I order directly from the companies or buy used off eBay, Craigslist, etc.

I cut out Amazon completely after ordering from them four to five times a week. Heres how I did it:

1. Make a list (I use Google Keep) and see if you can get it locally or from thrift stores

(Many people who do buy from Amazon immediately donate it after they're done.)

2. If you can't find it used or local, use eBay! They have free shipping, an ethical CEO that doesn't make their employees piss into jars, and they are MUCH cheaper than Amazon 9/10 (not taking into account the prime membership).

3. Buy directly from the vendor and look for promo codes if 1 or 2 don't fit your lifestyle.

I shop at the bin stores where they have a ton of Amazon and WalMart products. Some are returns but I always test them at the store and have found a ton of stuff for $4 or $10. I just bought a wet suit, 7 head electric shaver, fog machine, 4 smart bulbs, 3 USB plugs, hand warmers, queen sized inflatable mattress, ice bath tub (to wash my dog) and a Dirt Devil all for $72.

i look on amazon, and look on local chains, sometimes it cheaper in the stores, but sometimes it more expensive than on amazon.

I will use suck duck go shopping and Google shopping to see other retailers I might not know about.

Google shopping has a function where you can look for items in stock in retail stores near you. That's helpful.

Denmark has Pricerunner. When buying electronics I can find many different types of local dealers and suppliers.

Second hand can be gotten through Den Blå Avis (dba.dk. Essentially translates to "The Blue Pages").

Clothing has various online solutions as well, but it's also easy to just hop onto a bike and cycle to the nearest shopping centre. I live in Copenhagen, so there's also train and metro, but I prefer biking.

When it comes to food, I only ever order food online through Too Good To Go. Recently got a large breakfast cereal box through TGTG.

Even though mom and pop stores are mostly dead, Amazon's market share is thankfully still relatively contained where I live. So it's still simply a matter of just picking a different "big box store" to order your things from.

Electronics: We have a local (DACH region) to compare nost electronics both in specs and price

Anything else: Search on the web and decide from there.

For example: I bought tea from a local japanese tea farm I got introduced by a youtuber visiting said farm.
Example for other stuff: I will research it and then market research where it's available.
Is it a pain to get (example: No other payment then SEPA), then I'll choose a shop that is more expensive but less pain to deal with.

But everything is a trial and error. For drinks I am very cautious if I can't test it while shopping and thus refrain from shopping it online.

Benelux has Bol, so that's what I use.

Lately (no doubt due to getting back into prosumer photography stuff) I've been using B&H Photo and Video. I kinda-sorta forgot I bought my drone from them several years ago and at the time they were cheaper than Amazon and also offered next day shipping for free for an order of that magnitude. Since I'm not using Amazon anymore I've been getting my stuff from there again.

Everything I've been interested in has been the same price as on Amazon or cheaper. I think they're hamstrung by their name by this point since they seem to have a pretty wide swath of general electronics and not just camera gear.

Just don't try to order on the Shabbat (i.e. Saturday), because you can't. Their web site literally disables its checkout during that time.

If you specifically need yum-cha generic Chinese garbage (for instance, if you have a particular brand related to bizarre knockoff knives you need to maintain) I find going straight to the source and just getting that crap from Aliexpress is the best plan. It's the same bullshit that litters most of Amazon and sure, maybe you don't get it quite as fast. But at least they're broadly honest about the inherent crappiness of what you're getting, and the same stuff is significantly less expensive.

Search for real businesses that sell items near you or online. Also, eBay. It has a sort by distance option so you can see if there’s something near you for faster shipping. eBay is full of Amazon dropshippers so if there’s free expedited shipping and free returns and they have thousands of feedback, they may be a dropshipper.

Somewhat depending on your country, local shops may have opened online storefronts during COVID. Them having a physical presence means their products tend to be decent quality (as most customers look at them physically before buying).

Here in Canada I've started ordering from the Canadian Tire app instead.

I barely buy from Amazon nowadays, quit the subscription 3 years ago. Except for very specific items anywhere else is cheaper, better quality or both. Besides trying to search for something on Amazon has become a nightmare.