Shopping on Amazon has become a cultural norm. As someone who practically lives on Amazon I always wonder if it is a good or bad addiction to have. Is Prime worth it? Would it be a better idea to just go to the store to get what I need? I know I am the same as many Americans, who work too many jobs and too many hours. It is just easier to shop online in most cases and Amazon makes it so easy! It does make me wonder though, what are the pros and cons of shopping on Amazon? Does it affect the economy? Is the ease of Amazon too good to be true?
Pros:
1. Prime Membership
The Amazon prime membership is in my opinion the most valuable aspect of shopping on Amazon. You get free 2-day shipping and a lot of other perks such as Prime Video and Prime Music. Of coarse there are upgrades you can pay for with these extras, but it is well worth the free shipping if you order from it enough.
There are other types of memberships that can be helpful. There is the family membership: that gives you a discount on family related items, the student membership: that gives you 6 months free and then half off most items and the Medicare membership: that helps with medical needs for those who qualify.
2. Easy Returns and Replacements for Stolen Packages
In most cases I hate shopping online because you don’t always know what you are getting. You can’t try on clothes to see if they fit and you can’t check the quality if you don’t see it in person. There is also the added risk of having things break during the shipping process. Amazon has made returns so easy that it is no longer a concern for many people. You can ship the product back by printing out the shipping label for a small fee at UPS or you can do free returns without even packing the product back up, by dropping it off at any Kohls location, with a barcode you can have scanned off your phone!
Amazon also replaces stolen packages. It is great to have everything delivered to your home, but you want to know that if something happens to your package before you get there to bring it in, that you are covered.
3. Allows Small Sellers to Sell Their Products
Amazon has become a market place for small business owners who want to sell their products online. This allows for healthy small businesses to grown within the world of Amazon.
4. Amazon Sells Almost Anything!
Amazon really is a one-stop shop you don’t even have to walk into! You can get anything from groceries to exercise equipment on there. It makes the convenience along with the fast shipping times almost too good to pass up on!
5. One-Click Ordering and Ordering Through Alexa
To make the process even easier than it already is because your information is already saved in their system, you can activate one-click ordering or you can ask your Alexa to order for you! The convenience is at your fingertips.
6. Lightning Sales, Great Deals for New Items and Prime Day
There is almost always a chance to save on the items you need. There are sale days on top of Cyber Monday and black Friday that can be very beneficial to families.
7. Product Subscriptions
If there is something you know you need on a monthly basis, you can sign up to have it automatically ordered and delivered to you each month. There is also almost always a discount for signing up to have the automated process done for you each month.
8. Amazon Credit Card Rewards
When shopping on Amazon with their credit card you accrue points that you can either cash out or spend on the website to take money off of your next purchase.
There is also an option to pay for pricey shopping carts over a few months so you don’t have to pay all at once.
There is also an option to pay for pricey shopping carts over a few months so you don’t have to pay all at once.
Cons:
1. Not As Safe As Shopping in Person
There is always a possibility that your personal information will be stolen these days, but shopping on Amazon requires that you save your information in their system. Be diligent whenever you are asked to enter your information into a system that you keep tabs on it and know it is being kept private.
2. Abundant Ads on Amazon
There are a lot of ads on Amazon trying to persuade you to buy products you did not come there for. Be careful where you click!
3. Prime Membership Expense
Although being a Prime member is convenient, it is pricey. Make sure you use the site enough to make it worth the cost! You can also go to the store to buy what you need without the extra fees!
4. Online Shopping Has Hurt the Brick and Mortar Industry
Online shopping has become a norm in our society; unfortunately it has hurt the brick and mortar shopping industry. It is important to make sure to support both forms of shopping to keep them both strong. Keeping stores open, keeps jobs for those who need it!
5. Different Prices for the Same Product
Although it is great that Amazon allows small businesses to sell their products on its site, it does cause a problem. When looking up an item and deciding what to buy, you will often see there are different prices for the same product, because they are from different sellers. Make sure to price shop before purchasing anything from third party sellers on the site to make sure you get the best price.
6. Shopping Online Can Hurt Your Credit
When you go into a store in person, you have the option to use cash or credit. When you shop online, you have to use credit, which sometimes gives people the feeling that their budget is larger than it really is. Using too much credit over time can hurt your credit score, so be cautious when using only credit cards to shop!
7. Quality Control
When you shop in a store you can see the quality of a product before you buy it. When shopping online you can only go based on the pictures and you don’t always get what you expected when it comes in the mail.
8. Fake Reviews
A growing problem on Amazon is that the products often have fake reviews making the products sound better then they are. Make sure to look up reviews on other sites as well to cross check the item before you purchase it.