Amazon
The go-to everything store for online shopping—almost any category you need. Full-scale e-commerce marketplace from daily essentials to electronics.
Site Info
- Official domain
- www.amazon.com
- Operator
- Amazon.com, Inc.
- Launch date
- 1995
- Pricing
- Free
- Languages
- English, Simplified Chinese, and 9 languages
- Last updated
- August 28, 2026
Site Overview
Amazon.com is one of the world's largest comprehensive online shopping platforms.
It combines first-party retail with third-party sellers, covering categories from daily necessities to electronics, books, and fresh groceries. The core experience is search, ordering, and logistics; the Prime membership bundles fast delivery with streaming media.
Core Features
1. Full-category online shopping, search, and price comparison
Electronics, apparel, home goods, books, beauty, toys, and more are widely covered.
Entry points include Best Sellers, Today's Deals, and Amazon Basics. First-party retail and Marketplace sellers coexist, so before ordering, check the seller, ratings, and delivery speed.
2. Amazon Prime: delivery + digital benefits
Eligible items may qualify for Same-Day / One-Day / Two-Day fast delivery, depending on address and item.
Includes Prime Video, Prime-exclusive deals, and some fresh grocery / Whole Foods benefits.
3. Fulfillment and after-sales system
Common return and exchange options, order tracking, and customer service entry points are all available.
FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) allows third-party goods to enter Amazon warehouses and often carry the Prime badge.
4. Seller and content ecosystem
Individual and professional sellers can open stores and use advertising, global selling, and other tools.
Kindle, Audible, AWS, and other businesses in the same group often appear in the footer ecosystem.
For businesses, there is also Amazon Business.
Pricing Model
Buyers: browsing and shopping are free
| Plan | Price (US site) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular shopping | $0 platform subscription | Pay product price + shipping if applicable; non-Prime often has a free-shipping threshold and slower delivery |
| Prime annual | $139/year | Usually the more cost-effective option |
| Prime monthly | $14.99/month | Can be canceled anytime, subject to the policy on the account page |
| Young Adults / Student | About $7.49/month or $69/year | Trial available; see the eligibility page for details |
| Prime Access | About $6.99/month | For those who qualify through government assistance programs, etc. |
Sellers (Sell on Amazon):
- Individual: About $0.99 per item closing fee + category Referral fee
- Professional: About $39.99/month + Referral fee (about 8%–15% for most categories, with some higher or tiered)
- Using FBA incurs additional storage, fulfillment, and other fees, which can be estimated with the official Revenue Calculator.
Fees may change. Please refer to:
Buyers: https://www.amazon.com · https://www.amazon.com/prime
Sellers: https://sell.amazon.com/pricing
Comparison with Similar Platforms
Unique Advantages
- Strong product selection and logistics capability, with a relatively stable experience for Prime-labeled items.
- Rich reviews and sales data, useful for buying standardized products and accessories.
- FBA + Marketplace allows third-party sellers to provide an experience close to first-party delivery.
Practical Highlights
- One stop for shopping, video, some fresh groceries, and membership days such as Prime Day.
- Mature seller tools. For brands going global, Amazon US is often one of the main channels.
Objective Limitations
- The quality of third-party sellers varies. Counterfeit and refurbished product risks still exist, so for expensive items, check the seller and shipping party.
- For users in mainland China: cross-border tariffs, address, payment, and delivery speed need to be calculated separately; the experience is not the same as the domestic site.
- Prime bundles many benefits. If you do not fully use the video or delivery features, the value for money declines.
| Comparison Item | Amazon.com | Tmall / Taobao | Pinduoduo | eBay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Scenario | US comprehensive e-commerce + Prime | Domestic brands / marketplace | Domestic value | Auctions + fixed price, strong for used goods |
| Membership | Prime optional | 88VIP and others optional | Basically no subscription for shopping | No equivalent bundled membership |
| Logistics | Prime/FBA strong | Diverse domestic express | Domestic express | Mainly seller self-shipping |
| Suitable For | US daily life / import purchasing | Domestic daily brand shopping | Daily low-price needs | Rare or second-hand items |
FAQ
Q1: Can I buy without Prime?
A: Yes. Non-members can also place orders; shipping fees and speed are usually not as good as Prime. For some items, standard shipping may be free when the order meets a certain amount, subject to the checkout page.
Q2: Is Prime worth it?
A: It depends on how often you order each year and whether you use video, fresh groceries, and other benefits. It is more worthwhile for people who frequently use two-day delivery. If you only buy occasionally, monthly billing is a safer way to try it.
Q3: The page says Amazon, but there are also other sellers. Is that reliable?
A: Check “Sold by / Fulfilled by.” Amazon first-party or FBA items are generally more reliable. For third-party self-shipped items, pay more attention to ratings and return policies.
Q4: Can items be shipped directly to a Chinese address?
A: Some items support international shipping. Fees, tariffs, and delivery time vary by category. Many people use freight forwarders or local sites instead. Check delivery options before ordering.
Q5: How much does it cost to open a store and sell?
A: Individual accounts are charged per item; Professional accounts have a monthly fee plus category commission; FBA is billed separately. See sell.amazon.com/pricing for details.
Q6: Is Prime Video completely ad-free?
A: Standard benefits depend on what is currently shown in your account. Ad-free HD and similar may require an additional subscription. Do not rely solely on old guides.
Q7: Is it the same as the domestic Amazon.cn?
A: No, they are not the same site or operating experience. .com is the US main site. Inventory, Prime, and pricing systems all follow the corresponding site.
