I’ve been trying to avoid shopping on Amazon for several years. For computer parts, I look at Newegg. For pet stuff, Chewy.
But what about all the miscellaneous stuff? What other websites do you trust when it comes to shopping online?
I never understood the reliance on amazon. Its the internet, every category of item you could want has a bunch of manufacturer sites dedicated to it. “Websites you trust”, hell are yall doing trusting Amazon.
Ease of use. For example, if I need something odd like a rack to hang bikes in my garage, I can find and buy one in 5 minutes and go back to whatever I was going.
What makes it easier? Its online ordering, its the same for every site. Items in cart, go to checkout
Name one site off the top of your head in less than 5 seconds without googling it that you can purchase a bike rack
If im not allowed to google youre not allowed to search on amazon.
Well dude that’s the point. There’s one site I can go and get something name brand and it’s not necessarily going to be total garbage. If you’ve gotta Google something, then I dunno about you, but I’m checking a sites reputation before I give them my credit card information.
Point is there are a lot more steps and it’s convenient to go to that one site that I know of hand and more or less can trust to not steal my credit card information.
Otherwise you might as well just go to a store locally and purchase it, but unfortunately that isn’t always an option with everything.
Theres no extra steps, and Amazon has a notoriously bad reputation both with labour ethics and scam products.
There absolutely are extra steps. And you’re right it does on both accounts for the last part.
why? I really like amazon, it’s super convenient - like, I dont have to worry about buying gifts anymore - especially for my relatives, they’re really difficult to shop for - I just do the amazon gift card.
I order a fair amount of tools, utility goods, and snacks via amazon because they just arent sold around here, or it’s just cheaper on amazon when you factor in the fact I dont pay for shipping.
Well if the headlines on human rights violations and fraud weren’t enough to make you think twice, I doubt my experience today watching a senior man wrestle a huge TV out of his non-air-conditioned Amazon truck by himself for my neighbor would change your mind.
honestly? no, not in the least. not sure how he qualified for that job if he struggled with delivering packages. delivering packages is 50% or more of what Amazon is all about.
This isn’t really an answer to the question, but I just saw a Mastodon post about an online store that’s opening this October called Artisans.coop
It seems to be a cooperatively owned Etsy alternative, (and I can only assume it’s a response to whatever shenanigans went on between Etsy and Silicon Valley Bank.)
I might check that out. I have a small Etsy shop that used to generate a bit of side income for me, mainly just enough to buy the occasional tool or some materials for personal projects, but Etsy has changed a lot since 2018. It’s basically just eBay or Amazon with the veneer of “this is totally handmade.” They pushed “free” shipping and decreased lead times, which undermines actual handmade products.
My assumption that this was about SVB sounds totally off the mark now that you’ve put it this way. From your story, it sounds like this is about an entire culture shift that’s been alienating Etsy’s original community of artisans for quite some time.
I’m pretty sure the main issue with etsy these days is that they allow/encourage dropshippers so now it’s just filled with cheap crap from AliExpress etc
Bingo
Best Buy for gadgets.
Interestingly Amazon is almost non existent in Switzerland. I think they didn’t ship or only with high fees in the first years so it never became famous. We have our own solutions like galaxus.ch or brack.ch. I only ordered twice on Amazon and that just because the products were not available in any other shop.
eBay! Craigslist!
Craigslist is more fun but more limited. eBay for the things I can’t find on CL. Both really enable you to shop locally too which is excellent
Got any recommendations for websites that aren’t sketchy?
I learned years ago to avoid eBay and Craigslist. They’re more hassle than they’re worth. People suck.
You’ve got it all wrong! They’re the best. IDK where the idea that either are sketchy came from. Maybe that there isn’t a social media profile attached to the ad on like on Facebook Market?
Folks on both sites are just folks trying to sell stuff. There are scammers trying to sell scams too, but that’s everywhere.
Challenge the story society has fed you! Browse the free section of Craigslist today!!
Facebook market, but same issues with people. But dealing face to face helps somewhat. I despise it and don’t use FB personally, but my wife does and unfortunately that is where local sales happen now.
Maybe try eBay again? I gave up Amazon three years ago and have almost exclusively used eBay. Never had any major issues. And if there were any issues, the seller was super responsive. Also can sometimes save a lot over Amazon on certain items. And I always look for refurbished/used to save a good amount.
The only scam now is people basically listing Amazon items and just ordering them for you from Amazon.
If you’re a gal, you might like Zulily for clothes, shoes and household items. I’ve bought more than several things there and been very pleased. Delivery takes forever tho’
I use Target most, I think. For random household stuff I can’t get through Target I use Meijer (it’s a grocery+ store) or the local Ace Hardware and do same day pickup.
Honestly those cover probably 75% of purchases. Everything else I google until I find what I want, then spend a couple hours trying to decide if the site is legit or if I can find the manufacturer direct.
EBay
In Belgium & Netherlands, we have an alternative called Bol. I use it, but I wonder how much more ethical it is in the end.
I mean, it’s still another pretty big company, but the Shopify “Shop” app is actually pretty great as an alternative to Amazon.
Basically, all the businesses using a Shopify online storefront are amalgamated and searchable in one app, and the UI is pretty solid, too. I really like that a business can have their own website with a storefront, but also be there for convenience and still be in the same system.
That’s actually such a smart move for Shopify to incentivise use of their platform over others.
My small shopify business thanks you!
I have gone to the source and bought off the top 4-5 Chinese sites. Slow, but so far no issues.
Walmart occasionally, but their website is terrible and selection limited.
Microcenter for pc parts.
eBay for a few things.
Adorama and the other big NY camera seller (edit: B&H) often have deals on things like laptops.
Rock auto for car parts. Car-part.com for used car parts when my wife hits yet another deer.
Amazon, still way too much.
There are lots of other marketplace sites (e.g. I was just looking at appliancesconnection.com) - but also generally I either google the name of the thing I’m looking for or look up the name of the seller on amazon and buy it from their site.
leboncoin.fr I’m in France. It’s our local craigslist.
Believe it or not I’ve never used Amazon.
I’m old, I never left eBay. I’ve seen things I want a lot cheaper on there though. I just don’t want to give them my money.
I used to shop on Amazon, but now I’m all eBay too. "It just works"and even though I know it’s another mega-sized company, at least it’s not amazon.
More than once though, I bought something on ebay, only to have it delivered in an Amazon box (because they fulfill for so many companies). Wish I could think of a way to avoid that.
It is against eBay policy for sellers to ship directly from Amazon. Report them and eBay will, after several months, end the offending account. Include pictures of the Amazon packaging. If you want to go the extra mile, go to the vendor’s storefront and search for their items on Amazon. If you find a bunch, tell eBay that the vendor’s storefront is full of relisted Amazon items.
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/resolving-issues-sellers/reporting-item-issue-seller?id=4022
You can also leave negative feedback stating that the vendor simply ships from Amazon at a marked up price.
It is also against Amazon’s policy for accounts to use Prime shipping perks to sell items. If your package has a gift receipt, the vendor is violating that policy. The receipt will include their account name, and you can report them to Amazon too. If it doesn’t have a gift receipt, they’re not violating any Amazon policy, and there’s nothing you can do on that end.
Very helpful. Thank you.