Amazon maybe big but it is good. I really like the Amazon website.
It has and is still evolving so much. The site which started out selling books now sells everything you can think from cameras to coffee machines, exercise videos to Elvis CDs. There literally is something for everyone which makes it a great site to visit around family birthdays and Christmas.
As someone who is always chasing the clock I find this site a real godsend. Amazon also gives you a variety of resources to help you make your choice. These include customer reviews and personal recommendations. They also give you the option of buying from independent sellers who are selling both new and used items on their website via Amazon.co.uk Marketplace. I have used this option with both software and books and never failed to be delighted. When you have registered and bought something from Amazon it remembers who you are and suggests some items which may prove useful based on your history with them as a customer. Normally I find this sort of thing quite annoying – but I did not find this intrusive at all.
To give you a hand with the most popular books around click on this link to see the 100 hot books
One of the things I was delighted to find is that Amazon sell audio books. Often being too busy to be able to find the time to read, sometimes I feel quite out of touch with the latest novel everyone else seems to be reading. This is a good way to overcome this problem. Listening to an audio book in the car I find very enjoyable and a good way to waste dead time commuting. If you want to do something more educational their audio range also includes language and personal development CD’s. And of course there is a great range of children’s CD’s for those dreaded car journeys with the kids. If you are stuck in Cassette Land – don’t worry Amazon also sell these too –and again many second hand. Moving on not only do Amazon sell CD’s DVD’s – but still the fast disappearing VHS videos and if you are after an old favourite, whether it’s a film or a TV series that doesn’t even make Sky Gold you can normally find it on the Amazon site. I found some great old classics like Oklahoma and South Pacific – new and used, which make great presents for the grandparents (having said that my kids love them too). I have also just finally ordered Miracle on 34th Street which I have been unable to find or even order in the shops.
Staying on the electronics theme, I was still even more surprised to see that Amazon sell TV’s, plasma, widescreen and portable. You can search by make or price and again in many cases you also have a choice of “new” or “used”. They also sell the stands, those annoying Stark cables you never are supplied with enough of and universal remote controls. Need to buy toys for the kids for a birthday, holidays or even Christmas then Amazon is a really good place to look and see what is out there. Not only are you likely to be able to save some money if something is “used” and are able to snap it up; but you can see what are the “must have” toys of the moment, as they give you a list of the “Hot 100 Toys” updated hourly. Once you have selected the item –whether it is a book, toy, camera etc you can elect to have it gift wrapped for a further charge. I was charged £2.98 which included a free gift message for a Doctor Who Tardis. The gift can then be shipped direct to the recipient with no receipts included saving you the time of running to the post office and gift wrapping and sending it yourself.
I can also vouch for the returns service. I bought some software then found out I didn’t need it. I had not opened the packaging and following Amazons returns instructions returned the software making sure I had proof of posting. Money was refunded onto my credit card very quickly. If I have a criticism it is almost there is too much to buy on the Amazon website. It probably is a good idea to visit the Amazon website and treat it a little like a shopping trip, and allow your self time to browse and take advantage of the comments and reviews on the products of interest which should limit shopping faux pas. Amazon.co.uk ship almost anywhere in the world, so if you need to send friends gifts overseas this is a really good website to use. Amazon operates a number of websites throughout the world. The website I have been reviewing is Amazon.co.uk. There are also a number of regional sites including Japan, Canada and the US by clicking on the International button you can find out more about each of these regional sites.