If you shop online, you’ve surely heard of Amazon. There are plenty of other online sho
pping sites out there, but Amazon continues to rise up in popularity, and no competitor can seem to compete. Why is this? It’s plain and simple. Selection, prices, reviews, and customer service.
Selection
This one is simple: Amazon has one of the biggest selections available of any online store. They may even have the biggest selection in the world. It’s no wonder the arrow on their logo points from A to Z. They really do have everything from A to Z. The fact that you can order ice cream (via Prime Now) takes this a step further. Ordering frozen goods online? That’s now become a reality.
Prices
While Amazon doesn’t always have the best price, 9 times out of 10, they do. Mainly competing with big box stores, Amazon usually has a be
tter prices on the same items you find at Walmart. There are a few exceptions to this rule, however. Me and my friend, Matthew Allen, discovered that the items on Prime Now are way overpriced compared to Walmart. This makes sense, as they have to pay for their “free” delivery somehow. Generally speaking, Amazon has the best price on items, and that plays a huge role in their success.
Reviews
This goes along with selection. This is one of the main reasons I tend to order from Amazon instead of buying in store. If it’s not a popular item (such as a smartphone or game console), I can just buy whatever Walmart sells me, or I can order it on Amazon and get one with the best reviews. I can join thousands of other people who have given the product a 5 star review, and that makes me much more comfortable with buying the product. Since Amazon is so huge, there are normally thousands (or hundreds for less popular products) of reviews for you to read. This way, you really know what you’re buying, and what you’re getting in to.
Customer Service
This is a big reason that I order from Amazon. Have a problem with an item? The return shipping is on them. Just print the free label, slap it on a box, and ship your item away. For Amazon Prime customers, if an item arrives late, you can request to get a free month of Prime. In a recent experience, my item came in 3 days instead of 2. With no questions asked, Amazon extended my membership for free. In addition, Amazon makes things right. I once ordered a computer mount that was missing a bolt. The manufacturer did not offer replacements, and it would have been a huge hassle to ship back. 3rd parties sold packs of 25 bolts – and that was the smallest amount you could buy! So in the end, Amazon gave me a $5 gift card to buy 25 of these bolts just so I could build my mount properly. That’s impressive customer service! I’ve ordered from other stores before, and when I’ve had a problem with an item, they force me to pay return shipping. Not with Amazon!
Not To Mention The Prime Empire
Amazon has built an empire of loyal customers. They did this through Prime. By paying $100 per year (or $10 per month), you can have unlimited free 2-day shipping, watch select movies for free, and listen to select music for free. If you shop online frequently, Prime really is the best deal. By charging people $100 per year, customers are much more likely to spend more, as they want to feel like they are getting their money’s worth. In fact, it is statistically proven that Prime users spend more on Amazon each year. The model is genius! You’re paying Amazon $100 per year, plus whatever you buy. It’s a big reason on how Amazon has built up a loyal customer 2121base, and it’s a huge role in their success.
Conclusion
Due to their huge size, Amazon Prime, their prices, and their amazing customer service, it’s simply hard to beat Amazon. Other online retailers are going to have to work extremely hard (and even take a financial loss in the start) if they are going to beat Amazon. I’ve never had a negative experience with Amazon, and they always make it right. So next time you are ordering online, give Amazon a try!
