We live in a time where we need to be careful of what we buy, where we buy it from, and who is producing our food. So while Amazon like post fight interview ufc 190 is an amazing resource that has made purchasing things insanely convenient and easy, it’s not without its faults. Here are some insights on the nitty gritty of Amazon to help you make more informed choices when shopping online.
1. RESELLERS
Resellers are very common on Amazon, and they are totally allowed to be there because Amazon is a marketplace. Resellers are merchants that purchase goods wholesale, then list them on Amazon at a higher price. This is not necessarily something bad. What you need to be careful of as a consumer is that sometimes retailers buy goods in bulk, even if they already know they won’t make any money off of what they’re buying. They do this for the sole purpose of lowering their cost per unit by having economies of scale. So when you search for an item on Amazon, it might actually be from a reseller and not from the brand itself or an authorized distributor or dealer.
2. DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS
For the most part, companies want to produce high quality products that will make their customers happy. However, in some rare circumstances, defective products are shipped by accident. It’s important for you to know that Amazon is not responsible for items sold by resellers or 3rd party merchants and that they do not refund your money when this happens. You will have to get in touch with the seller directly or deal with the company yourself to resolve such issues.
3. HIGH PRICE ITEMS AND VARIETY
One of the biggest selling points of Amazon is its low prices, however sometimes you’ll see some products listed with an outrageously high price tag (usually a few hundred dollars). The price might be so high because it is a fake or a replica. You may also see some products on Amazon that you don’t see anywhere else, at least not in your country. There’s a pretty good chance that if the product is offered at such an outrageous price and it’s not available in your country, then it’s probably fake.
4. EXPIRED OR MISLABELED PRODUCTS
It’s always good to read reviews of products before you buy them, but sometimes the reviews are biased because they come from resellers wanting to make more sales or from affiliates that get commissions when you click on links to buy products they recommend. So it’s a good idea to read the reviews, but to also do your research and look at the manufacturer’s website and other online sources before buying products on Amazon. You can find detailed reports of expiry dates and product labels that are accurate because they come straight from the source.
5. SHIPPING AND DELIVERY
Amazon offers free shipping for Prime members, but not all sellers participate in this so you’ll have to check the seller’s page for details. Also, be careful when ordering from overseas because some sellers will give you an estimate of how long it will take for your order to arrive, but that estimate might not be accurate if you’re not in a major city or if there have been delays with customs clearance.
6. NOT ALL GOODS ARE SOLD ON AMAZON PRIME
Amazon Prime is a membership program that offers free 2-day shipping and other benefits when you sign up. However, not all products are available on prime. Certain items are excluded such as gift cards, digital books, and many pre-orders. So if you’re ordering something you really want to get fast without spending extra bucks on shipping, make sure it’s available for prime shipping because otherwise it might take as long as 3-5 days to arrive at your place instead of 2-3 days.
7. FREE TRIALS AND SHIPPING OFFERS
Be careful with free trials and shipping offers. Usually they aren’t free at all. They’re just another marketing tool that companies use to lure you into buying a product that you otherwise wouldn’t buy.
8. BUNDLED ORDERS
Bundled orders are when you buy two or more items together in one order but the seller does not give you any discounts for buying multiple items at once even if there is only a small amount for each item (such as $1). Many customers do not realize this and pay full price for each item even if it costs just a few dollars. You need to be careful of such sellers because they are probably resellers who may be marking up their prices.
Summary:
These are just some of the things you need to know about shopping on Amazon. It’s much more of a science than an art and is something that can take time getting used to. So do your homework before making an online purchase because sometimes you do get what you pay for!
