13 Worst Things to Buy on Amazon

It's become second nature for many online shoppers to go straight to Amazon.com to make a purchase -- especially Amazon Prime members who shop using their voice-activated Alexa devices.

West Palm Beach, USA - June 30, 2016: Amazon packing tape on Amazon.com shipping packages. One box is sealed with Amazon Prime packing tape.Amazon Prime is the premium subscription service th
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's become second nature for many online shoppers to go straight to Amazon.com to make a purchase -- especially Amazon Prime members who shop using their voice-activated Alexa devices. And why not? Amazon's selection is vast, its prices tend to be low and the free two-day shipping that comes with a Prime membership is reliable and convenient.

But while Amazon does, indeed, offer many great deals on many items, it doesn't always offer the best deal on every item it sells. We asked several shopping experts to weigh in on which products online shoppers should avoid on Amazon. While cost is critical, it's not always the deciding factor. Take a look at some of the worst things to buy on Amazon.

Andrea Browne Taylor
Contributing Editor

Browne Taylor joined Kiplinger in 2011 and was a channel editor for Kiplinger.com covering living and family finance topics. She previously worked at the Washington Post as a Web producer in the Style section and prior to that covered the Jobs, Cars and Real Estate sections. She earned a BA in journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is Director of Member Services, at the National Association of Home Builders.