Amazon.com - So Far, So Good
by swoeste - Written: Jan 31 '02
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Amazon.com is the best site I've ever tried for both buying and selling things. I have no complaints whatsoever, and only praise for how well their site works.
While the smaller part of my business on Amazon.com has been buying things, that has been completely painless for me. Unlike some sites, where you're not sure if your order was ever processed after clicking the last "submit" button, I never had any doubt about with Amazon.com. My orders were always taken without glitches, and promptly confirmed. Delivery options were good, and even with standard shipping, I got my purchases in 4-5 business days. Prices for items were always competitive, and the selection of the things I usually buy, like books, was vast.
Lately I've used Amazon.com to sell things of my own. I'm going to be moving this year, and I decided to turn my large collection of paperback and hardcover books, software, computer hardware, calculators, organizers, office equipment, etc., into ready cash. While taking inventory, I found I had hundreds of items I didn't want anymore. I initially considered selling them the old-fashioned way; placing ads in the local papers or selling things to used book and second-hand dealers, but the first was too expensive, and the second was a sure route for receiving next-to-nothing for your belongings. I also considered selling the items on other web sites, like E-bay or Haggle.com. However, E-bay doesn't have the traffic Amazon.com does, and Haggle.com was only fair for sales, and it recently closed.
I decided to list my items on Amazon.com, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make an account. You do have to supply some information that might make you uneasy initially; your checking account number and bank routing number, but that's all for the good. That's used so any money from sales can be deposited electronically in your account, either automatically every two weeks, or on demand.
The sales mechanics are the best part. Once you've listed your items, you are notified by e-mail of a purchase, and supplied with all the information you need to deliver the item (name and address). You even get a shipping credit, which the buyer pays. Funds are posted to your account immediately, which makes it much easier to do business. You no longer have to ship the item and hope the money order you received doesn't bounce (yes, they can, did you know that?), or wait for a check you received to clear before shipping. And, you don't have to offer C.O.D. to attract business; no more people who order and then won't pay when the item arrives, sticking you for a return shipping fee. You're already paid.
Of course, selling things through Amazon's massive web site isn't free; they charge substantial fees. In my experience they charge about 20% of what your price is. While that isn't cheap, I'm not going to say it isn't worth it, especially when I can watch the money in my sales account increase daily.
Want to try your hand at retailing? You'll have a good experience if you partner with Amazon.com. Try it, you'll like it.
Recommended:
Yes
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