Smile.amazon.com Review

Based on looking at the website smile.amazon.com, it appears to be a legitimate e-commerce platform, essentially a mirror of the main Amazon.com site.

However, it’s crucial to understand its primary function: it was designed to support charitable organizations by donating a small percentage of eligible purchases.

While this sounds noble, it introduces a layer of complexity regarding the core purpose of a transactional website and how it aligns with ethical consumerism, especially from an Islamic perspective.

The platform itself facilitates standard e-commerce activities, but its charitable aspect is tied to the inherent structure of Amazon’s business model, which can include practices that raise concerns.

Here’s an overall review summary:

• Overall Legitimacy: Highly Legitimate as it’s a direct Amazon subsidiary.
• Ethical Consideration Islamic Perspective: Mixed. While the charitable aspect is positive, the underlying business practices of the parent company Amazon may involve areas of concern e.g., interest-based financial services, promotion of certain entertainment or non-halal items.
• User Interface & Experience: Excellent, mirrors Amazon.com.
• Product Variety: Extremely broad.
• Pricing: Competitive, often with deals.
• Customer Support: Robust, typical of Amazon’s extensive support system.
• Security: Strong, industry-standard encryption.
• Purpose: Facilitates charitable giving through purchases, which ceased in February 2023.

The smile.amazon.com initiative, which allowed customers to support their favorite charitable organizations, officially concluded on February 20, 2023. This means its unique selling proposition—the direct link between shopping and charity—is no longer active.

Shoppers visiting smile.amazon.com are now redirected to amazon.com.

This shift impacts the site’s ethical standing, as the direct charitable benefit has been removed.

Therefore, while it was once a platform with a clear, positive charitable angle, its current iteration is simply Amazon.com, which, while legitimate and functional, still presents various considerations for the ethically conscious consumer, particularly regarding products or services that may not align with Islamic principles.

It’s essential to scrutinize the full spectrum of offerings on the broader Amazon platform.

Here are some best alternatives for ethical online shopping, focusing on non-edible products that align with Islamic principles and are widely available:

• Thrive Market
  • Key Features: Membership-based online retailer offering organic, non-GMO, and sustainable products. Focuses on healthy and ethical options.
  • Average Price: Varies by product, annual membership fee of around $60.
  • Pros: Strong emphasis on ethical sourcing, healthy non-edible goods, often offers discounts compared to traditional retail.
  • Cons: Requires a membership fee, primarily focused on groceries and household items, might not have the full breadth of a general marketplace.
• Etsy
  • Key Features: Global marketplace for unique and creative goods, often handmade or vintage items. Supports small businesses and artisans.
  • Average Price: Varies widely based on product and artisan.
  • Pros: Supports independent creators, offers unique and often custom items, strong community focus.
  • Cons: Prices can be higher due to handmade nature, shipping times vary, quality control depends on individual sellers.
• Patagonia
  • Key Features: Known for high-quality outdoor clothing and gear, strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
  • Average Price: Higher-end pricing due to quality and ethical production.
  • Pros: Excellent durability, strong ethical and environmental policies, good repair program.
  • Cons: Premium price point, limited to outdoor and casual wear.
• TOMS
  • Key Features: Originally known for its “One for One” model though now evolved, offers shoes, eyewear, and coffee with a strong social mission.
  • Average Price: Mid-range for shoes and accessories.
  • Pros: Socially conscious business model, comfortable and stylish products, transparent impact reporting.
  • Cons: Product range is somewhat limited, direct charitable impact model has changed.
• Grove Collaborative
  • Key Features: Subscription service for eco-friendly home, beauty, and personal care products. Focuses on natural and sustainable ingredients.
  • Average Price: Varies by product, offers flexible delivery.
  • Pros: Convenient, emphasizes plastic-free and sustainable products, strong commitment to environmental impact.
  • Cons: Subscription model might not suit all, some products might be more expensive than conventional alternatives.
• Allbirds
  • Key Features: Offers comfortable and stylish shoes made from sustainable materials like merino wool, eucalyptus tree fiber, and sugarcane.
  • Average Price: Mid-to-high range for footwear.
  • Pros: Environmentally friendly materials, highly comfortable, minimalist design.
  • Cons: Limited product range primarily shoes, premium price.
• Who Gives A Crap
  • Key Features: Sells recycled and bamboo toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. Donates 50% of its profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in developing countries.
  • Average Price: Competitive for eco-friendly paper products, often sold in bulk.
  • Pros: Strong social mission, sustainable products, convenient bulk delivery.
  • Cons: Limited to paper products, subscription-based model might not be for everyone.

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Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.

IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Smile.amazon.com Review: A Deeper Dive into the Platform’s Evolution

When we talk about smile.amazon.com, it’s important to acknowledge its origin and its eventual evolution. This platform wasn’t just another e-commerce site.

It was a charitable initiative by Amazon that offered customers a unique way to give back.

For years, a significant portion of the Amazon.com Prime login experience and general shopping habits revolved around the idea of supporting a cause.

The site, once a distinct charitable arm, now simply redirects to the main Amazon.com, impacting what potential users might expect from “smile.amazon.commil” or similar searches.

The Original Vision of Smile.Amazon.com

The premise behind smile.amazon.com was quite compelling: shop as usual on Amazon, and a small percentage of your eligible purchases would automatically be donated to a charity of your choice, at no extra cost to you.

This was a direct, frictionless way for consumers to contribute to their communities.

• Direct Charitable Impact: Users could select from over a million registered charities, ranging from local community groups to large national organizations.
• Seamless Integration: The shopping experience was identical to amazon.com, ensuring familiarity and ease of use. This meant a smooth transition for existing Amazon.com Prime login users.
• Transparency within limits: Amazon provided quarterly reports on the total amount donated to charities through the program. In 2022, Amazon Smile reportedly donated over $500 million globally since its inception in 2013, supporting a vast network of charities Source: About Amazon.

The Decision to Conclude Smile.Amazon.com

Amazon’s decision to wind down the Amazon Smile program on February 20, 2023, stemmed from a desire to focus its philanthropic efforts on programs that can have a more direct and significant impact.

This was a strategic shift, not a reflection of the program’s lack of popularity.

• Focus on Direct Impact: Amazon stated that its direct charitable initiatives, such as Amazon Future Engineer, which supports computer science education, and its disaster relief efforts, allow for more focused and impactful giving.
• Efficiency of Giving: The company determined that the fragmented nature of the Smile program, while broad, might not have been the most efficient way to maximize its charitable contributions.
• Impact on Charities: While many smaller charities benefited, some larger organizations found the donations to be a smaller portion of their overall funding compared to direct grants.

The Current State: smile.amazon.com Redirect

So, what does a smile.amazon.com review mean today? Essentially, if you navigate to smile.amazon.com, you are automatically redirected to the main amazon.com site.

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This means the unique charitable mechanism is no longer active.

What Happens When You Visit Now?

When you type “smile.amazon.com” into your browser, the site performs a 301 redirect to amazon.com. This is a permanent redirect, signaling that the content has moved.

• No Charitable Contribution: Purchases made on amazon.com after this redirect do not contribute to any charity through the former Amazon Smile program.
• Full Amazon.com Experience: You get the standard Amazon interface, including access to all product categories, your Amazon.com Prime login, and other services.
• Historical Context: The redirection is a clear indication that the specific functionality associated with “smile” is defunct, rendering much of the previous discussion around smile.amazon.com features obsolete.

Implications for Shoppers

For shoppers who specifically used smile.amazon.com for its charitable component, this change means a shift in how they might approach their online purchases.

• Direct Giving Encouraged: Consumers interested in supporting charities are now encouraged to donate directly to their chosen organizations or seek out other platforms that integrate charitable giving.
• No Impact on Shopping: The overall shopping experience, product availability, pricing, and shipping remain unchanged from the standard Amazon.com.
• Search Engine Behavior: Searches for “smile.amazon.com prime” or “smile.amazon.commil” will lead users to the general Amazon Prime login page or the main site, without any specific charitable overlay.

Smile.amazon.com Pros & Cons Historical & Current Perspective

While the charitable aspect of smile.amazon.com is no longer active, it’s worth reviewing its historical pros and cons, and then considering the current implications of its absence.

This helps paint a complete picture for those searching for a smile.amazon.com review.

Historical Pros of Smile.Amazon.com

• Effortless Charitable Giving: This was arguably its biggest advantage. Users didn’t have to do anything extra beyond their usual shopping to contribute. A reported 1% to 0.5% of eligible purchases went to charity, often accumulating to significant sums over time for many organizations.
• Wide Range of Charities: With over a million charities listed, almost any legitimate organization could benefit, from local PTAs to global relief agencies. This broad reach was a major draw.
• No Additional Cost: The donation came from Amazon’s side, not an added cost to the consumer, making it an attractive proposition for value-conscious shoppers.
• Increased Awareness for Charities: It brought charities into the daily consumer experience, potentially raising awareness for various causes that shoppers might not have encountered otherwise.
• Leveraging Existing Habits: For millions of existing Amazon users, especially those with an Amazon.com Prime login, it was a seamless way to incorporate philanthropy into their established online shopping routine.

Current Cons Post-February 2023

With the program discontinued, the “cons” are primarily about what is missing from the Amazon experience that was once available through Smile.

• Loss of Passive Charitable Giving: The most significant drawback is the complete removal of the direct, automatic charitable contribution from purchases. Shoppers must now actively seek out other ways to donate.
• No Unique Value Proposition: Without the charitable component, smile.amazon.com offers no distinct advantage over regular amazon.com. It simply serves as a redirect.
• Potential Confusion for Users: Users searching for “smile.amazon.com prime login” might still expect a charitable element and could be disappointed or confused by its absence.
• Impact on Smaller Charities: While Amazon stated the program was inefficient for their overall giving strategy, many smaller, local charities relied on Smile donations as a consistent, albeit small, revenue stream. Its discontinuation means these organizations need to find alternative funding.
• Reduced Incentive for Ethical Shoppers: For consumers who appreciated the charitable angle as a way to align their purchases with their values, this feature is no longer available. This shifts the burden back to individual consumers to find other ethical shopping avenues.

Smile.amazon.com Alternatives

Given that smile.amazon.com no longer functions as a charitable shopping portal, it’s essential to explore alternatives for consumers who wish to integrate ethical considerations into their purchases.

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This section focuses on platforms and practices that promote positive impact, ethical sourcing, or direct support for causes, while aligning with permissible conduct.

Platforms Focused on Ethical Sourcing & Sustainability

Many platforms have emerged that prioritize environmental sustainability and ethical labor practices, ensuring products are made without exploitation and with minimal ecological footprint.

These are excellent choices for the conscious consumer.

• EarthHero
  • Focus: Curated marketplace for sustainable and ethical products across various categories, including home goods, apparel, and personal care. They vet brands based on strict criteria.
  • Key Features: Offers detailed product filters for certifications e.g., Fair Trade, Organic, Recycled, transparent sourcing information.
  • Benefit: Provides a streamlined way to find products that meet specific ethical and environmental standards.
• Ten Thousand Villages
  • Focus: A pioneer in the Fair Trade movement, offering handmade artisan crafts, home decor, and gifts from around the world.
  • Key Features: Ensures fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental stewardship for artisans in developing countries.
  • Benefit: Directly supports marginalized artisans and promotes sustainable livelihoods through ethical trade.
• Made Trade
  • Focus: Online shop dedicated to ethically sourced and sustainably made products. They ensure all products meet at least one of their core values: Fair Trade, sustainable, vegan, made in USA, or heritage.
  • Key Features: Wide range of categories, including home, clothing, and accessories, with clear labeling of ethical attributes.
  • Benefit: A comprehensive platform for consumers prioritizing multiple ethical values in their purchases.

Direct Giving & Charity-Linked Programs

While a direct shopping portal like smile.amazon.com is gone, many organizations offer their own charity-linked programs or provide direct donation methods.

• Direct Donations to Charities: The most straightforward alternative is to directly donate to your chosen charity. Many reputable organizations have secure online donation portals. This ensures 100% of your intended donation goes to the cause minus processing fees, which are often minimal.
• Employer Matching Programs: Many companies offer programs where they match employee donations to eligible charities. This can double the impact of your giving.
• PayPal Giving Fund
  • Focus: Facilitates donations to millions of charities, often covering transaction fees.
  • Key Features: Users can donate directly through PayPal, and receive a tax receipt.
  • Benefit: A secure and widely used platform for direct charitable contributions.
• Giving Assistant
  • Focus: A cashback portal where you can earn cashback on purchases and then choose to donate a percentage or all of your cashback to a charity of your choice.
  • Key Features: Works with thousands of online retailers. allows shoppers to decide how much of their earnings to donate.
  • Benefit: Provides a similar “shop and give” mechanism, but with more direct control over the donation amount.

Local & Community-Based Shopping

Supporting local businesses and community initiatives is another powerful way to make an ethical impact.

• Farmers’ Markets & Local Artisans: Buying directly from local producers ensures your money supports the local economy and often more sustainable practices.
• Community Supported Agriculture CSA: Subscribing to a CSA box supports local farms and provides fresh, seasonal produce.
• Local Businesses with Charitable Initiatives: Many small businesses have their own local charitable programs or regularly donate to community causes. Seek these out in your area.
• Thrift Stores and Second-Hand Shops: Purchasing pre-owned items reduces waste and supports circular economy principles. Many thrift stores are run by charities, so your purchase directly supports their work. For example, Goodwill or Salvation Army.

How to Navigate the Absence of Smile.Amazon.com

With smile.amazon.com no longer active in its original form, understanding how to proceed with your online shopping and charitable efforts is crucial.

It’s about shifting from passive giving through a platform to more active, intentional choices.

Understanding the Redirect to Amazon.com

The first step is to recognize that when you access smile.amazon.com, you are simply landing on amazon.com.

There is no hidden charitable contribution happening in the background anymore. Onlinenotarycenter.com Review

• Full Amazon Catalog: You still have access to the same vast inventory, from books to home essentials.
• Standard Amazon Services: Your Amazon.com Prime login, order history, wishlists, and all other Amazon services function as normal.
• No Opt-In Required: Since the program is discontinued, there’s no option to select a charity or opt into a giving program on the Amazon site itself.

Strategies for Ethical Consumption Post-Smile

The discontinuation of Amazon Smile encourages consumers to be more proactive in their ethical choices.

• Prioritize Ethical Retailers: Seek out companies that explicitly state their ethical sourcing, fair labor practices, and environmental commitments. Look for certifications like Fair Trade, B Corp, or Leaping Bunny for cruelty-free products.
• Support Companies with Direct Philanthropic Models: Many brands have integrated social responsibility into their core business. Examples include companies that donate a portion of their profits to specific causes e.g., Bombas socks donates an item for every item purchased.
• Use Cashback for Charity: As mentioned in alternatives, platforms like Giving Assistant allow you to direct your earned cashback to charities. This reintroduces a similar “shop and give” dynamic.
• Research Product Supply Chains: For significant purchases, take the time to research the product’s origin and the company’s manufacturing practices. Transparency is a good indicator of ethical conduct.

Maximizing Your Charitable Impact Independently

Since the passive giving mechanism is gone, consider a more direct approach to charity.

• Set Aside a Monthly Donation Budget: Instead of relying on a percentage of purchases, allocate a fixed amount each month to donate directly to causes you care about. This provides a more consistent and often larger impact for charities.
• Volunteer Your Time: Financial contributions are valuable, but giving your time to a charitable organization can be equally, if not more, impactful, especially for local community efforts.
• Engage in Advocacy: Support causes by spreading awareness, signing petitions, or participating in campaigns that align with your values. Public engagement can drive significant change.
• Verify Charity Legitimacy: Before donating directly, always verify the charity’s legitimacy through sites like Charity Navigator or GuideStar, which provide financial transparency and accountability ratings.

Smile.amazon.com Pricing Reflected in Amazon.com

Since smile.amazon.com redirects directly to amazon.com, the “pricing” discussion for smile.amazon.com is effectively the same as for the main Amazon platform.

There was never a price difference for items purchased via Smile.

The charitable donation was a separate allocation from Amazon’s profits, not an added cost to the consumer.

This makes understanding Amazon’s pricing model key.

Amazon’s Dynamic Pricing Model

Amazon employs a highly sophisticated, dynamic pricing strategy that constantly adjusts based on a multitude of factors.

This means prices can change frequently, sometimes within hours or even minutes.

• Algorithms and Data: Amazon’s pricing algorithms consider factors like competitor pricing, demand, inventory levels, sales velocity, customer browsing behavior, and even time of day.
• Competitor Matching: Amazon actively monitors competitor prices, often adjusting its own prices to match or beat them, ensuring it remains highly competitive in the market.
• Seller Competition: For products with multiple sellers including Amazon itself and third-party sellers, there’s often intense competition, driving prices down.
• Prime Membership Benefits: While not a direct price reduction, Amazon Prime members get benefits like free two-day shipping, which can significantly reduce the effective cost of a purchase compared to non-Prime members who might pay shipping fees.

Deals, Discounts, and Sales Events

Amazon is well-known for its frequent deals and major sales events, which play a significant role in its pricing strategy. Primealgo.tech Review

• Today’s Deals: The “Today’s Deals” section accessible directly from the homepage features daily discounts across various categories.
• Lightning Deals: Time-sensitive, limited-quantity deals that appear for a short period.
• Prime Day: An annual shopping event exclusively for Prime members, featuring millions of deals worldwide. In 2023, Prime Day generated an estimated $12.9 billion in sales globally Source: Insider Intelligence.
• Black Friday/Cyber Monday: Major holiday shopping events where Amazon offers substantial discounts, often competing aggressively with other major retailers.
• Coupons: Digital coupons are often available on product pages, offering instant savings at checkout.

Pricing Concerns from an Ethical Perspective

While Amazon’s competitive pricing benefits consumers, certain aspects raise ethical questions, particularly concerning Riba interest-based transactions and potentially predatory business practices.

• Interest-Based Financial Products: Amazon promotes and facilitates the use of credit cards e.g., Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card and other deferred payment options that often involve Riba. From an Islamic perspective, engaging in interest-based transactions is forbidden.
  • Recommendation: Avoid using credit cards or installment plans that charge interest. Opt for direct payment methods like debit cards or prepaid cards.
• Aggressive Market Dominance: Amazon’s aggressive pricing and market strategies, while beneficial for consumers in the short term, have been criticized for potentially stifling competition and putting smaller businesses at a disadvantage. This raises questions about fair competition and the broader economic impact.
• Data Usage and Personalized Pricing: While not explicitly Riba, Amazon’s use of extensive customer data for personalized recommendations and potentially personalized pricing could be seen as a form of informational asymmetry, where the company holds a significant advantage.

To avoid interest Riba when shopping on Amazon or any online platform:

1. Pay in Full with Debit Card or Bank Transfer: Always opt for direct payment methods that debit funds immediately from your account.
2. Avoid Credit Card Balances: If using a credit card for convenience, ensure you pay off the entire balance before the due date to avoid any interest charges.
3. Decline Installment Plans: Many platforms offer “Buy Now, Pay Later” BNPL options or installment plans. While some may claim 0% interest, always scrutinize the terms carefully for hidden fees or deferred interest, which can still fall under Riba.
4. Budgeting: Plan your purchases to ensure you have the funds available, eliminating the need for debt.

Smile.amazon.com vs. Main Amazon.com

The distinction between smile.amazon.com and the main amazon.com is now purely historical.

Prior to February 20, 2023, there was a functional difference that underpinned the “smile.amazon.com prime login” experience. Today, that difference has been eliminated.

Historical Comparison Pre-Feb 2023

Before the wind-down, smile.amazon.com offered a unique charitable component, while maintaining all the core functionalities of amazon.com.

• Purpose:
  • Smile.amazon.com: Designed to facilitate charitable donations from eligible purchases at no extra cost to the buyer. Its primary differentiator was its philanthropic arm.
  • Amazon.com: The general e-commerce marketplace for buying and selling a vast array of products and services.
• User Interface: Identical. Both sites shared the same layout, product listings, search functionality, and checkout process. If you used an Amazon.com Prime login, it worked seamlessly on both.
• Product Availability: Identical. All products available on amazon.com were also available on smile.amazon.com, provided they were “eligible” for the charitable contribution most were.
• Pricing: Identical. Prices were the same whether you shopped on smile.amazon.com or amazon.com. The donation came from Amazon’s profits, not from an increase in product price.
• Prime Benefits: Fully applicable to both. Amazon.com Prime login users received all their shipping, streaming, and other benefits regardless of which URL they used.
• Charitable Impact:
  • Smile.amazon.com: Enabled customers to choose a charity and generate automatic donations.
  • Amazon.com: Did not have a direct, built-in charitable donation mechanism linked to individual purchases.

Current Comparison Post-Feb 2023

As of February 20, 2023, the comparison is moot.

• Functionality:
  • Smile.amazon.com: No longer functions independently. It now automatically redirects to amazon.com.
  • Amazon.com: Continues to function as the primary e-commerce platform.
• Charitable Component: Neither site in its current functional state offers a direct, automatic charitable donation from purchases.
• User Experience: Completely identical, as they are now the same website. Any search for “smile.amazon.com prime” or “smile.amazon.commil” will lead you to the main Amazon.com site.

Implications for the Consumer

The discontinuation of smile.amazon.com means that consumers who prioritized its charitable aspect need to seek out other ways to support causes they care about.

The broad Amazon platform remains a powerful shopping tool, but it’s now solely a commercial entity without that direct, passive giving feature.

This puts the onus on the consumer to be more intentional about ethical choices and charitable giving. Nymph.club Review

How to Handle Your Amazon.com Account After Smile.Amazon.com’s End

Since smile.amazon.com now redirects to amazon.com, there’s no separate “smile.amazon.com account” to manage or cancel.

Your account is simply your Amazon.com account, and any previous activity through Smile is part of your overall Amazon history.

Managing Your Unified Amazon Account

Your Amazon.com Prime login and credentials are your single point of access for all Amazon services.

• Login: You use the same email address and password for amazon.com that you used for smile.amazon.com.
• Order History: All your past orders, including those made through the Smile program, are consolidated under your main Amazon.com order history. You can view this by logging into your account and navigating to “Returns & Orders.”
• Payment Methods: Your stored payment methods remain the same and are accessible through your main Amazon.com account settings.
• Shipping Addresses: Your shipping addresses are also unified and manageable from your main account.

“Canceling” Smile.Amazon.com Not Applicable

There’s no process to “cancel” your smile.amazon.com involvement because the program itself was discontinued by Amazon.

You were automatically transitioned to the main Amazon.com experience.

• No Opt-Out Needed: Since the program ceased, there’s no need to opt out or unsubscribe from anything related to Amazon Smile.
• Charity Selection Removed: The option to select or change your chosen charity within your Amazon account settings has been removed.

What if You Were a Charity Partner?

For charities that were part of the Amazon Smile program, the situation is different.

Amazon directly communicated with these organizations regarding the wind-down.

• Final Donations: Charities received their final payments for eligible purchases made through the program up to February 20, 2023.
• Alternative Funding: These organizations now need to rely on other fundraising methods and direct donations.

Important Note on Prime Video and Other Services

The mention of “Prime Video” in the homepage text, and other entertainment services like “Amazon Podcast,” “Audible,” “IMDb,” and “Box Office Mojo,” highlights a critical ethical concern.

From an Islamic perspective, many forms of podcast, movies, and general entertainment especially those involving immoral behavior, inappropriate content, or glorifying sin are considered discouraged or forbidden. Exoticase.com Review

• Podcast and Movies: Engaging with these forms of entertainment can be a distraction from one’s spiritual duties and may expose individuals to content that promotes harmful values.
• Idol Worship/Polytheism: While not directly promoted, some content might contain elements that subtly normalize practices associated with idol worship or polytheism.
• Immoral Behavior: Modern entertainment often normalizes or glorifies dating, promiscuity, LGBTQ+ lifestyles, and other behaviors contrary to Islamic teachings.

Recommendation: While the Amazon platform offers many permissible products, be extremely cautious and selective when it comes to entertainment services. It is best to avoid subscriptions like Prime Video and Amazon Podcast, and instead seek out alternative, halal-compliant forms of leisure and knowledge-seeking, such as:

• Reading Islamic books Islamic books
• Listening to lectures by reputable scholars Islamic lectures
• Engaging in productive hobbies Productive hobbies
• Spending time in nature Outdoor gear
• Learning a new skill Online courses skill development

The underlying principle is to focus on what benefits you in this life and the hereafter, and to avoid what might lead to spiritual decline or expose you to forbidden content.

FAQ

What was smile.amazon.com?

Smile.amazon.com was a charitable initiative by Amazon that allowed customers to designate a charitable organization to receive a percentage of eligible purchases made on the platform, at no extra cost to the buyer.

Is smile.amazon.com still active?

No, smile.amazon.com officially concluded its operations on February 20, 2023. Any attempt to visit smile.amazon.com will now redirect users to the main amazon.com website.

What happens if I go to smile.amazon.com now?

If you navigate to smile.amazon.com, you will be automatically redirected to amazon.com.

The charitable giving feature associated with the Smile program is no longer active.

Did Amazon.com Prime login work on smile.amazon.com?

Yes, your standard Amazon.com Prime login credentials worked seamlessly on smile.amazon.com.

The shopping experience and benefits for Prime members were identical across both platforms.

Why did Amazon discontinue smile.amazon.com?

Amazon stated that it discontinued the Smile program to focus its philanthropic efforts on initiatives that can have a more direct and significant impact, such as Amazon Future Engineer and its disaster relief efforts. Thepearldazzle.com Review

How much did smile.amazon.com donate to charities?

Since its inception in 2013, Amazon Smile donated over $500 million globally to various charitable organizations.

Can I still support charities through Amazon purchases?

No, not directly through a built-in Amazon program like Smile.

You would need to make direct donations to your chosen charities or use alternative platforms that offer charitable giving options.

Were products more expensive on smile.amazon.com?

No, products on smile.amazon.com were priced identically to those on amazon.com.

The charitable donation came from Amazon’s own profits, not from an increased cost to the consumer.

Will my order history from smile.amazon.com still be available?

Yes, all your past orders, including those made through smile.amazon.com, are consolidated and accessible under your main Amazon.com account’s order history.

What are some ethical alternatives to smile.amazon.com for shopping?

Ethical alternatives include platforms focused on sustainable and fair-trade products like EarthHero and Ten Thousand Villages, or services like Giving Assistant which allow you to donate cashback to charity.

How can I make sure my online shopping is ethical from an Islamic perspective?

To ensure ethical online shopping from an Islamic perspective, avoid interest-based financial products Riba, support businesses with transparent and ethical sourcing, and avoid products or services that promote forbidden content or immoral behavior.

What are common features found on a typical e-commerce homepage?

A typical e-commerce homepage like amazon.com features a search bar, navigation menu, account/login options, cart icon, daily deals/promotions, product categories, best sellers, and customer service links.

Did smile.amazon.com have a different product selection?

No, smile.amazon.com offered the exact same product selection as the main amazon.com, provided the items were eligible for the Smile donation. Simracer.uk Review

How do I check my previous smile.amazon.com charity donations?

While you can no longer track new donations through Amazon Smile, your past charitable contributions made via the program might have been summarized in emails from Amazon or accessible in your account prior to the program’s closure.

For tax purposes, charities generally provide receipts for direct donations.

Are there any fees associated with using Amazon?

Amazon charges fees to sellers, but standard shopping for consumers generally doesn’t involve extra fees beyond the product price, shipping if not Prime, and applicable taxes. Prime membership has an annual or monthly fee.

What about Amazon’s own charitable efforts now that Smile is gone?

Amazon has stated it will focus its charitable efforts on initiatives like Amazon Future Engineer, which supports computer science education for underserved and underrepresented communities, and its disaster relief and affordable housing efforts.

Can I still access Prime Video and Amazon Podcast through the redirect?

Yes, if you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can still access Prime Video, Amazon Podcast, and other Prime benefits through the redirected amazon.com site.

However, be mindful of the ethical implications of certain entertainment content from an Islamic perspective.

How does Amazon’s pricing compare to other retailers?

Amazon is known for its highly competitive and dynamic pricing, often adjusting prices to match or beat competitors, and offering frequent deals and major sales events like Prime Day.

What should I look for in an ethical online retailer?

Look for clear statements on ethical sourcing, fair labor practices, environmental sustainability, transparency in operations, and a commitment to not promoting content or products that are contrary to your values.

Certifications like Fair Trade can also be good indicators.

Is Amazon still a good place to shop after the end of Smile?

Yes, Amazon remains a highly functional and convenient platform for a vast array of products. Agaliving.com Review

However, consumers who prioritize charitable giving or specific ethical considerations will need to be more proactive in finding alternative ways to contribute or seeking out retailers that align more closely with their values.