There are quite a few competitors out there looking to muscle in on the market for e-commerce benefits like those provided by Amazon Prime. Some are extensions of other online marketplaces (like Amazon Prime is itself), while others are stand-alone services. Here are 5 of the most popular ones.
Google Express
(www.google.com/express/membership)
Yes, even Internet giant Google is in on the online marketplace scene. Google Express allows you to get same-day delivery on groceries and other products from local big-brand stores in your neighbourhood. If you sign up for their $95 annual membership ($4 cheaper than Amazon Prime), shipping is free on orders over $15 (which would normally be about $5 per order). And you get a free 3-month trial, too.
ShopRunner
ShopRunner is one of the most famous Amazon Prime competitors. It is similar to Google Express, in that it offers free 2-day shipping on products that you order on websites for many popular stores. Members also receive free return shipping if they need to send something back, plus faster checkout times and exclusive deals at certain stores. Membership is $79 per year (which was Amazon Prime’s original price point), paid either annually or in monthly installments. A 30-day free trial is also available.
NewEgg Premier
(www.newegg.com/neweggpremier)
NewEgg is an online marketplace that specializes in electronics, including computers and computer software (but it has other, less high-tech goods, too). Its paid subscription club, NewEgg Premier, costs $50 per year, and has many similar features to Amazon Prime and ShopRunner. These include free 3-day shipping on qualifying items, free return shipping, exclusive deals, and the ability to share benefits with other NewEgg members. Like some other Amazon Prime alternatives, it comes with a 30-day free trial when you sign up for an annual membership.
FreeShipping.org
While not really much of an online marketplace or shipping savings club, FreeShipping.org is one of the Internet’s largest collection of promotional codes for free shipping. It contains free shipping codes for all sorts of products ordered on many websites for big-box stores that you likely shop at all the time anyway.
Jet
Jet is an alternative to Amazon Prime that was actually founded by a former Amazon employee. Similar to Google Express, Jet allows you to order products from big-box stores, with free 2-day shipping on orders of $35 or more. Plus, you get products at a lower cost, and free return shipping if you send something back you don’t like within 30 days of ordering it. Like ShopRunner, you have to register in order to use the service, and it costs $50 per year. However, you get a 3-month free trial after you make your first purchase.
UPDATE: As of June 4, 2020, Jet.com is no longer operational.
If you’ve used one of these Amazon Prime alternatives before, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. Also, feel free to suggest any other potential alternatives that we’ve missed. And if you want to drop Amazon Prime completely and use one of these services, head over to our last tutorial on how to cancel Amazon Prime.
