Consumers in Quebec regularly assume that they are getting a good deal by purchasing items from Amazon, which may be cheaper than other companies. But, is this really the truth?
Protégez-vous investigated the matter through a survey of more than 3,300 consumers and analyzed more than 1,000 prices of items sold online.
“In general, Amazon is a little cheaper, but it really depends on the categories,” noted Frédéric Perron, editor-in-chief of Protégez-vous, in an interview with QMI Agency.
While it has been found that smartphones are sometimes cheaper on the platform created by Jeff Bezos, this is not the case with printers or surveillance cameras, for example.
Nevertheless, every second purchase in Quebec is made via Amazon. “We can ask ourselves whether people are losing the reflex to shop elsewhere and compare prices,” Mr. Perron said, according to data released Tuesday.
A love-hate relationship
Although Quebec consumers “like the variety of products, compliance with delivery times and the ease of returns and refunds,” 60% of them are still concerned about the impact of this web giant on local businesses.
“People who don’t buy on Amazon want to promote local shopping, like Le Panier Bleu or les libraires.ca,” emphasized the editor-in-chief.
Respondents also criticized the description of the products in French and the quality of the language used.
“Amazon is an international platform, there are a lot of automatic translations on the website and the product descriptions you read there are sometimes a bit lame,” he said.
The web giant is also facing numerous complaints to the Consumer Protection Board (OPC) in Quebec, with 373 complaints filed in two years, according to Mr. Perron.
“Among the problems people report is that they find it difficult to log out of the Amazon service. There are also complaints about delivery times longer than expected, non-compliant products and the quality of customer service,” he explained.
Five recommendations for paying less on Amazon
• Monitor inventory offers
On the Warehouse Deals page, Amazon sells refurbished, returned, or opened items at a discount
• Take advantage of the exchange program
You can return a used electronic device to Amazon in exchange for another and also receive a bonus gift card.
• Select the delayed delivery option
“We can delay delivery a little to pay less because they combine packages,” Mr. Perron said. This therefore avoids costs and at the same time reduces environmental pollution.
• Shop on Prime days
This corresponds to Black Friday on Amazon during these events organized for Prime members. Some items are sometimes sold for up to 50% less than the original price.
• Use discount codes
Discount codes are often available on the product description page. Just add it manually when checking out.
Source: Protect Yourself