The Best Online Shopping Websites for Convenient and Hassle-Free Shopping
Too busy to leave the house? Don’t want to waste money on rising gas prices? Looking for that hard-to-find thing no store seems to carry? Online shopping can be the answer. Here are ten of the best online shopping websites to make life a little easier.
Amazon: Best for Reliability
What They Sell: Everything. They sell everything. You probably know that already, though. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of this online giant, and there’s a reason they are so successful. You can find everything from kitty socks to large furniture pieces, and a staggering amount of variety.
Shipping: For Prime members, shipping is fast and free for most items, depending on the seller. However, non-members can still get free shipping when they spend over a certain amount, though once again, that depends on the seller. Amazon backed sellers tend to have better shipping speeds and prices whereas more obscure sellers can take longer and cost more.
What We Love: Besides how reliable it is, Amazon’s sheer amount of diversity is mind boggling and it’s usually not too much of a hassle to return items if something goes amiss. If you pay for a Prime membership, you gain access to their music and video streaming services as well as free shipping on many items.
What We Don’t Love: The best shipping prices and speeds are saved for Prime members. This annual fee can be pricy for some. If you use Amazon a lot, it pays for itself quickly in perks, but if you’re just a casual shopper, it may not be worth it to become a member. Besides this, getting in touch with a human customer service agent can be tricky.
Redbubble: Best for Personalized Gifts
What they sell: A variety of items featuring designs from independent artists. Things like tote bags, throw pillows, shirts, notebooks, shower curtains, mugs and travel cups, and other home décor or wearable offerings.
Shipping: Shipping is not free for Redbubble, and time and cost will be dependent on the location of 3rd-party printers, the location being shipped to, and whether or not standard or express shipping is selected.
What We Love: Redbubble is made up of thousands of independent artists who sell their designs through the site. These one of a kind images are then printed onto various products which are sold and shipped through Redbubble. The artist gets a percentage, which helps support their efforts, and the products are made to order, which saves everyone money. The best part is how unique everything is. Another perk? If you have artistic or photographic abilities you can make customized gifts for friends and family. Want to give your mother a mug featuring her grandchildren’s art? You can make an account and purchase your own creations for gifts. Have a funny inside joke at the office? Print it on a t-shirt for your boss’s birthday. With Redbubble, you can buy items that are truly special.
What We Don’t Love: The variety of products Redbubble sells is impressive, yet there is still plenty of room for expansion. Also? Quality control. Some artists slap designs up and don’t have them perfectly centered or have other visual flaws. So pay attention to the quality of the designs. Luckily, they do have a return/exchange program, though it’s not perfect.
Etsy: Best for Artisan Goods
What They Sell: Handmade or vintage clothes, bags, craft items, art, tools, jewelry, home décor, and much more.
Shipping: When buying domestically, shipping can take 3-7 days, longer if international. Because the individual Etsy shop owners are the ones shipping to you, this can get a bit expensive, depending on your order’s weight, dimensions, distance, etc. Etsy shipping labels are available for purchase, which help with the cost.
What We Love: You know how we said Amazon has everything? Well, when that’s not the case, Etsy has your back. Made up of independent Etsy shops, these artists and sellers run the ultimate side hustle, providing hand made or vintage items that you probably won’t find anywhere else. In return, Etsy charges sellers small fees and takes a percentage of their sales. You can find everything from video game artwork to handmade wedding dresses. Plus, you’re supporting artists.
What We Don’t Love: Because the artist sells and ships to you directly, there are times when scammers will take advantage of you. You may pay for your item and never get it, or you may get something completely different and the back and forth between you and the seller begins. There are things you can do to escalate to Etsy and report the seller, but it’s a pain.
TeeFury: Best for Geeky Fun
What They Sell: Pop culture and geeky themed attire, rugs, phone cases, and more. However, they’re most known for their T-shirts. Obviously. What sets them apart? These are often limited edition designs, meaning they’re unique and only available a short time, sometimes only a day! Occasionally, though, they do bring beloved designs back again.
Shipping: Shipping comes with fees, depending on if you order fastest (1-3 days), fast (3-5 days), or standard (5-8 days). International shipping comes with higher prices and wait times.
What We Love: If you’re a big fan of anime, comics, and pop culture, you’ll love TeeFury. Plenty of ways to express your tastes through style. It’s also awesome for gifts that you won’t have to worry they already have. Designs change out so fast, it’s easy to own a one of a kind.
What We Don’t Love: Limited availability is a double edged sword. You may miss out on designs you love if you don’t get them fast. Also, pricing can be a touch spendy, though they do have sales frequently. Still, if you’re trying to collect these designs, you’re going to be paying a lot to keep up.
Best Buy: Best for Electronics
What They Sell: Electronics, appliances, entertainment, etc.
Shipping: Shipping fees vary. There is a paid membership that offers a lot of items with free shipping and no requirements on spending, but Best Buy also provides free shipping over a certain amount for non-members. Naturally there are exceptions depending on products, locations, and delivery times.
What We Love: Yes, technically Best Buy is a brick and mortar establishment, but it’s their online store that really shines. Best Buy has lots of sales and deals that Amazon simply doesn’t offer. They’re particularly good for electronics like speakers, digital cameras, and other such devices. They also can be an awesome place to score TV series for competitive prices, so keep a lookout.
What We Don’t Love: Customer service can be frustrating to get your problem solved. Also, popular items can be out of stock, so you’ll have to keep an eagle eye out for restocks before it’s too late again. This is especially true when they have discounts.
eShakti: Best for Custom Women’s Wear
What They Sell: Women’s clothes, dresses, tops, bottoms, etc. The cool part? It’s all customized for you.
Shipping: Because the products are highly customized to order, shipping takes a while. 13-19 days for many pieces, some as long as 30. They also only ship to the US and the fees are a bit steep.
What We Love: Pockets! You can add pockets! Ok, there are a lot more reasons to love eShakti than that. Basically, you look through their online catalogue and decide if and how you want to customize their pieces. Hate short sleeves? You can make them long. Hate long dresses? You can make them short. Hate that your dress doesn’t have pockets…? You get where we’re going. Order the clothes you want, just the way you like them.
What We Don’t Love: See the entire section on shipping. Also some of the prices are mighty high. That said, considering how much customizing takes place, it’s understandable.
Earth Hero: Best for Eco-Friendly Supplies
What They Sell: Household staples, such as cleaning supplies, toiletries, beauty products, baby and kids supplies, even pet products.
Shipping: Orders over $75 USD are free to ship and all orders are shipped carbon neutral. You can get rewards vouchers for free shipping once you reach certain reward point levels.
What We Love: Eco-conservation is gaining popularity and it’s nice to have responsible options for household needs. Earth Hero also has the ability to shop by “values,” such as women owned brands and vegan products. Efforts throughout the online store are made to keep waste and single use plastics to a minimum.
What We Don’t Love: The rewards program is confusing and overly complicated.
Newegg: Best for Computers and Tech
What they Sell: A massive variety of tech, gadgets, computers and components.
Shipping: Shipping costs vary depending on location, item size, speed of delivery, etc. Certain products, especially those of large size, may require adult signature upon delivery.
What We Love: This is a tech-lover’s dream site. They have an incredible variety of products, including new and refurbished computers, parts and components, even equipment for car stereos. It’s a highly specialized store, which is something places like Amazon lack. If you need tech equipment of any kind, this is where to search. It’s a PC gamer’s paradise. Speaking of, here’s a look at what it costs to build a gaming PC.
What We Don’t Love: The site is overwhelming. It’s easy to get lost and have difficulty finding where you want to look.
Costco: Best for Home Furnishings
What They Sell: A little bit of everything. Specifically? Food, housewares, medicine, toiletries, furniture, etc.
Shipping: Depending on what you order, shipping can be complicated. Many items might have a fee and they’ll leave it on your doorstep. For large items that require installation or that you’ve paid to have brought inside, you’ll need an appointment window. Certain products might also be shipped to your local store for you to pick up.
What We Love: This is a brick and mortar, like Best Buy, but their online store has lots of items you won’t find in-store. What’s more, you can have these delivered. This comes through beautifully for appliances and furniture. The online catalogue of furniture, particularly, is extensive. What’s more, it’s easy to have it delivered to you without the hassle of trying to find a friend with a pickup truck.
What We Don’t Love: This is a paid membership only establishment, so you’ll be unable to purchase anything without it. Also, because of shipping and handling fees, some items are more expensive if you buy online rather than your local Costco. If this bothers you? Might be back to finding a friend with a pickup.
Chewy: Best for Pet Supplies
What They Sell: As the name suggests, pet supplies! This includes food, medications, crates, beds, and pet accessories.
Shipping: Free 1-3 day shipping on orders over $49 USD, otherwise it’s a flat rate of $4.95. This is only for US based addresses.
What We Love: Pets, while lovable, can be expensive. Chewy is an online option to buy pet supplies at lower prices, particularly if you’re buying larger quantities of them. Besides that, they have a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, thousands of popular brands, and lots of customer support.
What We Don’t Love: While prices are good, if you don’t need a lot of something you might find better deals at your local pet store.
Top FAQs about Online Shopping Sites
Is it Safe?
There’s always a risk when shopping online (see these online scams to look out for), but shopping in person has risks too in terms of the safety of your credit or debit card. Do your research and make sure the sites are reputable. Also keep an eye on charges to your account so that only ones you authorized are there. Most major sites, however, have a lot of anti-identity theft protections in place.
How Do I Return Online Items?
That depends on the site’s policy. Places like Amazon make it easy with free return shipping labels and return deals with local UPS stores. Others, like Etsy, might be more complicated, as you’re dealing with individual artists. Be sure to thoroughly review the site’s return policies before buying.
How Do I know If I Want Something Without Seeing It In Person?
Reviews are your best friend. Look for customer-based reviews, customer images, even YouTube might have review videos on the item you’re considering. If these aren’t available? Weigh the risks of the unknown against their return policy. Warning: Not all reviews are what they seem, so be thorough. Here’s an article about Amazon’s compensated review program.
How Do I Keep My Packages Safe When I’m Not Home?
If you’re buying Amazon, you can select a nearby Amazon locker for delivery instead of your home address. Your local post office service might also have options, such as “Hold for Pickup,” which redirects incoming packages to your post office for pick up. You can also purchase delivery insurance from certain sites, in case of damage or theft.