Have you been looking for a good battle? Are the UFC and WWE beginning to bore you? Are action movies so full of special effects and quick moving scenes that they lack the ability to hold your attention? Has entertainment become merely background noise to you? Then here is a battle that should keep your interest as it involves real people and genuine power. The Titans of retail will produce one of the greatest competitions known to man. While the Greeks had their gods and Olympics, Americans have their capitalism and industry. Large battles between companies are nothing new in the United States. Going all the way back to the Railroads and Lumber companies, North America has seen its fair share of the wars of competitive businesses. However, these days we see a whole new war emerging. This is a war that encompasses the entire population because it will influence and develop the very thing that we all rely on- groceries and everyday living wares.

Amazon.com started as an online bookstore and has grown into a marketplace for almost everything imaginable. As most know they also sell groceries that can be delivered to your door. (Interesting to note that many groceries stores in the UK have an affordable delivery system already in place that delivers groceries to the homes of its subscribers) As Amazon has taken up the market, Walmart the previous behemoth of retail has seen its sales decline and realized the need to compete directly with Amazon. While both have their pro’s and con’s, it will be interesting to see who emerges as the victor and who becomes the Woolworth’s of the new millennium. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to Amazon and Walmart:

Amazon Cons-

  • Amazon Prime cost ninety-nine dollars a year- As a student, I had the discounted rate, but I am not sure that I see the value in paying this much per year for their prime service.
  • Higher prices- Amazon works with many different vendors so to get a good price on certain items you have to search or wait until the price drops.
  • No touch- Obviously the disadvantage to the purely online store is that you cannot really see your goods before you purchase them.

Amazon Pros-

  • Excellent website- They have one of the best and most user friendly websites for an online store that exists in the market.
  • Two day free delivery- If you belong to prime you will get your items usually within two days for no extra cost. (There are times when you do not, and there is not guarantee)
  • Books- Where Amazon sticks to its roots and outshines Walmart is in its selection of books. As an academic, this certainly is a pro for me in working with Amazon.
  • Excellent customer service- Having the ability to return items or get a refund has always been simple for me.
  • Kiosks- Amazon has begun to establish grocery pick-up kiosks for its customers who want something right away.[embed]https://youtu.be/NrmMk1Myrxc\[/embed\]
  • Prime video service- It’s nothing compared to Netflix, but it isn’t horrible if you already plan on joining Amazon Prime.
  • Amazon’s Fire and Echo- Amazon may be the company that helps take us into the era of the Jetsons.

Walmart Cons-

  • Average Website- One of the things that I don’t like about Walmart is their website. It is not as user friendly as Amazon’s, and it brings that “I’m still shopping at a Walmart” undesirable experience to the computer. It is almost as if you feel those creepy people that you see Youtube videos about shopping at Walmart are right there with you online.[embed]https://youtu.be/N2nqXbKJ508\[/embed\]
  • Lack of selection- Amazon has a better selection of most items and right when you think that you have found something on Walmart, it turns out that it is a vendor that your not sure if you can trust the quality of their item or shipping.

Walmart Pros-

  • Lower prices- You can usually find lower prices on Walmart’s website for most items.
  • Brick and Mortar Stores- If you find something but you want to check it out first, or you must have it immediately then you can just head out and pick it up. They also have a pharmacy which one can take advantage.
  • Free Shipping- Most Walmart items have free two day shipping without having to sign up for an annual membership.
  • Specific Items- Although in comparison they have less selection than Amazon, there are certain categories where they do excel in their products availability and quality.