How much is delivery to the Amazon? (amazon.co.uk)

Member Name: TheViolinist

Product:	amazon.co.uk
Date:	14/07/08 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good customer services, generally good prices.

Disadvantages: Some long dispatch delays, delivery charges.

There are a lot of reviews singing praises for Amazon so I would like to get that out of the way quite quickly. Amazon.com has fantastic customer service; the website is well renowned as a legitimate retailer for a huge number of items; that have expanded the variety of products massively over the past few years. Their layout is quite attractive and functional. Apart from that, there's really not many nice things that I can say about this website.


-Website-

The website itself is set out quite well. However, it tends to become cluttered with 'suggestions' of what you might like to buy. I do a great deal of research and make purchases carefully, so it's going to take more than a cluttered homepage to make me buy something from them. Also, just because I like one vampire novel, doesn't mean that I would be interested in every novel with even the slightest reference to vampires; this feature may be helpful for those who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder, but otherwise I find it a little pointless.


-Search-

The search tool is not always particularly reliable and even entering the full title of a book I have been searching for had not made it appear at the top of the list.

The search is also quite deceptive because it gives you they impression that they have more products than they actually do.

As you are probably aware, you can go to your local bookshop and make an order for a specific ISBN number and they will order it in specially for you. Amazon works in the same way, only it tries to make you believe that its magical warehouse stores every single book ever written and available in the UK.


-Stock & Dispatch-

Amazon.com only have a limited number of the most popular items in stock, anything else can take up to 4 weeks just to be dispatched! That really isn't good enough and it can't compete with other websites who can dispatch your order immediately.


-Delivery-

As if those kinds of dispatch delays weren't enough of a kick in the teeth, they have delivery fees which vary depending on what kind of items you are buying. I can understand it for very large or heavy books, but Play.com are able to offer free delivery for any item; even computers.

They aren't always particularly reliable either. A few times I have had to complain about an order simply not turning up. Another was dispatched immediately after my complaint without a fuss so at least their customer service proved adequate.

Some items do qualify for free 'Super Saver Delivery' but only if you spend over fifteen pounds, which is really just another way for them to encourage you to spend more money than you really want to.


-Customer Services-

I have found Amazon's customer services pretty good. They have resolved any problems I've had quickly and effectively. I think that a lot of companies could learn from their attitude towards customer service.


-Reviews-

The customer's reviews for items are a nice touch, but the information is really no better than I could find here on DooYoo or Ciao. It's usually only the more popular products that have reviews written about them.


-Prices-

Prices are more or less exactly the same as a dozen other websites such as Play and TheBookDepository who both provide free delivery on top of the great prices. Admittedly, it is the delivery charges that have often put me off making purchases.


-Conclusion-

Overall it is a pretty good online retailer. However, it's failure to provide an always free delivery services gives it quite a big disadvantage to other online stores like it. The search function is sometimes reliable and the homepage likes to bombard me with suggestions, but there are quite easily ignored. I was all set at the beginning of this review to award 2 out of 5, but after thinking it over, I would say that they deserve a 3.

Summary: If it was being delivered to the Amazonian rain forest, I could understand.