A Review of Amazon.com

I’m reviewing Amazon.com in this post…… er yes it might seem strange to review a business that almost everyone knows and uses. Having said that, it’s a great reason to review it.

By the way. This is NOT a Paid Review!

Amazon.com Inc was formed in 1994 and launched in 1995 by Jeff Bezos, out of Seattle, Washington.  If you’ve seen their HQ  on Beacon Hill then you’ll know how they have grown.  Amazon.com (originally Cadabra.com ) started by selling just books at launched, but they soon broadened their range to cover music, video, toys, games, electronics and most other household goods. They didn’t just stay in the US too. They operate large operations in Europe and the Far East.  So they know how to sell books and stuff.

But do they know how to treat customers?

I’ve been a registered customer with Amazon for about 12 years now. I’ve seen their proposition blossom into the true great it is today. So yes, I am a fan of Amazon.com. My loyalty isn’t because they are the cheapest (as they’re not), nor is it because it is one-stop shop for almost everything (because it isn’t – eBay is 😉 )  and nor is it because they operate a great loyalty scheme (because they don’t – you have to take a frikin credit card for that). It’s because they offer great customer service.

If you screw up your order to receive a PSP version of a game instead of the XBOX360 version – then send it back and they will give credit back, or ask for the 360 version, no questions. Find a scratch on a CD? Send it back for an immediate replacement – no hassle. Want to find an interesting book? Use their massive database unknowingly by seeing what readers of one of your current book are also reading. It’s instant inspiration. Need to order in a hurry? You can do that in 4 clicks.

One massive plus for Amazon is the choice to buy new or used on almost any items, by choosing to buy from Amazon, or one of it’s many associate sellers. So you can pick up a second-hand bargain instead of going to eBay 🙂

The implications of Amazon.com’s service for IT professionals and IT leaders are considerable. Amazon.com stocks books on almost every niche IT subject, so you’ll always find many books on Ruby On Rails. For leaders, the recommendations from Amazon are an interesting way to learn the industry buzz and to see what IT professionals are reading. I find that recommendations can inspire me to research particular subjects for this website; sometimes I am inspired at total tangents to what I am thinking about at the time. So the benefits for leaders in just browsing Amazon.com is the provocation of innovation, idea generation and lateral thinking.

My purchasing experience of Amazon has always been great. I’ve never had to chase up items. Items have always arrived safely and when expected.  Any mistakes have been quickly rectified and I always have my purchase in my hands when I want it. I buy with confidence.

And I have to admit that they are inexpensive – often the best value competitor – but not always the cheapest. If you shop around you might find items on other sites for a few cents less. However, I still shop with them because of the service. Amazon’s shipping costs have always been reasonable, and sometimes it’s free with their supersaver delivery options.

Perhaps my only gripe is that they don’t offer a customer loyalty scheme without the credit card. I’d be happy even if the scheme racked up points just for purchasing recommended products. OK, maybe my only other moan is that the website is a bit too visually busy.

In summary, I like Amazon.com. I recommend anyone to use it if you’re buying almost anything.

Overall, 10 / 10

Below are books I recommend from Amazon

• The 7 Habits for Managers: Managing Yourself, Leading Others, Unleashing Potential
• The New Rational Manager
• The New CIO Leader: Setting the Agenda and Delivering Results
• Straight to the Top: Becoming a World-Class CIO
• CIO Best Practices: Enabling Strategic Value with Information Technology (Wiley and SAS Business Series)
• What Business Really Wants from IT: A Collaborative Guide for Business Directors and CIOs (Computer Weekly Professional)
• CIO Wisdom (Enterprise Computing Series)
• Don’t Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
• Head First Design Patterns (Head First)