5 Amazon Alternatives With Better Deals

Amazon has become the #1 place for online shopping but there are a few alternatives that can save you money. Many of these platforms are designed for smaller sellers who can charge lower prices for the same items you'd find on Amazon. Next time you are about to buy something online consider using one of the websites below.

eBay

eBay is by far the most well-known alternative to Amazon but what most people don't know is that many of the third-party sellers on Amazon are also on eBay. You can often find the exact same item you would on Amazon for a few dollars cheaper on eBay. This is because eBay charges sellers a smaller fee so they can pass the savings on to you.

Even if you find the item is listed for the same price as Amazon you can send the seller on "offer" to sell it at a lower price. It's free to send an offer and many sellers will accept it if it's just a $5 or $10 difference.

The other great thing about eBay is that you can find ANYTHING on their platform. If you need a very specific tool or something that is no longer sold in mainstream stores you can often find it on eBay.

Mercari

Mercari is a new eCommerce platform that is originally from Japan but has been expanding worldwide. It's much smaller than eBay and Amazon so you won't find as many items but there is still a huge selection. Mercari sells everything from clothing to electronics in various conditions.

What makes Mercari different from other platforms though is that it focuses on person-to-person sales. This means most of the sellers on the platform are regular people instead of business. As a result, you'll often find items selling for a lot less on Mercari. Many of these items are even brand new!

The other great thing about Mercari is they are always giving out coupons and credits. For example, you can get $30 in credit when you sign-up through a promotional link. This is one of many promotions that Mercari is running and will receive many more after you sign up.

OfferUp

OfferUp began as a local selling app where people would post items and then meet in person to make a sale. However, they recently announced a nationwide shipping program. This allows people to use a prepaid shipping label to ship items to anyone in the country.

Similar to Mercari, the majority of sellers are regular people instead of business so you can find some great bargains. You can also send the seller offers if you want to haggle for a lower price. The platform is smaller so it still has some bugs to work out but that also means you have less competition when looking for amazing deals.

Depop

Depop is like Instagram except you can buy the clothes people are wearing. The platform is all about selling unique clothing to fashion concise buyers. You can find many brand names and vintage clothing at a huge discount.

The platform is primarily for clothing but they have also expanded into some other categories such as home goods, accessories, and make-up. The platform is looking to expand so it's worth searching for an item you want because you might very well find it.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook has joined the eCommerce game but it has been at a very slow rate. It was originally launched in 2007 but was then shut down due to a lack of interest. However, in 2016 it was relaunched with added functionality and has become very popular.

The main advantage of Facebook Marketplace is that you don't need to make a new account to join. It's just available to anyone who's already been using Facebook. There are some limitations on who can access the Marketplace based on how long you've been using Facebook, but generally, everyone is allowed.

Similar to OfferUp, the platform began as only for local listings but has since expanded to allow shipping. Again, this feature might be available to everyone but it's quickly expanding to include more and more people.