The Shopping Rainforest of the Internet (amazon.co.uk)

Member Name: kittybuttons

Product:	amazon.co.uk
Date:	09/06/09 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Many items all 'under one roof.'

Disadvantages: Not always free delivery

Amazon is one of the biggest online retailers out there and probably one of the first well known ones as well. Selling everything under the sun and a whole lot more it's no surprise they were voted the UK's most favourite music & video retailer 2009.

Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos in the USA and was originally an online bookstore but gradually incorporated VHS (remember them!) DVD's, CD's and computer games. They now sell computer equipment, clothes, kitchen equipment, MP3's, clothing, even food!

They have separate websites for the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and China. If there is something you want from the US for example you can buy it from their site and it will be shipped over.

I have bought from Amazon a number of times and each time it has run smoothly and easily. The website is very easy to navigate and the search function works well. You do need to set up an account for use but after you have made your initial purchase, it will remember your credit card details so you don't need to fish around in your bag to find your purse. Just make sure nobody else knows your details!

There is a delivery charge but this can be avoided by placing at least £5 of goods in your basket and then selecting 'Super Saver Delivery.' I assume most people would spend at least £5 so this is quite handy! My items usually turn up within 2 - 5 days and always in perfect condition. They also usually fit through my letterbox which is super handy as I don't have to drag myself all the way to the post office!

You can also buy from the Amazon marketplace which is both independent shops and people at home selling their used and new items. This is very handy for buying old editions of books and items that are hard to find elsewhere. They are often priced very cheap but remember to check out the delivery rate as this often pushes the order up a lot.

Another problem with marketplace is that the information isn't always accurate, for example I have bought 2 books on 2 separate occasions that were both older editions than stated. However I got them for so cheap that I didn't really mind. There is also a facility to 'rate' your marketplace transaction, meaning that bad sellers usually stand out from the crowd.

Another feature I like is the 'wish list' which is where users can create a list of their wants. I like this for 2 reasons; firstly from the point of view of creating one myself, I like it as I often forget about books and games that I want to it's always good to refer back to it when I have an Amazon voucher I want to use. Secondly I like to be nosy and look at peoples list who have added items that I really like. This way I can see similar things and get to try out new things!

I haven't personally sold any items an Amazon so I can't give an opinion but there are plenty of other reviews out there that will give you pointers.

In summary, I highly recommend using Amazon. Their prices are always competitive and by all means shop around but with fantastic service and likely free delivery they are a winner for me!

Summary: Amazon.co.uk