40 Things You Should Never Buy On Amazon

We will talk up Amazon's perks until we are blue in the face. But even heroes have faults — and these are Amazon's. Here's everything you should avoid buying on the site.

You'd think $25 would equal $25 in every corner of the country, but there's a special place where dollar values don't match up — and that place is Costco. At the big box store, you could pay $80 for $100 worth of Peet's Coffee gift cards. On Amazon, you'll be stuck paying dollar for dollar.

In a store-to-store price comparison, Amazon loses every time. On Amazon, Pedigree's 50-lb. bag of Adult Complete Nutrition kibble is $55.99, minimum. On Walmart, it's almost 30 bucks cheaper, and specialty stores like PetSmart sell it for just $25.99.

Amazon's selection of big machines (like fridges and dishwashers) is — well, how do we put this nicely — weak. Many of the ones that are available are sold through third-party retailers (read: you're going to pay a lot in shipping), or they're cheaper on competitors' sites. May we present you with this GE refrigerator (Amazon) v. GE refrigerator (Lowe's) argument as proof.

We know, WE KNOW: The fact that you can buy something from Ikea without setting foot in the blue-and-yellow labyrinth is exhilarating. But you're going to pay a pretty penny for that pleasure. The upcharge on Ikea products sold through Amazon is insane.

Kirkland is Costco's house brand, and that's exactly where you should buy those products. Yes, Amazon sells them, too, but you'll pay so much more on the retail giant's site. For example, a 200-count box of Kirkland trash bags at Costco is $17. On Amazon, it's $25.

Shopping for groceries online is convenient; we won't argue that. And since Amazon acquired Whole Foods, you never have to doubt your produce quality through the online retailer. But you're going to pay a pretty penny for that convenience. The cheapest you'll find bananas on Amazon is a little more than a dollar per banana. Need I remind you how much you score bananas for at Trader Joe's? (19 cents. They're 19 cents each.)

Amazon-sold cookbooks tend to cost around the same that they do from other retailers. The reason you should consider shopping elsewhere, though, is so you can properly fangirl over your copy. Target often scores exclusive signed copies, and the chefs' personal sites tend to have perks like that, too. Or, you know, you could support your local bookstore.

When purchasing hair color, the most important thing is picking the shade. While you could opt for a general “blonde” or “brunette” on Amazon, there are a number of mail-order hair coloring kits that provide the customization that Amazon just can not deliver. Madison Reed is a hair color company that offers color match consultations, however they do not sell their products on Amazon.

Unless you’re ordering a beauty product you’ve tried and tested before, you might want to shop in person. What Amazon offers in convenience it lacks in being able to physically test the product– which can make all the difference when selecting a foundation shade.

You may want to rethink adding that new pair of Birkenstocks to your Amazon cart– they are one of the few companies who have decided not to sell their product through the retail giant and anything found on the e-commerce site is sold through a third-party A.K.A. the product’s quality won’t be guaranteed. While there are still plenty of things to buy on Amazon, Birkenstocks are best to buy directly.

While it is tempting to have Amazon deliver your new shipment of face masks, hand sanitizer, and lysol right to your home, many third-party sellers on Amazon have taken advantage of the pandemic for monetary gain. While price gouging has occurred on numerous online retailers, the best way to prevent the inflated prices is to avoid buying from anywhere that seems excessively marked up.

While there are tons of online mattress companies that sell either direct to consumer and through Amazon a lot of people prefer to test their mattress out in-person before making the expensive purchase.

Just as with Birkenstock, Nike recently pulled their products off of the retail company because the market was flooded with resellers and counterfeit products. However, the end of the two company’s partnership means that any Nike products found on Amazon are not as reliable for quality.

There are a ton of off-brand phone chargers on the Amazon market and while they may be cheaper to buy, they could end up costing you much more. Knock off phone chargers are not made with power-surge protection and can lead to internal damage within your phone.

While we all hate waiting in line at Trader Joe’s, the convenience of Trader Joe’s products don’t outweigh the pricey upcharge on Amazon. For example, a 2.3 oz jar of Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning blend sells for $6.99 on Amazon while it is sold in-store for $1.99.

Amazon does have a wide selection of couches for affordable prices, but there are still a lot of benefits to picking out a couch in person– from fabric choice to cushion comfort, there’s no way to tell online.

Because there are a lot of third party sellers on Amazon it can be difficult to ensure that all of the brands have passed safety guidelines and regulations. The issue was raised when car seat manufacturer Jon Sumroy began crash testing copycats of his product sold on Amazon and realized there was no way competitors passed the same safety regulations as his brand– despite looking almost identical to shoppers.

If you’re looking to splurge on some fancy jewelry, Amazon might not be the place to do it. Not only can you not inspect the quality of the stone in person but Amazon doesn’t offer returns for “some jewelry orders” so if a product isn’t up to par, you may not be able to get your money back.

The Amazon market is flooded with products from designer brands– but the seller is generally not the designer itself. Shoppers need to be weary that scams and counterfeit products do exist on the marketplace– despite the many detection systems Amazon has in place.

There’s a reason stores like Lowes and Home Depot are in the business of home improvement. The speciality stores are able to work with suppliers to provide the best deals for their customer– something that Amazon just can’t compete with.

While it may seem easier to Amazon Prime your back to school items instead of combing through the aisles at Staples, there’s a reason the Big Box stores are packed at the end of the summer. Not only do they have the widest selection on specific items but they aren’t subject to price inflation, which can occur on Amazon.

Amazon has been pushing their technology products, from Alexa to the Echo dot, and offering discounted prices. However, if you had your heart set on a Google product, the google product selection is much slimmer.

For photographers and shutterbugs, Amazon is not the place to pick out your gear. While you can certainly find lower prices on the site, the possibility of third party sellers can make prices vary more than retailers, like B&H.

When shopping for a new kitchen pan there are a lot of things to consider– durability, aesthetic, and price are among the top concerns from consumers though. If you are looking strictly from a price point of view, Amazon does not win out among other retailers. For instance, a Le Creuset Signature Iron Skillet cost $165 on Amazon (plus $100 shipping) for a total of $265 while retailing for $205 with free delivery from Walmart– both are beat out by the similar looking competitor, Our Place, which sells directly to the consumer for $145.

Nobody likes trying on swimsuits in person, but it beats shelling out for an ill-fitting suit. While you can always return it, a study shows that at least 30% of people do not return online purchases compared to 8.9% at brick-and-mortar places.

For basic party supplies, you can’t go wrong checking out the Dollar Store for everything from utensils, tablecloths and paper plates. Amazon does offer party supply bundles but at a much higher price.

There has been a huge problem with beauty counterfeits on Amazon. Because of this, shoppers should be wary of knock offs and look alike brands when purchasing a luxury skincare item on Amazon. These secondary products may not have the same health and safety guidelines– the FBI warns of fake cosmetics containing arsenic or other harmful chemicals.

When it comes to small appliances, like microwaves and blenders, a better deal can be found on retailers other than Amazon. It just so happens that Walmart sells this Hamilton Beach microwave for $55 while Amazon charges $90 for the same model.

Glossier is one of the few brands that doesn’t wish or need to sell on Amazon. The company prides itself on a direct–consumer relationship, but you may sometimes see their products pop up on Amazon. Again, these could be a scam and shoppers should take note.

Shopping for basics, like underwear, shouldn’t break the bank. However, Amazon doesn’t beat other retailers when prices are compared for everyday clothing. At TJ Maxx a 3 pack of women’s underwear cost $9 and the same brand cost more than double ($22) for a four pack.

Call us old fashion but we love paging through a book to see if it peaks your interest before we buy, but that isn’t possible when purchasing off of Amazon. Even more, with Amazon now allowing book purchases to be sold through a third party seller makes it easier for scammers to sell used rather than new books.

While there are discrepancies from brand to brand, Amazon is often beat out in prices for popular candles by other retailers (Amazon vs. DW Home, for instance). Price aside, scented candles are one item that a customer should shop in person so they know they are a fan of the smell.

This same rule applies to perfume. Unless you are replenishing your signature scent and you already know you’ll love the smell– it’s best to test out in person. If you do snag your perfume off the e-commerce site, make sure it’s not a counterfeit by a third party.

Sometimes cheaper doesn’t always mean better. There is a misconception that scoring a deal on $15 earbuds on Amazon is great, but if they’re made cheaply and break then it ends up being money poorly spent. When buying from Amazon it is always a good idea to read the reviews and buying guides and to be cautious of third party retailers.

While Amazon has a wide selection of clothing options on their website, even more after the acquisition with Shopbop, the retail giant has a lot of price discrepancies when it comes to size and color– which can cause a lot of confusion for the shopper and lead to a bigger price tag.

For standard batteries like AAA or AA it is cheaper to buy them at other retailers than online. This topic was raised when the retail giant was in the news for exploding batteries in 2019.

Amazon is hugely popular with households, like paper towels. You never run out or have to dash to the store to buy some thanks to their Subscribe and Save program online. However, putting your spending habits on autopilot is never a smart idea and can make you lose out on comparative shopping.

Although Amazon entered the grocery game, there are still delivery systems that outrank the retail giant. Instacart, for example, has more store partnerships than Amazon which leads to a wider product availability and doesn’t charge fees for same-day delivery. The app is also available in more cities than Amazon Fresh.

When loading up your fridge with your favorite beverages, you’ll do better on a trip to your local Target or Walmart than you will ordering them from Amazon. A study from 2016 found that the online retailer sold identical popular beverages for 97% more than Target and 105% more than Walmart.

Amazon does a good job of packaging their items, but with products traveling across the country it is inevitable that things will break. While the company will, undoubtedly, replace damaged items if you intend on purchasing something fragile it’s always best to look locally first.