Looking for Amazon alternatives?
If you're anything like us, you rely pretty heavily on Amazon Prime. So now that Amazon Prime is focusing on delivering household essentials, and two-day Prime service isn't guaranteed, you might be wondering where to buy things that Amazon won't deliver.
We were, too. So, we did some investigating and rounded up the best Amazon alternatives, below. We chose based on general product availability, shipping times, and the number of promotions/sales we've seen.
What are the things Amazon won't deliver?
We mentioned in our article a few weeks back that Amazon had stopped accepting incoming deliveries of non-essential items at its warehouses. Meaning that, once items that didn't fit into is "Essentials" categories went out of stock, Amazon wouldn't be restocking, at least temporarily. Amazon has classified the below as "essential items," so if what you're looking for doesn't fall into one of these categories, it's best to look for it somewhere else.
- Baby products
- Health & household
- Beauty & Personal Care (including personal care appliances)
- Grocery
- Industrial & Scientific
- Pet Supplies
Amazon alternatives for general household merchandise and essentials
While Amazon is doing its best to fulfill orders of household essentials, many of the items we've been searching for there have been out of stock or have long shipping times. Instead, we've had better luck with the below retailers.
What it's great for: Diapers, cleaning supplies, kids art supplies, beauty and personal care products
From hand sanitizer, diapers and shampoo, to Clorox wipes and toilet paper, we've seen much more of these crucial household essentials in stock for fast shipping than we have at Amazon. We've been checking almost daily when we update our articles on where to find crucial Coronavirus supplies. While many of the most in-demand supplies go in and out of stock on an almost daily basis, we find if we check regularly we can usually find what we need for shipping (or in-store pickup at the very least).
What it's best for: Contact lenses, pharmacy essentials, beauty and personal care products
You can order lots of Walgreens items for standard shipping, or take advantage of their recently announce partnership with Postmates to get your items delivered from a local store.
Amazon alternatives for home and garden
We're all spending more time at home, which means it's only natural to plot ways to make our spaces more fun and functional.
Plus, now that the weather happens to be warming up, it's a great time to start thinking about how to make the most of your outdoor space. Whether you're looking for kitchen gadgets, patio furniture, or a place to buy plants online, these are the best alternative for shopping for home and garden must-haves.
What it's best for: Outdoor furniture, small kitchen appliances, outdoor rugs, bistro sets, gas grills, storage
Wayfair has a wide-range of outdoor furniture in price-points ranging from wallet-friendly to luxury. They offer free shipping, and in our experience, it's typically lightning fast: we've gotten pieces from Wayfair just 24-hours after placing an order.
What it's best for: Outdoor furniture, paint, gardening tools, ordering plants
The Home Depot is open for in-store purchases, but why risk a trip when you can safely order your DIY supplies online? Besides shipping outdoor furniture, power tools, and decor , The Home Depot also lets you order things like paint (yes, you can choose your color) and certain live plants for your garden, too.
What it's best for: Sofas, stylish wall art, larger furniture items, rugs
West Elm is a contemporary design-lover's online paradise, and while its retail stores are closed we've seen an uptick in the number of promotions West Elm is offering. Sign up for their emails for regular updates on what's on sale each day. Also, check out their free online design services for help decorating your space.
Amazon alternatives for workout gear
Now that we're all WOFH (working out from home), having simple exercise equipment on hand is a must. If you're looking to try a new workout at home, or need a few things to supplement your workout routine, here's where to look.
What it's best for: Treadmills, dumbbells, rowing machines
Overstock.com is best know for furniture and household items, but they also have an excellent selection of fitness and workout gear like rowing machines, resistance trainers, and kettlebells.
What it's best for: Yoga mats, workout clothes and shoes, outdoor recreation equipment like bikes and kayaks
Besides standard online orders, you can also place online orders for contactless curbside pickup at Dick's retail locations if you need something fast.
Amazon alternatives for electronics and home-office essentials
Has watching epic amounts of Netflix made you realize your TV could use an upgrade? Here's where you can purchase electronics right now.
What's is best for: TVs, computer monitors, exercise machines
Best Buy's stores are, of course, closed for the time being, but online it's business as usual. We almost prefer shopping Best Buy online, since the robust product reviews on the site are always incredible helpful in selecting the right item.
What it's best for: Small printers, webcams, keyboard mice
Be your most productive self at home with Staples endless supply of office supplies. Plus,they've got a rotating list of deals and discounts, and for a limited time you can get your video conferencing gear, printer paper, or whatever else your home office needs delivered for free.
