Beware Amazon's Prices
By Lynn Proctor
@ThankyouLord (698)
St. Petersburg, Florida
November 9, 2015 12:21pm CST
I love Amazon. I can find products I am looking for, and can read user's feedback on their experience with it. I can also find different sources for the product, much of the time, right below the Amazon price, and some of those listings might be cheaper.
However, I have found that most of the time, Amazon and it's other sellers do not have the cheapest price. Not by a long shot. Nor does the site tell me if I can buy the product locally, which saves on shipping costs.
I was looking at a detergent on Amazon yesterday, and it was listed for $14. I looked it up in the main search engine, and found that a local Walmart has it for $8 something. I am going out there to buy it today. I save not only on the price, but on shipping.
I looked up a washing machine on Amazon, and found that the exact same model sells for $20 cheaper at my local Target (it's a portable washer). Again, saving shipping plus the $20 is huge, and I don't have to worry about shipping damage.
I just want to encourage everyone to not pay Amazon's prices before you scout local stores online, and check also online retailers for prices.
Amazon is wonderful, but I read more comments from people there who say they love the product, but found it much cheaper locally.
I found some soap there that was going for $4.69 a bar, and my local Dollar Tree has it every day for $1.
Another absolutely great place to find what you are looking for is eBay, because major retailers have their stores there, too. I have seen huge differences in price, and often no shipping fees.
It pays to shop around!
7 people like this
12 responses
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
10 Nov 15
This is why i downloaded shopbuddy as it compares prices at different stores for you, i love it.
3 people like this
@ThankyouLord (698)
• St. Petersburg, Florida
10 Nov 15
I didn't know about Shopbuddy! I will have to explore that today. Thank you very much for sharing that information!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
17 Nov 15
I use Amazon for ebooks and sometimes dvd's for the kids and small things. I have never bought anything over $10 off of Amazon. I always shop around for better prices.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112254)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Jun 19
That is very smart, Amazon isn't the cheapest place to shop plus often times the goods you get are not top quality
@rebelann (112254)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Jun 19
Amazon isn't the cheapest place to shop, I much prefer either Walmart or Target.
@kimmiedunne (21)
• Albany, New York
9 Nov 15
I definitely will look at a lot of different websites for different places and look up the same item then I'll buy it through the least expensive one. We have Amazon Prime so most things we can get with no shipping. It's handy to have and you can include up to 3 people (I think) on the Amazon Prime account so at least you get your money back and save on shipping. :)
2 people like this
@ThankyouLord (698)
• St. Petersburg, Florida
9 Nov 15
I think that a lot of people (including me!) get suckered in with "free shipping" or "Amazon Prime" cost deductions, and are so hasty to get the "bargain" that we don't realize that they often make it all up in the cost of the product itself, which is often way higher than almost everyone else. From now on, I am going to check every source I can before assuming I have to pay Amazon's prices. Sometimes, I even find the product refurbished or used on ebay or other site at half the price. Some items, like books, retro items or vintage stuff is a steal on eBay. I bought a radio (my third of this exact style from the 80's) on eBay. Shopping there can just about bring your past with you!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Nov 15
I don't often shop on Amazon. When I do it's usually clothes or shoes. I found a deal on my twins' cleats so got them through Amazon. I also have a couple things on there I plan to get the kids for Christmas once I have the money to do so. These are things I wasn't able to find locally, and I did look.
@PrarieStyle (2486)
• United States
10 Nov 15
I like Amazon, but I never bought much until I got prime. With Prime you get free shipping. You also get free music and can watch free movies now. Although it's not really free.
Walmart has free shipping if you spend 50.00.
I usually compare prices.
1 person likes this
@ThankyouLord (698)
• St. Petersburg, Florida
10 Nov 15
To qualify for Prime free shipping, you have to pay the higher price for the merchandise. I already checked that out, and every time I go there, decide I can get it cheaper either through someone else on the page or locally. They just hope we don't check anywhere else for lower prices, because we are so thrilled with having paid for Prime, and they want us to take advantage of it. They have us coming and going, and retailers know how to hook us. Check it out. If you remember how much you paid for an item or two with Prime, see if you could have gotten it cheaper somewhere else, locally or another site. Some people don't dither over a few dollars. But I do, because a dither is all I have sometimes!
@mrsg1981 (133)
• Exeter, England
11 Nov 15
Very much agree with this. I am very strict on making sure I get things at the lowest price I can.
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
10 Nov 15
Checking prices with other locally owned stores can be a blessing.
@mrsg1981 (133)
• Exeter, England
11 Nov 15
Quite often here in the UK, amazon prices can change within minutes. I keep what I am looking for in my basket and place the order when I see it at a low price.
