Shoes, Sneakers, Boots, & Clothing + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com vs Amazon

Shoes, Sneakers, Boots, & Clothing + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com lands on Worth it, and Amazon lands on Depends.

Shoes, Sneakers, Boots, & Clothing + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com

Worth it

Confidence: Medium

Buy for everyday shoe and apparel shopping . free two-way shipping and 365-day returns are hard to beat.

Depends

Confidence: Medium

Use Amazon for cheap commodity goods and fast delivery.

Shoes, Sneakers, Boots, & Clothing + FREE SHIPPING | Zappos.com versus Amazon
Compare	Shoes, Sneakers, Boots, & Clothing + FREE SHIPPING \| Zappos.com	Amazon
Verdict	Worth it	Depends
Best for	Everyday shoe and apparel shoppers	Bulk commodity purchases
Who it's not for	Buyers needing guaranteed delivery dates	Buyers needing trustworthy reviews for big purchases
Privacy	No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; historic 2012 breach affected 24 million accounts.^⁹	No confirmed breach in sources, but active account-attack warnings and credential-abuse campaigns are reported.
Support quality	24/7 promised, but complaints of unreachable reps	Multiple support channels exist; ConsumerAffairs lists service complaints
Public sentiment	Long-time buyers overwhelmingly praise free two-way shipping and easy returns, while a vocal minority reports late deliveries and poor support.^⁵	Opinions are polarized: many love the convenience, while a growing share complain about declining quality, review distrust, and pricing practices.¹³
Biggest gotcha	Shipping delays reported; don't rely on it for date-specific purchases^⁵	FTC lawsuit alleges hidden ad surcharges that can inflate what you pay