The best alternatives to Amazon at a glance

Boohoo is a UK-based online fashion retailer, aimed at 16-30 year olds. The company was founded in 2006 and specialises in own brand clothing with over 100 new products appearing on the site daily. It has won a number of awards such as City A.M’s Business of the Year Award in 2017. Students can sign up to make the most of discounts as well as a chance to win £5,000. Boohoo often has sales where everything is 20% off. If you purchase Boohoo Premier for £9.99, it enables you to get unlimited next day delivery for a whole year, otherwise next-day delivery is £5.99 each time you order. Returns have to be sent back within 14 days and are free.

Rakuten, founded in 1997, was previously known as “Buy.com” before it was purchased and renamed in 2010. Rakuten doesn’t actually sell its own products, but connects businesses with potential customers (just like eBay, mentioned below). Rakuten’s product categories include fashion & accessories, entertainment, electricals, home & garden, footwear, leisure, jewellery, toys, travel, gifts, among many others. The site boasts video reviews of some of the products and a “Super Points” program where you get rewarded for each purchase.

ASOS (AsSeenOnScreen) is a British online fashion and cosmetics retailer that was founded in 2000. The company sells over 850 brands as well as offering its own range of clothing and accessories. Students get 10% off and sometimes as much as 20% off depending on certain deals. Premier delivery for £9.95 a year gives you unlimited next-day delivery, otherwise it costs £5.95. Standard delivery is £3, or free with a qualifying order of over £25. There’s also a Click & Collect option where you can select your collection point to go and pick up your order. Returns are free and you have 28 days to send your item back.

Newegg is similar to Amazon, but only sells electronic goods. Categories include gaming, software & services, automotive & industrial, hobbies & toys, and lots more. The company was founded in 2000, and in 2005 was named one of the internet’s top 10 retailers. It also won the Computer Shopper Shopper’s Choice Awards in 2011, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003. Newegg is known for its quick delivery and great customer service. The online retailer plans to expand globally and be available in 50 countries.

Currys PC World is a combination of Currys (founded in 1884) and PC World (founded in 1991), which was trialed in 2015 and proved to be a success. From kitchen appliances to computing and PC accessories, the computer superstore has everything. There is free standard delivery on ALL orders, next-day delivery is £4 and same-day delivery is £10 for small items. You can also collect your package from over 800 stores. If you want to return a product, you have 21 days, but sometimes Currys PC World extends the return period for special occasions such as Christmas. Team Knowhow are on hand to repair a wide range of products for peace of mind. The company also offers to take away your old appliance when delivering the new one so it can be properly recycled and it saves the customer a lot of hassle. Your Plan option means you can pay off orders over £99 at your own speed.

Overstock was originally founded in order to sell goods from websites that weren’t doing very well, and was able to often sell goods such as furniture, bedding, and home décor at a reduced price. Nowadays, the company sells new products too and boasts a program called “Worldstock” where it’s possible to buy hand-made crafts from around the globe while supporting artisans at the same time, since they receive at least 60% of the revenue. The company was founded in 1997 and ships to over 180 countries.

Etsy is a marketplace for very specific and unique gifts that was launched in 2005. Most of the products offered are handmade clothing, jewellery, and accessories. Vintage items can also be bought on the Etsy platform, but must be at least 20 years old. In 2017, its annual revenue was $441 (£340) million and the number of active sellers amounted to 1.9m. Sellers pay just 20 cents (13p) to list each article, which then remains active for 4 months.

Buyers can check out the seller’s positive percentage feedback to work out how reliable they are. You don’t even need an account to buy from Etsy: it’s possible to log in using your Facebook or Google account.

Iceland is a British supermarket chain, founded in 1970. Iceland actually topped a list of the UK’s best supermarkets with a customer score of 77% as to whether they would recommend the store to others. If you spend more than £35 on online shopping, your products will be delivered to your door for free, at a time that’s convenient to you. The shop’s bonus card gives exclusive offers and bonuses and helps you save more on your orders. Iceland is engaged in a “no palm oil” action to help save the rainforests and therefore has removed and replaced palm oil in its own brand products. Its £1 range means that even those on the strictest of budgets can afford their shopping, ranging from multipacks of crisps and crumpets, to bleach and dog biscuits. It also boasts its own luxury range, which won the Grocer Gold Awards 2018.

Asda was founded in 1949 and as well as offering its supermarket services, it also provides financial services, optician services, pet insurance, and offers its own mobile phone provider. Its George clothing range and George home range make it stand out from other supermarkets, as well as its frequent seasonal deals and “2 people dine for £10” meal deals. Categories include fresh food & bakery, free from, health & beauty, laundry & household, home & entertainment, pets, and plenty more. You can make use of the Click & Collect option: if you order by midday, you can pick up your items as early as 4pm the same day. Asda has a minimum order amount of £25 and delivery charges range from £3 to £5.50, unless you purchase one of the delivery passes (costing between £24 to £55), which means you don’t have to pay for your delivery each time.

eBay, founded in 1995 as “AuctionWeb”, is probably the most well-known Amazon alternative. It doesn’t sell its own products, however, but acts as the “middle man” between sellers and buyers. There are two ways to buy products, either straightaway with the “buy it now” option or by winning an auction. The website even has a section entitled “Best offers” where you can find great bargains. Low-value items often take one or two months to arrive, since they are delivered in the cheapest way, but there are options available to the buyer to speed up the process. Categories include motors, fashion, electronics, collectables, home & garden, sports & leisure, toys, home entertainment and several others. Featured sales and events help shoppers save money. Buyers are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee in case they don’t receive the item they bought, or if the item wasn’t described properly. eBay also connects people with their favourite charities to help them donate to good causes.