Amazon Shopping

The store that isn't just a store

Moderate migration

What it is

Amazon's core marketplace — where third-party sellers and Amazon's own brands compete on the same page, often with Amazon's private label listed first. Over 60% of product searches now start on Amazon. It's become default infrastructure for online shopping.

Honest assessment

For common items, alternatives exist and are often price-competitive or cheaper. For truly obscure, niche, or specialty items, Amazon may still be your only practical option. The goal isn't zero Amazon purchases forever — it's reducing dependency and conscious use rather than reflexive default.

What you lose

Unmatched selection breadth (billions of products)
Easy A-to-Z Guarantee returns
One-click reorder
The ability to find truly obscure items in one place

Data to export first

Order history report (Account → Order History → Download Order Reports)
Saved addresses (note them manually)
Payment methods (remove after canceling)

Alternatives by category

Books

Bookshop.org — Independent bookstore network. Same prices as Amazon. Profits go to local bookstores.
ThriftBooks — Used books at significant discount. Often cheaper than Amazon used.
Your local library (Libby) — Free. Ebooks and audiobooks. Criminally underused.

Electronics

Best Buy — Price-match guarantee. Same-day pickup. Geek Squad support. Often same price.
B&H Photo — Professional-grade electronics, cameras, audio. Exceptional for tech.
Newegg — PC components, peripherals. Competitive pricing.

Household & Cleaning

Grove Collaborative — Natural/sustainable household products. Subscribe-and-save model.
Target — Strong household category. Same-day pickup or delivery.
Brand-direct — Many brands (Method, Seventh Generation, Burt's Bees) sell direct with better pricing than Amazon.

Clothing & Apparel

Brand-direct websites — Nike, Patagonia, Levi's, etc. all sell direct, often with better selection and returns.
Poshmark / ThredUp — Secondhand. Often dramatically cheaper. Better for the planet.
Nordstrom — Free shipping and returns. Strong selection across price points.

Pet Supplies

Chewy — Often cheaper than Amazon for pet food. Auto-ship available. Exceptional customer service.

Groceries

Instacart — Works with your existing local grocery stores.
Walmart Grocery — Competitive pricing, strong selection.
Local grocery delivery — Many regional chains offer direct delivery without the Amazon middleman.

Handmade & Unique Items

Etsy — Handmade, vintage, craft. Supports independent makers directly.

Migration steps

For your most frequent purchases, identify the brand. Check if they sell direct.
Bookmark 2–3 category-specific retailers for your biggest spend categories.
Install the Honey or Capital One Shopping extension — they surface better prices across retailers.
Try Bookshop.org for your next book purchase. The price is the same.
For recurring household items, set up Chewy (pets) or Grove (household) subscriptions.