Why You Can Trust CNET Amazon Mobile (Windows Phone) review: Perfect for price checks, but needs better search
For checking prices while shopping or buying goods on the go, Amazon for Windows Phone is a must-have.
Amazon Mobile for Windows Phone 8 brings Amazon's massive product library to wherever you are. You can easily search for any item, browse your Amazon recommendations, and pull the trigger on a purchase when you're away from the computer.
Amazon Mobile (Windows Phone)
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Though the app is missing the more robust search filters found in the iOS and Android Amazon apps, it will get the job done when you're standing in a brick-and-mortar store, trying to find out if what you want is cheaper online.
Search
The app gives you two ways to search for a product, by keyword and with a barcode scanner. The barcode scanner uses your camera and a line acting as a guide to capture the barcode and then search Amazon by the universal product code. From my tests, the scanner accurately recognized almost every product I scanned. You can also pin the barcode scanner to the Windows Phone start screen, so you can get to it quickly when you're out shopping.
When you search for an item, you'll get a list of results with brief summaries of the product name, brand, price, new and used options, an average star rating, and whether the product is eligible for Amazon Prime shipping. When you select a result, you'll see a product page with photos, price, color and size options, user reviews, and purchase buttons.
In my testing, I was disappointed to find that you can only filter search results by product department, such as Toys and Games or Books. All of the filters available in the Android and iOS Amazon Mobile apps are absent, including size, color, price, user rating, shipping options, and availability.
Browsing for products
Comparing the Amazon for Windows Phone app to its equivalents on iOS and Android, there's one glaring omission -- you can't browse for products. Since I hardly ever window shop on Amazon, opting instead to type in "SanDisk" when I'm standing in Target checking the price of a SD card, I wasn't too bothered that I couldn't browse. My shopping habits aside, I'll bet there are those who will be irked that the feature is missing.
However, you can browse the products that Amazon recommends for you based on your search and purchase histories. The recommendations are the sames ones you'll find on Amazon.com and other Amazon apps. You'll find them if you swipe left from the app's main welcome screen.
Making a purchase
At the bottom of a product's page, you can add it to your cart or wish list, or buy it immediately with Amazon's One Click feature. Once you tap "Buy Now," (or "Two-Day Free" for Prime items) Amazon will immediately charge your presaved payment method and ship it to a presaved address.
If you'd rather review your order first, you can add it to your cart, which you can get to from the welcome screen or the cart icon in the bottom menu bar. You can then edit your items before you check out. All of the items you've added to your Amazon shopping cart via the Web or other Amazon apps will show up in the Windows Phone app. The same is true for all of your wish lists and the products you've saved for later.
Once you make a purchase, you can track your package or cancel the order before it ships.
It's worth noting that you can't purchase Kindle books, Amazon Instant Videos, or Amazon Appstore apps from the Windows Phone. You're only able to add them to your wish list.
To buy Kindle books on Windows Phone, you'll have to download the official Kindle app. Currently, Amazon Instant Videos are available for purchase only on the iOS and Android Amazon Instant Video apps, and the Amazon App Store is available only on Android.
Performance
My only complaint about the app's performance is that it can be slow. Occasionally, I noticed an obvious lag after making a selection or searching for a product, though this will vary based your phone's processor and connection speed.
Conclusion
Amazon Mobile for Windows Phone 8 is a must-have for anyone who comparison shops on their phone. The barcode scanner helps you find the exact product online, and the keyword search works well to find prices and information on any Amazon product. The checkout process is streamlined to make purchasing from your phone as foolproof as buying on a desktop.
The app falls short when it comes to filtering search results beyond shopping department, so you'll want to stick to Amazon.com for more intense comparison shopping instead of relying on Amazon Mobile for Windows Phone. That said, the app is well worth downloading for checking prices on the fly and the occasional can't-wait purchase.