Amazon not your only online shopping option
E-commerce company dominates, but survey shows others make their mark
VENICE BEACH, Calif. – There’s more to life than Amazon. That’s what online shoppers tell us.
“I just can’t really find certain things on Amazon that I’m looking for,” says shopper Monica Galvan of Dallas. “There’s a certain fit of pants that I like to find.” She prefers the fashion site Anthropologie.
Despite being a dominant online shopping destination, Amazon doesn’t have everything. For instance, if you’re looking for Google’s new Home Hub video speaker – or any other Google product, for that matter – you’re not going to find it. Amazon doesn’t sell Google products.
In an exclusive SurveyMonkey/Audience poll for USA TODAY, more than 1,000 shoppers told us where they spent money when they didn’t visit Amazon.
Mostly, websites for traditional retailers topped the list. Walmart was the clear runner-up, with 21% of poll respondents, compared with 17% for eBay, 15% for Target and 7% for BestBuy.
To be clear, Amazon certainly is the behemoth of online retail, especially during the holidays. The company has a
49.1 percent market share of e-tailers, according to research firm eMarketer, with No. 2 eBay at 6.6 percent, followed by Apple’s website (3.9 percent), Walmart (3.7 percent) and Home Depot at
1.5 percent. Last year alone, Amazon generated more than $30 billion in online sales over the holidays, compared with $2.6 billion for its nearest e-commerce runner-up, eBay.
But it’s certainly not the only option. At Target.com, for instance, you could have products delivered to your home within two days, or in-store, and the shipping cost would be free. That’s a huge difference between paying Amazon $119 yearly for expedited shipping and entertainment in the Prime program.
And if you shopped for anything at Nordstrom.com, you’d not only get the free shipping and in-store pickup, you’d get loyalty points for Nordstrom discounts and other perks.
“Free returns and free shipping,” notes Carrie Rasca of Salem, Oregon, when asked why she’s loyal to Nordstrom.com.
Yes, Amazon has the same deal, as long as you’re willing to pay for Prime membership, but Nordstom has something Amazon can’t fully match. “You can go to any store and return it, as well,” she adds.
It’s worth noting: Other sites may have different and better stock on certain items, more liberal customer service or just be a better fit for its product
category.
Additionally, many competitors don’t engage as heavily as Amazon does in running sponsored ads over search results, resulting in a potentially cleaner shopping experience.
In addition to traditional retailer websites the shoppers we surveyed use, here are alternatives to Amazon:
❚ Wish: Think of it as the dollar store of online. It specializes in ultra-cheap stuff, mostly made in China, such as $3 rings, $19 hoodies and watches for $33. For the holidays, it’s running a loyalty program. Log in seven times by Dec. 20 to receive 50 percent off an item.
Or, use the code BLKFRIDAY from Nov. 22-25 or Nov. 26-27 with code CYBERMON.
❚ Jet: Instead of one giant marketplace for every product sold under the sun, Jet aims to offer “curated brands and city essentials” for busy shoppers. The website offers free shipping for orders over $35 and free returns.
Categories include pantry, home, electronics and fashion. And here’s something you won’t see on Amazon: an “adult” section.
❚ Chewy: Many responded on social media to this pet supplies marketplace. “Cat litter delivered to our door,” said Stacy Bosco of Los Angeles on Facebook.
The company offers more than 1,000 brands of pet food and supplies and differs from Amazon in that it offers both phone and e-mail support and a membership program (no fees to join) to have food and supplies auto-shipped, with 5 percent to 10 percent discounts, based on the customer schedule.
❚ Etsy: If you’re in the market for something handcrafted, vintage or custom, Etsy might be a good fit. The global marketplace’s stock in trade is niche and artisan goods. So if you’re looking for anything from monogrammed beach hats and crayons shaped like Star Wars characters to unique jewelry and mixed media art, you could buy them directly from the person crafting them.
❚ eBay: eBay is the No. 2 e-commerce site to Amazon and has long since evolved from a pure auction site to one that also offers “Buy it Now” pricing.
Many of the folks we spoke to on social media said they like eBay because it has both the discounts from the auctions and access to current fare. Just be sure to confirm before finalizing the purchase that what you’re expecting to get is what you’re actually buying.