8 Best E-commerce Sites on the Web

The 8 Best E-commerce Sites on the Web

You know you’ve wondered. Which sites are the most reliable, and the easiest to use, as well as having an inventory that you’d be interested in buying from?The best e-commerce sites have been those that deliver the best user experience, powered with the strongest automated software. Can your business compete with these?

1.The top of the list is Amazon, of course. For anything from books to movies to clothes. Between their incredible wide selection, their “you also might like” options, their fast shipping, and their reliable reputation, Amazon is really someone to beat. (That’s not even mentioning their decent prices.)

2. E-Bay. For anything people might think to sell. It’s easy to use and dependable. And if you’re in the market for collectibles, even antiques, you can go a-hunting without ever leaving town. Sure, there are the concerns you’d run into when buying anything online, but the user ratings system gives you a security you couldn’t get otherwise. Bid or buy at a set price, it’s up to you.

3. Land’s End. For clothing. Not only do they have options allowing you to sort items by how they fit and by hemline, but there’s even a virtual model that can “try on” clothes for you, once you’ve entered your measurements. It really gives you a good idea of how the clothes would fit on you, which is fantastic, especially considering that this is one of a person’s main concerns when shopping for clothes online.

4. Pottery Barn. For furniture. A well-designed site where it’s easy to find what you’re looking for — and that’s really what it all comes down to, right? Especially helpful were the “Design Tips” and the “Room Ideas” areas. The clean design on this site makes finding what you want a snap. (Note that larger items do take longer for delivery.

5. REI. For camping and hiking gear. Clear, well-designed site, with all kinds of athletic gear, and more importantly, all kinds of great advice on how to pick your gear, PLUS tools that let you compare items. All shopping should be this easy.

6. eToys. For, well, toys. While the site isn’t the best designed, it’s hard to beat that inventory, and the search functions are quite good. You can break it down by age, brand, even theme — and if you have kids, you have an idea of just how helpful that can be.

7. Sears. For Appliances and tools. Really nice home page, with a great menu tree to the left. Great searchability within appliances, for example, you can find your perfect fridge based upon your specifications, including brand, color, price, ENERGY STAR compliant, even type of ice maker or lack thereof.

8. Newegg for electronics. A well-designed site with great sales, great inventory, and excellent product photos, although not as much in the advice area as say, REI — but the user reviews are quite good, and if further direction is needed, that can easily be obtained elsewhere.