To think Amazon is overrated?

[SugarCanes]

I keep getting Amazon vouchers for Xmas and birthdays. And to be honest, I can never find anything I want so I end up spending it on presents for other people.

I don't buy DVDs - I have streaming services so no need. I don't buy music either and never have the time to read these days.

As for toiletries and household things etc, it's often more expensive on Amazon that it is in the supermarket or shops. I have bought some clothing bits in the past and it was always awful quality.

I don't understand the fuss?

They sell books as well.

Definitely overrated. So much stuff on there is poor quality, forged DVDs, stuff that doesn't meet UK safety standards etc. So much stuff is much more expensive than other places too- like they rely on people not knowing how much something usually costs to make their profit. I keep getting sulked back in when I need something urgently, but am trying to avoid them.

I love amazon, can pretty much get anything on there, prime shipping which is a huge bargain up in Highlands, plus the music and TV, movies you get with prime too. Its easily my most used shop.

Then spend the vouchers on toiletries and household things, and use the money saved to buy something you would like.

There’s a lot of shit on there.

But I do like it for books, candles, gadgets.

Although I’m trying to do more to support smaller businesses at the moment.

We buy all sorts of things from Amazon from books to household things and it's the first place I check to see if things are available, knowing I can usually get it the next day with Prime.

stuff that doesn't meet UK safety standards etc

Worried now as I’ve bought loads of stuff for my baby off Amazon!

But I do like it for books

Please support your local independent bookshop over Amazon.

I think the thing with amazon is the convenience, our toaster packed up the other week - 5 minutes on amazon and a new one ordered to be delivered the next day. And you can do that for pretty much anything. I might have saved a few quid by spending an hour popping to the shops but it's not worth it to me.

I avoid buying things from there as much as possible. One thing that really annoys me is that it’ll say free delivery and encourage you to buy it straight away but you have to go through your basket, scroll down and change it to free delivery otherwise you pay another £4+ for delivery as default. So sneaky and grabby.

The thing is Amazon isn't just a retailer any more, it's a "marketplace". Just about anyone can sell on the site and Amazon do very little checks.

Personally I use Amazon as a last resort. I buy there only if I can't find somewhere else that's trustworthy and competitively priced.

When you live rurally, Amazon is a lifesaver and does work out cheaper. If you factor in time, fuel costs, parking costs etc, why would I, when I can do it at home whilst cooking the tea?

I think it's pretty rubbish too. The amount if fakes or poor quality products is really not okay. I don't buy anything electrical there, I am very wary of toys and will make sure the seller is legit.

I basically only use it if I need a fairly random selection of stuff quite quickly, or there is a particular good, legit, bargain.

Sorry but I disagree. Amazon is all your shops in one and you get next day delivery or even same day delivery.

To the poster going on about fake stuff...that would be traders using Amazon (a bit like eBay) not Amazon themselves....

I get 90% of my stuff on Amazon.

I genuinely don't understand how you can't find anything to buy - they sell pretty much everything. Random stuff I've bought on Amazon for me or a relative in the past few months:
Wine
Chocolate
Coffee
Biscuits
Nuts
Books
Board games
Clock
Paint brush
Sanding machine
Step ladder
Tool box
Cotton buds
Shampoo
Lipstick
Snow boots
Toys
Hairdryer
Period pants
Bra
Chopping board
Light bulbs

Oh - have never ended up with a 'fake' anything and it's ALWAYS cheaper than elsewhere (when you factor in delivery, convenience etc) for the things I've bought.

Please support your local independent bookshop over Amazon

There is a Waterstones 30 miles from me. That's it. Technically cant even travel to it due to restrictions at the moment. Not sure where all these "local independent book shops" are.

I don't understand the fuss?

I didn't realise there was a fuss, its just somewhere to buy things. Use it all the time for random things such as the UV bulb going in my turtle tank which he needs to bask in to survive, handy it came the next day and since I've got Covid essential!

In fact I just bought my grandad some large print crosswords from Amazon because every fucking bookshop online I tried was out of stock or couldn't deliver before Jan.
Amazon will deliver them both tomorrow.

You can't beat it.
What else did I get..hmmm...Dulux paint for my living room, blind cord, paint try and rollers, masking tape and frog tape. There's literally everything you could ever want there!

@buttery81

But I do like it for books

Please support your local independent bookshop over Amazon.

They don't have the selection and more expensive

Please support your local independent bookshop over Amazon. I would if I had one.

Hmmmm, you can buy literally anything on it with a click of a button, and at least a 50% chance it will be cheaper than the high street.

I hate Amazon, I find it really tacky and overwhelming like an expensive online Pound shop. There's nothing enjoyable about shopping there, and the constant badgering to sign up for Prime has driven me away. I expect Jeff Bezos won't sleep tonight due to my decision.

I buy everything from Amazon! Like another poster said they are a marketplace. I’ve bought a Bed of Nails mat for instance. Exactly the same price on Boots and few other well known retailers but no postage (as I’m prime). Bought all kids toys for Christmas from there. Got myself a luxury brand moisturiser last week. You can buy everything you can imaging from there!! Never had anything fake. Returns are ridiculously easy. I do support local high street as well but honestly I think Amazon is marvellous

Amazon are absolutely brilliant at what they do. You really can find almost anything you want. And they deliver what they promise, when they promise. So my kids tell me..........
I refuse to buy from them. I have a friend in the USA who works for them, and a relative in the UK who used to. Based on what they've told me, and what research I've done, they treat their employees like s**t.
The only time I used them, I was subtly tricked into signing up for Prime.
And I would hate to see us sleepwalking into a scenario in the future in which Amazon dominated the world of retail.
My view, my choice......

@dayswithaY
Tacky? Poundshop? Haha.