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(If this review looks a bit familiar, that’s because it is an expanded version of a brief review I posted yesterday. I have since deleted that brief review and this expanded version is taking its place.)

Amazon is one of the best-known and most successful Internet retailers. With a huge Web site (www.amazon.com) selling everything except groceries and prescription drugs, Amazon is one of the first resources that I turn to for books, music CDs, kitchen items and electronics.

As far as books and records are concerned, Amazon has stuff that’s hard (or impossible) to find, even at the big chain bookstores such as Borders and Barnes & Noble. Don’t get me wrong… I love to browse those places and that is the part of the retail experience that is lacking at Amazon. Sometimes I just want to smell the books and read the information on the CD. Amazon’s selection of lesser-known stuff is one reason why I keep coming back, despite my love for a tactile experience.

For example, I recently ordered several books on Hungary, including travel guides and learning resources on the Hungarian language. (I will be taking a trip to Hungary in late May 2003.) Amazon had several such books – the local Borders had two.

Further, Amazon often has brief reviews of its products that help me decide if a particular product is the one I’m looking for. Although these reviews are much shorter than a good Epinions review, I found them particularly helpful for the books on Hungary. I really did not know where to start and these reviews provided some guidance.

Amazon is more than just books and CDs, although that is how it first became known. Today, Amazon sells clothing, shoes, electronics, baby stuff, computer stuff, software, toys, housewares and is even trying its hand at car parts. You can buy everything from digital cameras to magazine subscriptions through Amazon.

In my experience (perhaps a total of six purchases over four years) Amazon is not always the lowest-cost retailer. However, since the lowest-cost retailer is often something like “Joe’s Garage and Dry Goods Emporium,” I have a lot more confidence dealing with the established, well-known Amazon. And Amazon’s prices are almost always competitive, if not actually the cheapest… at least in my experience with books, CDs and electronics.

To sweeten the deal, Amazon has been offering free shipping on orders of at least $50. Although the free shipping is the UPS ground service, this still can be a very satisfying experience – keep reading for one example.

In my several orders with Amazon, I have never had any trouble with either ordering or delivery. I always received the merchandise either before or on the stated delivery date, or Amazon told me that the product was no longer available and there was no charge to my credit card.

Which brings up payment… I always pay by credit card and this has not been a problem on any of my Amazon purchases. The company does not charge my credit card until the products have shipped.

With the above background, here is the story about my latest purchase from Amazon:

I had a $75 gift certificate at Amazon, which I used to order a portable Pacific Digital CD-RW drive for my laptop. Including rebates, my gift certificate and the free shipping that Amazon offers on larger orders, the net cost of the CD-RW drive will be about $4.

Amazon's Web site seemed to be working oddly when I tried to place the order. I got various screens indicating that the product first was, and then was not, eligible for free shipping. After a couple days of poking around and looking at my options, I once again got a page indicating that the Pacific Digital CD-RW qualified for free shipping and I ordered it before the Web gods changed their minds.

Although the free shipping is the slowest delivery option that Amazon offers, I received the product the next day, approximately 26 hours after placing the order. The product arrived well packed, brand new and in perfect working condition. I consider this delivery to be nothing short of astonishing, particularly considering it was Amazon's free service.

My $75 gift certificate (which I earned for taking a test drive in a Mercedes) was accepted with no complaint and it was as good as cash.

As I said, I have purchased several items from Amazon over the past four years and the company has always delivered the goods... in every sense of the word. But this last order put me over the top; when the "slow" service gets me next-day delivery, I'm a believer.

I heartily recommend Amazon as an on-line retailer of the highest quality and with the best service.