It’s tempting to turn straight to Amazon whenever I need something. A book, a Blu-ray, a game. I’ve got Prime, so they’ll be at my door in no time. However, there are some things I won’t get from Amazon, and almost all of them are tech products.
1 Phone Chargers
It’d be really convenient to buy replacement phone chargers and cables from Amazon, but I always resist this temptation. I’ve seen far too many news items about fake ones malfunctioning and blowing up. Sometimes, that can be extremely dangerous and cause burns, fires, and electric shocks.
If a product is faulty, the best-case scenario is that it damages my phone. The worst-case scenario doesn’t bear thinking about.
Even the ones that purport to be official likely aren’t. You’re taking a gamble when you buy a phone charger from Amazon—and that gamble could be your life. In 2023, The Mirror reported how a fake charger set alight and burned a house down within minutes. I’d rather not risk that to save a bit of cash.
2 Keyboards
As a writer, I use keyboards every single day. You likely use them all the time, too. And no, I don’t mean your smartphone keyboard; I’m talking about the one you use for your PC. You can obviously attach them to tablets and laptops, but I won’t buy one from Amazon. Or, indeed, anywhere online.
How a keyboard feels is vital. It’ll put me off writing completely if it doesn’t feel right. I want hands-on experience before buying, and that means going to a physical store to try one out.
The same can be said of a mouse for my PC. I’ve lost track of the number of mice and keyboards I’ve bought online, only to send them back because they feel strange in my hand. Ergonomics are important, so I won’t make the same mistake again.
3 Apple Products
Apple products can be costly. However, I admit to favoring them over anything running Android, so I recognize that I’m stuck with iOS. I could save some money by purchasing iPhones and iPads online but I never do.
Why? I don’t like risking refurbished tech from unofficial sources. I simply can’t guarantee that the item I receive will be of good quality. Tablets and smartphones cost a lot, so I might as well spend a little extra to make sure I get a decent product. Unfortunately, there are more than enough stories about high-end tech products being swapped in the Amazon warehouse before arriving at your home, and it’s a hassle I don’t want to deal with.
You can buy refurbished items from Apple and other official sources, such as phone carriers.
4 Solar Panels
For many, the jury’s still out on solar panels. Nonetheless, I want to protect the environment as best I can, so I have discussed the possibility of using this renewable energy source. But I won’t buy them from Amazon.
Notably, there are potential safety issues again. In 2022, CNBC reported that Amazon took all its stock of solar panels offline after a series of fires that had affected facilities across North America. An audit revealed problems with mismatched connectors and water damage, which Amazon blamed on third parties. However, most solar panels made available after these incidents still come from other vendors.
Moreover, buying through Amazon might not include important warranties official parties offer. If I want to really invest in renewable energy, I want expert advice and reassurances first.
5 Televisions and Monitors
There’s a reason shops selling TV screens and PC monitors have them all on display, playing a TV channel or showing off a game. It’s so you can see graphics and resolution in person.
TV fads come in peaks and troughs. Plasma TVs were huge for a while; now, people prefer LCDs and OLEDs. I know I do, simply because they look better! You can’t get a proper impression of what a screen looks like from Amazon, no matter how many photos the listing includes or how many reviews a product has that say it looks fine.
Of course, aside from aesthetic reasons, I worry about postage and packaging. If a TV screen arrives badly damaged, it’s not only a hassle to send it back, but the shipping company might not take responsibility.
6 PCs
I look for new PCs quite regularly, at least to keep up with the latest technologies. Sadly, I’m not talented enough to make one myself, and buying a PC is ultimately cheaper. I won’t get one from Amazon, though.
First, I need answers to lots of questions. On a superficial level, I want to get a good look at a PC, as photos can be deceiving. Seeing one in-store means I can actually visualize it in situ. I also want to know how loud it is under normal working conditions and feel how much heat it gives off. From personal experience of PCs failing after getting too hot, I don’t want it to happen again.
Then of course, there are specifications—admittedly, I can find those online, but I prefer going to my local computer store and chatting to their experts to narrow down what’s best for me. I also like doing this because supporting independent stores means more to me than shelling out money to a massive, faceless corporation.
As with Apple products, I feel that if I’m really splashing out and buying something expensive, it’s better to spend a little more to guarantee I get what I really want.
7 SD Cards
SD cards are expensive. It’s only natural to look for cheaper ones online; Amazon always has many of them. But you have to be very careful when buying them.
Amazon is more reliable than sites like Temu or AliExpress, at least when it comes to SD cards. Nonetheless, you can still come across fake SD cards that risk your data and can also, like so many other fraudulent items, cause electrical damage.
Stick with reputable brands like Samsung and SanDisk, which ship cards directly from Amazon, not third parties. However, fake products can still get mixed up with legitimate SD cards. Fraudulent and scam SD cards are a pandemic, so be extra vigilant. And remember that if a price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
