For most of us “savvy shoppers” we are constantly on the lookout for the best deal. This means searching through the many marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, Jet and Ebay and trying to find the best deal on our favorite products. Unfortunately, many of us have become comfortable with one market place in specific, Amazon.com. Yes, good old reliable Amazon is the first and only stop for most shoppers these days.
What is the reason for Amazon’s takeover of the market place search? The answer is easy, they deliver fast and offer the customer 100% guaranteed service. This means you get your money back no matter what(many times at the expense of the seller). Yes this is a great feature if your a buyer, but at the cost of what exactly are we receiving this super fast shipping and satisfaction guarantee? The cost is paying retail and sometimes over retail on many of our favorite brands and no longer getting the best deal.
Yes, that is what most consumers do not understand as of yet. Amazon started as a competitive market place such as Ebay, Walmart and Jet. However they are now cutting the middleman and selling brands directly, which means they are also not offering savings on these brands any longer. A perfect example is Davines. Whereas most customers were able to purchase Davines hair products at a fraction of the price from Amazon, many are now surprised to see they are paying full retail! Yes, you read correctly “Full Retail”. The bargains are quickly disappearing from Amazon, as the company begins their takeover of what used to be an open market place and are now selling as a retail store does.
What does this mean for the consumer? It’s simple, you have to decide which is more important to you. Getting an item in two days or getting the best price. If the delivery is of the utmost importance to you, than Amazon is definitely the market place for you. However, if you consider yourself a savvy shopper that enjoys getting a deal on products and making the most of their money, then you may want to start looking elsewhere.
With regards to the customer service, the good news is that you will receive the same customer service anywhere you shop. At the end of the day, it was not Amazon giving you that great customer service, it was the third party seller at the other end. They will still offer the same services they did through Amazon, just now at different markets because Amazon has taken them out to sell full retail. Therefore all you have to do is find that great seller and purchase through another place.
For more information on market places and how Amazon is quickly changing into a retail store read the latest Bloomberg Article on how Walmart is trying to offer sellers the deals they have lost through Amazon.
Read more at: Wal-Mart Offers a Refuge for Sellers Tired of Amazon
