The retail giant known as Amazon does a fantastic job of making shoppers think everything on their site is a good deal, or at least competitive in terms of price. But the fact of the matter is Amazon has their good and bad buys just like any other store. By knowing which is which, you can become a smarter shopper and the savings is bound to follow.

To determine the worst and best buys at Amazon, I did a bunch of research and price comparison tests and the results are below. I hope it helps you save some money on future purchases.

First, the Best Things to Buy:

1. Electronics Add-Ons

I’m talking about add-ons like HDMI cables, HDTV mounts, and various cables for your electronic components. While Amazon use to have the reputation of pricing TV’s cheap and gouging you on accessories, that is simply not the case any more.

These days you can score a quality 6-foot Amazon Basics High-Speed HDMI Cable for only $7.36 compared to a similar cable at Target for $16.99.

And before you ask, more expensive HDMI cables are NOT any better in terms of picture or sound.

2. Snack Foods

Snacky foods at Amazon like peanuts, chips, granola bars, and jerky, are for the most part, 15-20% cheaper than stores like Costco and Walmart.

This is especially true if you use Amazon Subscribe and Save and get the extra 15% off your total if you have at least 5 items in your monthly subscription.

3. Batteries

Batteries are a really good deal at Amazon. From watch batteries, to larger varieties, you can typically find some big time values.

For example, on Amazon you can buy a 48-pack of AmazonBasics AA for $15.49 – said to be made by a major battery manufacturer.

In comparison, even the cheaper option Rayovac AA batteries at Walmart will cost you $30.19 for the same amount.

4. Magazine Subscriptions

When I think magazine subscriptions, I never think about Amazon, until now that is. The deals are pretty darn amazing, especially when renewing your existing subscription. A 1-year renewal for Sports Illustrated will only run you $10 on Amazon, which is practically free at $0.18 per issue.

See Also: 6 Brilliantly Slick Ways to Get Amazon Prime for Free

5. High Customer (Star) Rated Items

One of Amazon’s pricing strategy tricks is to come under the competition, in terms of price, on items that are highly rated.

I’m talking about products with a star rating of 4 or higher. This is one of the few times when it’s smart to follow the pack and save.

When a customer sees a highly rated product, at a great price, it creates a “I flipping love Amazon” mindset that tends to carry over to every purchase, even stuff that may not be the best deal or not very highly rated.

So when price comparing different models on Amazon, always head toward the product with the highest star rating and you’ll typically get a very good price.

6. Highly Visible Items

Also look for deals on Amazon products that are really popular and trendy.

Think brands like Beats headphones, Keurig, Dyson, and Bose Bluetooth speakers.

Amazon purposely keeps the price low on these items to give shoppers the perception that they’re a low-price leader.

Use this information to your advantage when shopping for highly visible, and “cultural touchstone” type items.

7. Diapers

Buying diapers from Amazon is definitely a good buy. For example, they sell Luvs #4, 160ct, for $31.34 (.19/ea), while Walmart has the same diaper for $0.20/each.

They also sell Huggies #4, 192ct, for $44.83 (.23/ea), while Costco has the same diaper for .22/ea. For an extra penny per diaper it’s worth it to many, especially in terms of the convenience of having them show up on your doorstep with free shipping.

And of Course, the Worst Buys on Amazon:

1. Hardware and Tools

Rather than shopping at Amazon, shop at the Home Depot and Lowe’s for the best deals on hand tools and power tools.

For example, Amazon has a DeWalt 6 Tool Combo Kit for $554, while Lowe’s has the same product for only $499. The Lowe’s kit even comes with 2 batteries.

The same holds true for hand tools and hardware like hammers, saws, nails, screws, and levels.

Amazon has a hard competing on price because the big box home improvement stores have more leverage with suppliers and can get their costs down and pass the savings along to you.

2. Cleaning Supplies

Hard to beat the prices at Walmart on products like Windex, Pledge, Comet, Pine-Sol, Drano, and the like. For example, Amazon sells a 1 gallon container of Windex for $21.07, BJ’s sells the the same size for $11.99 and it comes with a spray bottle.

Also, Amazon sells Comet for $0.31 an ounce while Walmart has it for $0.11 an ounce. For those of you (like me) who suck at math, that’s like 3 times cheaper at Walmart.

See Also: 4 Ways to Get Free Shipping at Amazon (Without Paying for Prime)

3. Brand-Name Apparel

Due to the lack of coupon codes and sales, you’re going to easily spend 20% more buying name brand clothing from Amazon compared to clothing specific websites like Lands’ End, American Eagle, and Macys.com.

By timing your purchase at online clothing websites, and waiting until you have a coupon code in hand, it becomes very easy to undercut the Amazon price on similar items. This is especially true if you can wait and buy clothing on clearance at the end of the season.

4. Home Furnishings

Generally speaking, home furnishings, bookcases, and home decor are not a very good deal at Amazon. For the money, you’re much better served shopping at IKEA, Cost Plus World Market, and Target and can typically save an additional 15-30% by avoiding Amazon.

5. Pet Food and Supplies

You’re much better off buying dog food, cat food, and pet supplies from Costco or Walmart.

As an example, Amazon has Iams Adult dog food, (30 lb for $31.64) and Costco has a 50 lb bag of the same food for $42.99, which comes out to an affordable .86/lb.

Pretty much every brand of dog food Amazon carries can be found cheaper at Walmart or Costco.

Also, Amazon sells Tidy Cat litter for $9.98 for a 14lb bag ($.71/pound) while Walmart sells the same product for $12.98 for a 35lb bag ($.37/pound).

6. Back-To-School Supplies

Finding deals on back-to-school supplies can be a bit tricky if you don’t have a plan. One way to ensure you get a good deal on binders, backpacks, pencils, and the like, is to avoid Amazon.com as much as possible.

At the very least, don’t do ALL of your shopping with them. Buying a couple items that are a decent deal is cool, but you’ll save much more if you can “shop around” and buy screaming deals when you find them.

Also, keep a close eye on sales flyers from office supply stores like Staples, Office Depot, and Office Max. They typically have some amazing deals like penny pencils, 25 cent glue sticks, dime folders, and 25 cent crayon boxes.

Be aware that they sell-out pretty quickly so be sure to always check the sales flyers in your local newspaper and jump on the deals as they come out. If they’re sold out, take the flyer to Walmart or Target and they’ll happily price-match the item if they carry the exact same model.

7. Athletic Shoes

You’ll typically pay 25%-30% more buying name-brand shoes from Amazon when compared to discount websites like DSW, Famous Footwear, and Payless.

The reason is because many online stores have coupon codes in the 20-30% off range that will always bring the price down below anything Amazon can reasonably touch.

For example, a new pair of top of the line women’s New Balance 990V3 running shoes is currently selling for $149.95 at both Amazon and Shoebuy, both with free shipping.

But with a little bit of digging, I found a 20% off coupon code for Shoebuy.com, bringing my total down to $119.96 — a price Amazon can’t touch.

Ask the Reader: Any good or bad buys at Amazon that I may have missed? Let me know in the comments section below and I’ll get it added to my article.

By Kyle James

Have you ever bought something, got it home and torn it open, only to realize it sucks, or doesn’t fit, or just isn’t what you thought it was? Then realize that since you opened it, you can’t return it and are stuck with it for eternity. Or maybe you wear a pair of shoes for a couple weeks and they keep giving you painful blisters? Some stores have awesome return policies in place that allow you to actually return used or opened items with NO questions asked (just don’t abuse them or you can bet they’ll go away forever). Below are all of the stores that fit this category.

Anthropologie

The return policy at Anthropologie is pretty awesome:

• If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, for ANY reason, they’ll take care of you with a full refund or exchange.
• You can even get a refund on worn merchandise purchased over a year ago, with or without a receipt.

If you don’t have a receipt, they’ll give you the current selling price of the item.

Apple Store

If you bought an item directly from an Apple Store you can return used items. Here are the details:

• You have exactly 14 days to return items, opened or unopened.
• You can use this policy to basically “test drive” items to see if you like them.

Items not available for return include: Opened software, Electronic Software Downloads, Apple Store Gift Cards,  Developer products (membership, technical support incidents, WWDC tickets), and Apple Print Products.

See Also: Apple Return Policy: 7 Reasons Why It’s Great & 5 Reasons Why It Kinda Sucks

Athleta

Athleta sells popular workout/yoga clothing and shoes for women and has a fantastic return policy.

• Unlike parent companies Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic, you can return worn clothing to Athleta for ANY reason.

They allow 60 days for you to return or exchange items.

Bath & Body Works

Here are the details of the “100% Guarantee” at Bath & Body Works:

• From their website, “If at any time you’re not completely satisfied with the quality of our products, you may return them to any of our Bath & Body Works stores.”
• If you don’t have your receipt they’ll still take back the item but give you the lowest selling price on record.

If they think you may be abusing their return policy, they reserve the right to scan your driver’s license to keep you from abusing their policy in the future.

See Also: Retailers That Will Refund You and Let You Keep the Items Too

Body Shop

The Body Shop has a very liberal return policy as well. Here’s what you need to know:

• If you have your receipt, you can return items, new or used, for a full refund.
• There is NO time-limit, so be sure to hang on to those receipts.

With no receipt in hand, the best they can do is a store credit at the lowest selling price in the past 30 days.

Costco

The Costco return policy is legendary. Here’s the skinny:

• You can return items to the warehouse, no matter the shape or condition, if not completely satisfied.
• The only products that have a time restraint on them are electronics at 90 days from date of purchase. The following is considered an electronics item: Televisions and Projectors, Computers, Touchscreen Tablets, Cameras, Camcorders, MP3 players and Cellular Phones.
• Also, all diamonds at 1.00 ct or larger require original paperwork for return.

Other than diamonds, a receipt is not required as Costco can look up your order details in their system.

CVS Pharmacy

While CVS will not take back most used items, they do make one big exception…

• Beauty products have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  If not happy, for whatever reason, just bring it back opened or unopened for a full refund.

There’s no time limit on returns but you must have your original receipt.

Eddie Bauer

Eddie Bauer has an Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee on all their products. Here’s what you need to know.

• Eddie stands behind their clothing, “If anything you buy falls short of our standards, you’re invited to return it at any time.”
• When returning items with a receipt, you’re eligible for a full refund or exchange.

When returning items without a receipt, you can get a store credit or exchange.

Kohl’s

The folks at Kohl’s have a killer “No Questions Asked – Hassle-Free” guarantee. Here’s how it works:

• Kohl’s will take back all items, new or used, at any time if you’re not satisfied with your purchase. No questions asked.
• There is NO time restriction on ALL returns and no receipt needed if your purchase is on your Kohl’s card within the past 12 months.

If you made your purchase with something other than a Kohl’s card, you can still return items without a receipt but you’ll have to settle for store credit or an even exchange.

Lands’ End

The Lands’ End return policy is titled “Guaranteed. Period.“ and is very similar to the policy at Eddie Bauer.

• Lands’ End will take back any item, at any time, for any reason. No questions asked.
• If you wear something for a couple weeks, or months, or years, and decide it just isn’t for you, they’ll take it back for a full refund or exchange.
• If you return an item where the record of purchase dates back 9 months or greater, they’ll issue a refund in the form of a refund check.

If you return an item with NO record of purchase, they’ll issue a refund for the item’s lowest sale price in the form of a Lands’ End gift card.

L.L.Bean

L.L.Bean also has a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy that’s worth knowing about.

• They’ll take back both new and heavily used items if they fail or you’re not happy for any reason.
• No receipt? No problem. If a receipt can’t be located, they’ll “give you an L.L.Bean Gift Card for the current selling price of the item, or replace your item.”

If the original item is no longer available, they’ll probably call or email you “to help determine an alternative that works for you.” Pretty amazing policy.

Nordstrom

It’s long been known to loyal Nordstrom shoppers that they have one of the best return policies going.

• They’ll take back pretty much anything, at any time, with or without a receipt.

They strive to work fairly with you to make sure you’re happy with your purchase and they ask that you treat them fairly as well, and don’t abuse the policy.

REI

Here are the details of the awesome return policy at REI.

• REI stands behind all of the products they sell with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
• If you’re not completely satisfied with any product, for any reason, you can return it for a full refund, or replacement, within 1 year of purchase.

Important note on used products being returned, “Used items must be cleaned for a return or exchange. If you send merchandise that is not cleaned or laundered to the REI Returns Department, it will be returned at your expense.”

Trader Joe’s

It’s a little known fact that Trader Joe’s has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

• If you’re not satisfied with any product you buy at Trader Joe’s, you can return it NO questions asked with NO limits.
• The item could be half eaten or half drank; it doesn’t matter.

They stand behind everything they sell.

Whole Foods Market

If you shop at Whole Foods, are you aware of their killer return policy? Here’s how it works:

• Whole Foods guarantees every product they sell and allows you to bring back items opened, or unopened, for ANY reason.

For them to take items back, you must have your original receipt.

Zappos

The service center at Zappos is legendary and will often bend over backwards to make the customer happy.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The Zappos website states that all items must be returned in their “original condition” within 365 days of purchase.
• But…I found this website which talks about a blogger who bought an expensive pair of running shoes from Zappos, jogged in them for over 400 miles but kept getting blisters.
• He thought he was screwed as he didn’t have any of the original packaging. But he decided to call them anyways and not only did they replace his shoes with a new size, but they gave him a $35 credit as the shoes had dropped in price. So awesome Zappos.

Your best bet when it comes to returning used shoes, clothing, and handbags, is to call them at 1 (800) 927-7671 and explain your situation.

Happy returns.

By Kyle James

Photo by TopRank Marketing.

Warning: These logos are really fun and totally addicting. Ever since I started researching this article, I’ve been looking at every logo I can find to see if they have a secret meaning hidden within. Some are more obvious than others, but all are really fun to check out.

Amazon.com

I always looked at the Amazon logo and saw a happy smile and nothing else, but I clearly wasn’t looking hard enough.

The smiley face is actually an arrow going from the A to the Z, signifying that they have every product under the sun from Aardvark Hot Sauce to Zumba Fitness DVD.

Apple

The apple with the single bite taken from it sure beats Apple’s first logo which resembles a flyer for a local Renaissance fair.

While this iconic logo doesn’t have any overt hidden meaning, many think the single bite from the apple is to honor Alan Turing, the man who laid the groundwork for the modern computer and unlocked German codes during WWII. He tragically ended his own life in 1954 after biting into an apple laced with cyanide.

Baskin Robbins

When I was a kid, we called our local Baskin Robbins ice cream shop “31 Flavors” because, well, that’s what they carried.

Their logo these days hints back to the good ol’ days which is really cool. Check out the B and the R and notice the “31” sandwiched in there to make up the letters.

F1 Racing

Formula One racing has a logo that uses white space in a unique way.

Notice the black F and the red racing streamers, then notice the white number 1 built off the F and red streamers. Kind of cool.

See Also: The Alternative Brands That Are Cheaper (and Often Just as Good)

FedEx

I’ve been looking at the FedEx logo for years, and never noticed the white arrow that makes up the “E” and the “x” in the word “Ex”. The arrow obviously signifies moving packages in the right direction and not being thrown by drivers.

George Washington University

First of all, to understand this college sports logo you need to know that George Washington University is located in our nation’s capital.

Can you spot a national landmark located in Washington D.C. on the logo? Need help? Check out the “W” really closely. If you still can’t find it, look at the center of the “W”, do you see the Washington Monument? Looks more like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it’s definitely there.

Gillette

This one is a little more nuisance and has to do with the product Gillette is known for, razors!

Check out the “G” and the “i”, in particular the dot on the “i” and notice how it looks like a razor’s edge that cuts right through the “G” at the same angle. See it?

Goodwill

See the half smiley face in the top left corner of the Goodwill logo? Kinda hard to miss. Now look at the letter “g” in the work goodwill.

See any similarities? The smiley face obviously symbolizes the idea of maintaining goodwill and helping those that need it the most.

Hershey’s Kisses

This is one of my favorites, both to eat by the dozen and logo investigate. See if you can find the single Hershey’s Kiss hidden in the word “KISSES”.

If you can’t find it, try turning your head 90 degrees to the left. Do you see it now, or did I just totally tweak your neck?

Jack In The Box

The old logo from Jack In The Box is a bit of a head scratcher. Check out the “o” and the “x” in the word “Box”.

They are mutated together to look like a fish. I can’t find any info as to why, maybe they had a new fish sandwich they were trying to promote at the time.

LG Electronics

First off, any idea what LG stands for? Apparently it stands for “Life’s Good” which is okay, I guess. My life’s good, or at least better, when my electronics work like there suppose to. But look at the weird reddish circle thing.

First, do you see the L and the G? Next, do you see the face? The L makes up the nose and and the G is the face. Also, it kinda looks like PacMan ran into a city bus going 55.

Milwaukee Brewers

I can remember being a kid in the 80’s and finally seeing the double meaning of the Brewers logo.

I say “finally” because I apparently was a slow child, as I was the last of my friends to spot it. Do you see the “m” and the “b” that obviously stand for Milwaukee Brewers?

Okay, cool. Now do you also see that those two letters make up a baseball glove, along with an actual ball making up the center of the “b”. Whoever designed this logo clearly deserves a plague in Cooperstown.

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines did a cool little thing with their logo. First, they combined the N and the W by using a negative space trick.

Then they had the tip of the “W” designed to look like an arrow which makes the circle look like a compass. In other words, Northwest clearly knows which direction they are flying.

Pinterest

The name of the game at Pinterest is “pinning” cool things you find online to share with others.

So it makes sense they would get clever with their logo and add an actual pin to the “P”.

Pittsburgh Zoo

I love this one. The folks at the Pittsburgh Zoo do a fantastic job using negative space to create a memorable logo.

Can you spot the animals? I see a gorilla, a lioness, and a few fish at the bottom. This logo totally makes me want to take the kids.

San Diego Zoo

While not nearly as cool as the Pittsburgh Zoo logo, the San Diego Zoo kept to the animal theme and made the word “zoo” look like an animal paw print, or is it animal scat.

No, I’m sticking with paw print.

Sony Vaio

This one is really cool. When it comes to their VAIO logo, Sony was able to get creative and incorporate computers and technology directly into it.

The “VA” represents an analog wave and the “IO” represents the binary code of 1 and 0.

Starbucks

Have you ever wondered what the heck the mermaid looking thing was on your $4 Starbucks latte?

While nothing is hidden on the logo, it certainly has a significant meaning.

The gal is actually a 16th century Norse woodcut by the name of Siren.

She is a “twin tailed” mermaid and has strong ties to the sea. Starbucks being founded in Seattle, also has strong ties to the ocean and thus went with Siren back in 1971, and haven’t looked back.

Toblerone

Do bears like chocolate? Apparently the folks at Toblerone think they do, as they hid a full silhouette of a bear climbing the Matterhorn on their logo.

Do you see it yet? In actuality, Toblerone is manufactured in Bern, Switzerland, a town known as the “City of Bears” located in the country famous for the Matterhorn.

Tostitos

Check out the two “t’s” on both sides of the “i”.

The folks at Tostitos cleverly designed the logo to look like a couple chip enthusiasts fighting over a single chip, with a bowl of salsa, dotting the “i”, as the prize.

Tour de France

The Tour de France bicycle race created a cool logo a few years back that also has a dude riding a bike hidden in it.

Can you spot it? Take a look at the “r” in the word “Tour” if you need a hint. Notice both wheels and the rider? Looks like a steroid free Lance Armstrong.

 

Washington State University

Washington State was able to make their school letters (WSU) actually look like their mascot, a cougar.

The “U” is a bit of a stretch and makes up the lower jaw of the cougar. But hey, definitely an A for effort.

Wendy’s

Nothing beats Mom’s home cooking like a juicy square burger from Wendy’s.

Check out the collar on Wendy’s shirt, do you see the word “MOM” hidden within? While Wendy’s has said the word is unintentional, I think it’s clearly a subliminal message.

Any logos out there that you think should be added to my list? Let me know and I’d love to take a look and get them added.

By Kyle James