Everyone has bought something from Amazon and if you are into online shopping, you must have done that too. While most of the times, the stuff you get from the famous website is good, that is not always the case. There have been times when you relied on the reviews and other information provided on the site, only to end up being terribly disappointed with your product. This isn’t something that is a onetime chance mistake, it has happened with everyone.
There are a few things that, as customers, people aren’t aware about Amazon. The following list sums them up clearly so that you are better informed the next time you buy something from there –
1. The Reviews Are Not Unbiased – The site warns you to take their reviews with a pinch of salt but if you are a regular buyer, you’d know that there is a bit more than a pinch to take it with. The reviews of a product are mostly great if it is a famous commodity and there is a reason for that. The trusted reviewers get free goodies from the manufacturers of the product and this is how the venders market them. So, the next time you read a rave review and decide to buy a product based on that review, hold your horses and think before you add it to your cart.
2. Free Shipping Is A Ploy To Make You Spend More – Amazon rewards shoppers who spend more than $25 on a set of goods. Also, if you become a prime member and spend some $79 annually, you get 2 day shipping. Research has proven that instead of saving money, this feature makes people overspend. Most people tend to buy more things and empty their wallets when they read the phrase “free shipping” because then they try to reach that $25 target.
Also, there is blanket free shipping on important days like Father’s day and people buy a lot of things from Amazon on those days. International shipping rates make these free shipping days much more attractive than they actually are. You might buy a product you don’t even need simply because the shipping is free for that particular day. Instead of getting duped this way, sign up for a reasonable package forwarding service and save real money.
3. Misleading List Prices Are Common – You might have noticed the errors in list prices because they have become pretty common on the site. Instead of the list price, an overinflated price is shown which brings your discount to as high as 500% and leaves you in awe of the money you are saving. They are all errors and not real list prices. While Amazon has often apologized for its mistake, it has happened quite a lot of times to be ignored.
These are some things that have become a common part of Amazon’s image. The site is still great and better than most others but it isn’t flawless. Don’t believe it to be something it isn’t and always be educated.
Thank you for this post. I am a regular buyer at Amazon and after reading this post, it is confirmed that those reviews sometimes can be biased too. I see so many reviews that talk all the good things about various products and after reading those reviews, I usually bought them. And when the products got delivered, most of them were not of superior quality or as promised. This is really disappointing sometimes. I have also experienced the other 2 points that you have mentioned. None of this is incorrect. Thanks!