Best Alternatives to Amazon Shopping for a Seamless Online Experience
It goes without saying that the main reason eCommerce businesses like yours are attracted to Amazon’s online shopping platform is its massive audience size. Every month, hundreds of millions of people around the globe—many in the US—use Amazon USA online shopping to purchase everything they need, from furniture and electronics to groceries and clothing.
No matter what industry you’re in, there are consumers turning to Amazon to find the products you sell. This widespread use of shop Amazon online shopping often convinces small eCommerce businesses that they must establish a presence on Amazon. While there are alternatives to Amazon, tapping into the vast market available through Amazon’s online shopping can significantly boost your visibility and sales potential, making it a vital channel for your business growth.
Amazon has long been one of the most popular e-commerce platforms, revolutionizing the way we shop online with its convenient and smooth shopping experience. From ordering groceries to streaming movies, Amazon covers a vast array of services across its diverse business lines. However, if you’re searching for an alternative to Amazon shopping, this guide is your go-to resource.
There are several excellent Amazon competitors and websites similar to Amazon and eBay that offer a comparable, if not better, online shopping experience. For those interested in exploring a more conservative version of Amazon, or simply looking for alternatives to Amazon, this guide will introduce you to some of the best options available. Let’s dive into the top alternatives to Amazon for a seamless and satisfying online shopping experience.
| Online Shopping Apps Like Amazon | Reviews |
|---|---|
| Thrive Market |  |
| AliExpress | |
| Instacart | |
| Walmart | |
| eBay | |
| Etsy | |
| Target | |
| Overstock | |
| Newegg | |
| Chewy | |
| Zappos | |
| Barnes & Noble | |
| Rakuten | |
| QVC | |
| Best Buy | |
How Does Amazon Make Money
- Shop from the comfort of your home
- Never overpay for top organic brands
- Try products for free through our sampling program
AliExpress is run by Alibaba group (they’re actually Chinese, not Middle Eastern). Factory’s direct pricing is available for products available on AliExpress.
Customers are provided with several guarantees and protections so that they are safe from all the scams and trust the platform. Your money is not given to the vendor until and unless you receive the ordered item(s) and approve it. There is a refund in cases when the product doesn’t reach the customer or it is not exactly what you thought you were told. In the year 2020, AliExpress had 150+ million buyers. AliExpress plans to increase its cross-border clientele to 30 million by 2030. AliExpress gained 528 million visitors by January 2021.
- It has very low prices due to the lack of a middle man
- Expanded their offerings to bring you far more variety than in the past
- They also have many products that you may like for under $5
This is an amazing alternative to Amazon Fresh. Instacart business model has made it really easy to deliver groceries to your door. It offers a wider range of offerings than Amazon Fresh along with super-fast deliveries. Instacart offers same-day delivery from almost 600 national and local retailers, like Sprouts Farmers Market, ALDI, Costco, Publix, Wegmans, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, The Fresh Market, Fresh Thyme Market, and more. Instacart now also delivers flowers, home accessories, and beauty products from Sephora in just an hour. You can sign up for free on Instacart. You can also go for Express membership with Instacart to get free deliveries. Instacart is valued at $13.7 billion and continues to increase. Instacart reaches 30,000 retail stores and more than 500 million products are listed on Instacart.
- A convenient option for people who use grocery delivery frequently
- Free delivery on orders over $35
- According to Instacart, Instacart Express members save $7 per order, on average, compared with nonmembers.
- Bargains are offered on each product every day
- Offers free 2-day shipping on millions of items, and orders over $35
- You can find sold-out items from the store online and have them shipped to your local store
- You can pay what you want by using its bidding feature. The bidding feature allows you to pay what you want
- You get frequent weekly and seasonal offers along with brand-specific discounts.
- You can also make an instant purchase using the “Buy It Now” feature
Etsy is a very good and unique alternative to Amazon. Items available on this platform are mostly handmade accessories, jewelry, clothing, furniture pieces, etc. They also have “vintage” items available that are almost 20 years old and it is quite difficult to find them on any other platform. You can find various creative items on sale that will make your home look elegant. They make unique and beautiful gifts, too! Etsy processed $10.28 billion in gross merchandise sales in 2020. Etsy generated $1.72 billion in revenue in 2020. Mobile transactions account for 61% of Etsy’s gross merchandise sales. Etsy has around 81.9 million active buyers and 1,209 employees. Developing an app like Etsy as the cost to develop an app like Etsy is average and with the right consultation, can do wonders for your business.
- Handmade items are very unique and good in quality that will save you from mass-produced products
- Money goes to artisans, not billion-dollar conglomerates
- Amazing customer service is offered as sellers need to please potential customers
Target is a very famous supermarket chain in the United States. You can order products from its website online. You can choose whether you want your product delivered at your place or you can also pick them from a nearby brick-and-mortar Target store. Though not as committed to discount selling as Walmart, Target’s products tend to be on the cutting edge of trends. Around 75% of US residents live within a 10-mile radius of a Target Store. In 2020, 18% of the target’s total sales were generated by e-commerce orders. Target greets 2 million visitors each day. Target has around 409,000 employees at over 1,900 stores and 44 distribution centers.
- Lower prices just like Walmart but with better quality
- Offers you free shipping on orders of 35$ or above
- Offers great seasonal deals
Overstock is an online shopping site that began as a seller of remaining goods from failed e-commerce sites. You can get amazing deals on this platform while shopping. There are new items available on the Overstock platform too. It offers amazing customer service. Overstock has a very unique program known as Worldstock in which hand-made items from different artisans are sold all around the world and 60% of the revenue is given back to the artisans themselves. Total revenue generated was US$2.549 billion in 2020. The operating income by Overstock was US$153 million.
- It has a Club-O-Gold rewards program in which you are given free shipping along with a cashback of 5% on each order
- You can visit the “Deals” page where you can get to know about all the sales going on
- It Is committed to community responsibility, including its Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and Best Friends Animal Society
Newegg is also an alternative to Amazon and it is specifically known for electronic goods like laptops, computers, televisions, digital cameras, etc. It offers fast delivery and amazing customer service due to which it has become a huge competition for Amazon. You can find a very good deal at a reasonable price on this platform along with free shipping within 3 days or even faster than that. In 2016, revenue generated was US$2.7 billion. Newegg had more than 1,500 employees.
- It has a specialization in electronic items
- Offers you daily deals
- Provides you free shipping within 3 days or even less
Chewy keeps up everything in stock for pet owners to keep their four-legged family members healthy and happy. Yet another among the amazon alternatives for pets. The online pet pharmacy and supply company offers over 2,000 pet brands that cater to dogs, cats, horses, fish, birds, reptiles, and other animals. You can save money by taking a subscription with the retailer’s Autoship Service. Free shipping within one to three days is also offered by the retailer on shopping of $49 or more. Net sales of $2.16 billion increased by 26.8%. A gross margin of 27.5% expanded 200 basis points. Revenue generated in the year 2021 was US$7.1 billion.
- Chewy offers high-quality consumer service which yields quite a high consumer satisfaction level
- They also offer a 100% cash back guarantee in case you are not satisfied with the product you ordered.
- There are customer service representatives available to the customers 24/7 across phone, email, chat, and social media
Zappos is a good alternative to Amazon with a specialization in the sales of shoes, accessories, and clothing. It provides you rewards along with every purchase you make. You also get an option of expedited shipping if you want your item to get delivered a little faster. Free shipping and free return are also allowed in many cases. It is also known for its excellent customer service as it does everything that could possibly be done to make sure that they provide the best from their side.
- Over-the-top customer service
- They accept the return of a product even after a year
- It guarantees you safe shopping as it makes sure that you don’t get into any sort of credit card fraud
Barnes & Noble is quite similar to Amazon and is one of the best amazon alternatives, it was initially known as a bookseller but with time it included several other items for sale. Being that, it has almost 6 million books in stock which are ready to be shipped within 24 hours. Also, it is one of the Best Amazon Alternatives to Buy Books Online. It has over 4.5 million eBooks that you can easily download. Several other things like magazines, games, textbooks, hobby equipment, etc. are available on the site of Barnes and Noble. Online sale of books has reduced overhead costs, and hence, you save a lot of money.
- Specializes in sales of books, so it is perfect for you if you are mainly interested in books
- Provides free shipping on orders of 25$ or more than that. Free shipping on orders of only $25 or more
- It provides you free shipping and also exclusive discounts in case you have taken an internship with B&N
QVC is a short form Short for “Quality, Value, Convenience. It is a worldwide network for shopping on television and one among the amazon alternatives. However, it has also made the transition to the Internet era, and now allows the products that it features to be bought through its website. Products are a bit expensive but they come from high-end brand names and are a little difficult to find anywhere else. In 2020, QVC generated US$11.47 billion across the globe. This marks an increase from the US$10.98 billion reported in 2019.
- You can easily access “Today’s Special Value” available on the homepage to know about daily deals available
- Offers payment plans over time so you don’t need to pay all at once
- Videos of products in use/on real people are available for a better understanding
Best Buy is an amazing online platform that offers fantastic deals on electronic items such as laptops, televisions, computers, video games, and appliances. Prices at Best Buy are very competitive, often lower than those found on Amazon’s online shopping platform, and they provide free shipping on many items. These features enhance the overall user experience, making it a popular choice for shoppers seeking Amazon alternatives.
One standout feature of Best Buy is the ability to reserve items that are currently in stock. You can select your favorite products and pick them up from a nearby Best Buy store, making it convenient for customers who prefer to shop Amazon USA online shopping but want to avoid shipping times. Additionally, returning items is much easier on this platform compared to Amazon American store, as you simply fill out an online form without worrying about restocking fees.
In 2020, Best Buy generated global revenue of over US$43.6 billion and operated 1,779 stores worldwide, solidifying its position as a leading competitor among websites like Amazon. For those seeking the best alternative to Amazon, Best Buy provides a user-friendly experience combined with excellent product selection and customer service. If you’re considering Amazon online ordering, exploring Best Buy might offer you a more satisfying shopping experience.
- Provides you great deals on home electronics, including laptops, computer accessories, TVs, and more
- Periodically offers small-window sales (for example, 3-day sales)
- “Geek Squad” helps you to fix your electronics, and gives fair warranties for every electronic device
It is quite challenging to estimate the exact cost of developing an app like Amazon. The app development cost varies depending on different factors. Still one can determine a closer estimation based on careful evaluation. So, let’s have a look at some major factors responsible for overall app development cost.
- Project Manager
- App Developers
- UX/UI Designers
- Back-end Developers
- Front-end Developers
- QA Expert
The cost of hiring hourly app developers ranges from $15-$50 in Dubai, the Middle East, India, etc. Also, the hourly price of an app developer in the USA and UK ranges from $100-$200.
The cost of developing the design of an app depends on factors like features, complexity, and the size of an application. The price ranges from $10,000-$30,000; the price range might vary depending on the hourly charges of the UX/UI designer.
This is the core structure of an application. The cost of backend and frontend development lies somewhere between $5000-$10,000. The charges may vary depending on the choice of your company and mobile app developers.
Hopefully, with the blog post, you have got the best Amazon alternatives for shopping online and the estimated cost of developing an app like Amazon. So, if you are looking to develop your own shopping app, this is the right time. The cost for developing an eCommerce application is somewhere around $10,000-$15,000 for a single platform.
But the cost may vary depending on your requirements and the complexity of an application. Therefore, if you have a great app development idea, then it is worth hiring a mobile application development company to transform your idea into reality. Contact us now at Echoinnovate IT!
Which Amazon Competitors Have Free Shipping?
One of the best features of Amazon is that it offers free 2-day shipping on most orders over $35. These websites similar to Amazon also offer free shipping on your orders, typically depending on how much money you spend.
- Overstock – free over $40
- NewEgg- free 3 days or less on all orders
- Barnes & Noble- free over $25 for 4-5 days
- Walmart- free over $35
- Target- free over $35
- Best Buy- free over $35
Which Sites Like Amazon Offer The Lowest Prices?
- AliExpress – cutting out the middle-man means low, low prices
- Walmart– everyday low prices and bargains
- eBay– bidding means you can get items cheaper
- Zappos– keeps prices competitive with Amazon
- Target– seasonal sales and low prices
Which Websites Are As Reliable As Amazon For Delivery?
- Newegg – generally orders arrive within 2 days, and shipping is free
- Walmart – offers so many shipping options including Grab-&-Go local pickup points and pick up at your local Walmart store
- Best Buy – their delivery is quantified based on the type of item, and clearly states when it will arrive at you before you buy, factoring in holidays and current demand
- Zappos – takes 4-5 days but is reliable and guarantees shipment on time
