on eligible orders. As you search for and find products, Walmart clearly identifies items eligible for next day delivery. You’ll need to order over $35 in goods to be eligible for free next day shipping. An extra $5.99 is added if you don’t reach the $35 requirement. There is also daily cut-off time to receive your eligible items next day, which varies by location.
Walmart’s smartphone shopping app is virtually identical to its website. The app offers the same search functionality, the same deals the website posts and the same delivery options.
For all the Walmart online shopping experience gets right, there is also the bad. Walmart consistently receives low marks for customer service from, and many users rate them as a less pleasant and responsive experience when compared to Amazon Prime.
TARGET As An Amazon Alternative
Target is all in when it comes to becoming a top online department store. Their website immediately hits you with deals. They’ve created a user-friendly shopping site with search functions easily located at the top. Also, across the top are various pull-down menus where you can find specific categories of products, deals Target offers, and same day delivery information.
Target offers same day delivery options on many essential products such as groceries, household items, personal care items and electronics. Unfortunately same day delivery service is fairly limited, so Target offers next day delivery on a wider range of products. The website clearly details which items are not included in its same day delivery. Like Walmart next day delivery is free as long as you order at least $35 worth of products.
Target’s smartphone app makes shopping from your cell phone an easy choice. Its design resembles the website, allowing shoppers to quickly and easily find the product they want. Overall customer satisfaction with Target’s app and over online shopping presence is generally favorable.
eBay As An Amazon Alternative
Second only to Amazon, eBay is the best known and biggest online shopping marketplace in the world. The site offers an incredible range or products in a seemingly limitless number of categories. But their online shopping platform differs greatly from Amazon. eBay is more of a middleman when it comes to selling. They don’t offer their own products but instead connect customers to sellers or businesses. eBay is best known for giving customers the ability to bid on products in auctions. You can outbid a person for a purchase or in some cases use a feature called Buy It Now, where bidding is taken out of the purchase process.
To remain competitive in Amazon’s world, eBay has designed their website to make finding products much easier. Their advantage over Amazon is the variety of things you can find there. eBay sells things you can’t find anywhere else, using their ability to connect sellers and buyers all over the world.
The nature of the company means that you won’t always get a lot of the easy shipping options you might get from other online retailers. eBay does offer one day delivery but, in many instances, it’s quite limited. Because many of the company’s products are sold by individual private sellers, delivery costs can run high, especially on products shipping from overseas.
eBay does have a strong app game. It is user-friendly, easy to maneuver, offering all the same bells and whistles its website offers. Reviews from users are all over the map though, and your experience will largely depend on quality of the individual seller eBay connects you with for your purchase.
ALIBABA As An Amazon Alternative
Alibaba is a Chinese owned online shopping company which surfaced five years after Amazon. While their name might not be as well known in America, their global presence rates right up there with Amazon in every aspect, including sales. Alibaba also offers goods on par with Amazon. Their website is busy but easily manageable. They offer an eBay-like feature where one can sell their goods themselves on the website. What makes them such a dominant online shopping force is their location, based in China, the largest market in the world.
Much like Amazon, Alibaba works establish its presence in new economies finding new customers. Part of their strategy to gain a foothold in America is Alibaba’s smartphone app, which is as user friendly as Amazon’s. The Alibaba app highlights things such as “ready to ship” products, weekly deals and its top-ranked sellers.
What gives Amazon the edge over Alibaba in America is their ability to get products to its consumers quickly. The speed with which Amazon operates is virtually unmatched by any of its competitors. But still, Alibaba presents the biggest challenge to the Amazon dynasty based on sheer size. But also Ali’s pricing is competitive and the company, thanks to its location, can offer virtually any product you can think of. If you’re looking for an Amazon alternative, Alibaba is the most similar and well-rounded online shopping entity when compared to Amazon.
OVERSTOCK As An Amazon Alternative
Overstock began its online shopping life in 1997 as Discounts Direct. 2 years later it was renamed to Overstock and mainly sold surplus items. Today, Overstock continues to sell surplus but has turned itself into a bonafide online retailer.
At first glance, Overstock’s website would seem to have a home furnishing, indoor slant to it but a little digging and you will see Overstock actually offers a wide variety of products. The site itself is easy to navigate with a simple search function across the top and tabs which take you to specific categories. Hovering over these tabs is where you will see just how wide their selections truly are.
Overstock offers a loyalty program, called Club O, and it starts with a free 30-day trial which turns into a $19.95 per year affair. The benefits of this program are impressive. It offers a 5% reward on every purchase, free returns, up to $40 in rewards for every review a purchased product, and a price match guarantee. But the biggest reward comes in the form of free shipping for everything. This goes for the smallest of items to sofas. For those who do not wish to join Club O, Overstock offers standard free shipping for orders over $45 and usually those go out within 1-2 business days.
NEWEGG As An Amazon Alternative
Newegg began as a very specialized online retailer focused on computer hardware and electronics. They continue to lean heavily on the sale of these but have since expanded their inventory.
Newegg’s website has a decidedly electronics look and feel to it. This is demonstrated by their search bar which informs customers they can search for products by keyword, model number or item number. On side of their shopping website are product choices offered in computer systems, components, electronics and gaming. But dig further and you’ll find home goods, tools, health and sports items, and apparel as more options for purchase on Newegg.
The company regularly advertises special deals and sales to help attract customers. Because they use a number of different shipping carriers, they don’t offer same day deliver. Instead they promise options like next day delivery and on some items 2- or 3-day delivery. Shipping costs on Newegg are always based on which carrier provides the service.
JET As An Amazon Alternative
Jet is a newer online retailer, established in 2014 under the watchful eye of its parent company, Walmart. Besides offering a wide variety of products, Jet’s stated mission is to save consumers money. So, with this in mind, they have something called their real-time savings engine. It works by adding an item that has a special mark next to it in your shopping cart. This item will lower the prices of other items in your cart.
Another way Jet lowers prices is by allowing customers to opt out of free returns. By doing this, Jet saves cost on returns, thus being able to lower your price.
The site offers same day/next day delivery, but this service is very limited. Because Jet is based out of New Jersey, these shipping options are available only for specific New York areas. They do, though, offer free 2-5-day shipping on any order over $49.
Overall, Jet’s website is easy to maneuver and offers a wide variety of products which include big brand names.
ZAPPOS As An Amazon Alternative
Zappos is an online retailer with a more specialized flavor. It leans heavily on shoes and clothing for its inventory. The construction of the Zappos shopping website is simple since they limit the variety of things they carry.
Zappos recently introduced Zappos VIP. This is an upgraded rewards system that is free to sign up for and offers a few nice perks. The main perk is free next business day shipping. There is no minimum purchase required to receive this service, a simple Zappos VIP account is all that’s needed. Along with that, Zappos offers returns at no cost. When you are a VIP you earn points for every dollar you spend. You can turn these points into savings.
If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, Zappos wants to work with you in particular. The company allows Prime members to earn points per every dollar they spend.
RAKUTEN REWARDS As An Amazon Alternative
Rakuten is a different beast altogether. They are an immense online shopping destination but not in the general sense. First known as EBates, in early 2019 the company changed its name to Rakuten Rewards.
Rakuten is a cash-back and rewards retailer. It houses a large number of affiliates which members click through to get to that retailer’s site. When a consumer makes a purchase, Rakuten Rewards receives an affiliate commission. This commission is in turn shared with the customer.
Rakuten’s website is a busy one. There are affiliates left and right, many big and popular names. Every affiliate boasts a cash back percentage, which varies from retailer to retailer. Once you find a retailer you like and finish your purchase, the rebate earned is put into your Paypal account or sent to you via check.
Rakuten is a great system for those who love to shop and earn money back. The downside to this, if it’s considered a downside, is that Rakuten itself does not handle the shipping of your products. That falls upon the retailer you chose when purchasing. So, until that time, shipping costs won’t be known.
BEST BUY As An Amazon Alternative
Best Buy is an electronic giant retailer, much like Newegg, only a little more contained. Whereas Newegg has expanded to include apparel in their inventory, Best Buy continues to push technology. They offer one of the largest selections of name brands with service second to none. Where other electronics stores have faltered and gone under in Amazon’s shadow, Best Buy has thrived.
Best Buy’s website is slick and professional, very user-friendly and has an intuitive search engine. The site is truly set up for the consumer. It shows top deals, brand items on sale and featured offers. If you have an account with Best Buy it gives you easy access to your shopping history. It shows you their deal of the day as well as their clearance and open box items.
To further entice potential customers, Best Buy offers same-day delivery. You simply enter your zip code to verify your area has same day service. If your purchase is ordered by 3 pm it will be delivered by 9 pm that evening. Best Buy also offers next day delivery on most items. They do require a minimum purchase of $35 for next day delivery.
ETSY As An Amazon Alternative
ETSY is a niche e-commerce website specializing in vintage or handmade items and craft supplies. While that might make it seem as though ETSY’s inventory is limited, their website is actually quite robust. The website is understated in appearance, modest in its design. Its search engine is specific to what it carries but easily finds what you’re looking for.
Think of a craft fair when thinking of ETSY. Sellers are given personal storefronts where they can list, show and sell their items. You won’t find big names on this website, but you will find well made items and a nice selection of totally unique vintage products.
One thing you will need with ETSY, is patience. Items ship at the sellers’ pace and it can take as long as nine days to you to receive your product, so be forewarned. Some sellers do offer a faster shipping service, but that won’t be know until you are ready to make your purchase.
IKEA As An Amazon Alternative
If you’re shopping for furniture, home accessories or kitchen appliances then IKEA is a great place start. They offer a truly specialized website and if you’re shopping for home improvements, IKEA probably has the answer.
The company’s website is as simple in design as it is inventory. It’s so specific that one of its few drop-down menus across the top allows you to search for items by specific rooms in your house. IKEA even has options for the hallway and laundry room.
Since they’re often shipping room-filling objects and heavy furniture, IKEA is smart enough to have their own delivery service. The service is flat rate and very reasonable. $5.99 for small ticket items and $49.99 for large item deliveries. They will even place these items in room of your choice at no extra cost.
HOME DEPOT As An Amazon Alternative
Home Depot Is by far the largest home improvement retailer in the United States, and they want you to know it. Their website is huge. From DIY projects and ideas to lawn & garden, Home Depot’s website has a lot to offer.
Given the immense shopping inventory Home Depot delivers, you’ll need their search engine to narrow things down quickly. Additionally, drop down menus can make your purchasing life much easier if you don’t have a specific item in mind.
To combat competition, Home Depot offers free delivery on most orders over $45. Most home deliveries fall within a 5-10 business day timeframe, but Home Depot also offers express delivery. and may other shipping methods.
Which Online Shopping Alternative Should You Choose?
Amazon is the trendsetter when it comes to any online shopping marketplace. But they can’t do everything. Great deals are everywhere. It’s a buyer’s market and the choice is yours.
