Amazon's Online Buying Experience

I don't usually buy things online, but when I do, I order through Amazon. While I have purchased a wide variety of products from Amazon over the years, the item I would like to focus on is ink for my printer.

One reason I shop through Amazon is their competitive pricing. I can usually find products cheaper on Amazon than other sites or brick and mortar stores. I purchased the printer ink for almost half the price I would have paid in a store like Office Depot or even Costco. Often when I am in stores, before I buy something I will compare the listed to price to what is offered on Amazon. Amazon is almost always the cheaper alternative.

When I purchased the ink, I was still eligible for free two-day shipping. Not only did this make the purchase incredibly convenient, it also made the pricing even more competitive. I probably would have spent more money on gas and parking if I bought the ink somewhere else. Free shipping makes me much more likely to purchase items online because the high cost of shipping is often the reason I would prefer to buy something in the store.

Finally, Amazon makes it almost too easy to make a purchase. They save all of your credit card and shipping information to streamline the steps it takes to make a purchase. This gives you less time to reconsider or cancel your order. I really enjoyed the added convenience of not needing to reenter my information.

Amazon is easy to use, inexpensive, and convenient. As a student, it's hard to find a more practical or preferable alternative.