Learning how to save money on Amazon is about more than simply paying what the site asks for a product and taking advantage of free shipping. There are other not-so-obvious ways to keep more of your money while getting the products you want.
In the following article, we’ll be going over the ways to save on Amazon that may not have occurred to you. But first, let’s look at why people shop at the online retail giant!
Amazon Shopping Advantages
Walmart may be gaining ground on Amazon, but the online retailer is still at the top of the food chain when it comes to customers. We can argue the reasons for this all day, but there’s no denying that shopping at Amazon has its advantages. Here are several.
Customer Service Priorities
Amazon has made the customer experience a top priority over the years. They’ve done this by offering a hassle-free buying and returns experience. They also make their website easy to navigate so that customers can solve many of their own issues.
Lower Prices
Until 2017, Amazon had no real pressure to collect sales tax. This advantage led to a lot of brick-and-mortar grumbling over the years. But it also allowed customers to enjoy lower prices.
Amazon also had the advantage over Walmart and others of not having to fund a network of retail stores to make their sales. That elimination of overhead was usually reflected in pricing as well.
Free Shipping
One of the annoying things about early online shopping was having to pay sometimes exorbitant prices on shipping and handling. Amazon was one of the first companies to absorb those costs provided customer orders reached a certain dollar amount. This drove larger orders and more revenue.
Unbeatable Selection
Seriously, you can find a search result for virtually everything over at Amazon. Even when the company doesn’t have something in stock, you can either procure the item through a third-party seller using the Amazon website or express your interest to be notified should the item become available. As of April 2019, the company boasted around 606 million products.
Convenient Buying Options
You can shop with virtually every form of payment on Amazon. It also allows you to easily scan in gift cards or set up automatic gift card reloads through a qualifying form of payment. Lastly, one-click ordering means you do not have to reenter your information or jump through extra hoops to purchase the products you want.
Chances are pretty good you don’t have to be further convinced to shop at Amazon. But don’t assume the savings their site offers you are infallible. You can do better as long as you stick to the following tips.
1. Limit Your Prime Subscription
The first thing you need to learn about how to save on Amazon is that Prime is your friend, to a point. You need to know where that point is and not overdo it.
Amazon Prime, as you’re probably aware, is the annual membership price you pay to the website to access their free two-day shipping on all items. As of 2019, the price is $119 per year or $12.99 per month.
On the surface, the yearly subscription sounds like a better deal. After all, it’s just $9.92 per month or more than $3 a month cheaper than the installment price. However, it obligates you to a full year’s worth of payments at once.
If you do the bulk of your shopping in two or three months, you’re much better off paying for those months only and pocketing the remainder. Evaluate when you use Amazon the most and pay for only those months.
2. Test Out Special Services
Another of the best ways to save on Amazon is to pay close attention to the additional services. The Prime Wardrobe subscription, for example, allows you to “try before you buy” when shopping for clothes. Send back what you don’t want, pay for what you do, and don’t get stuck with clothes that you end up giving away for which you paid full price.
3. Use a Discounted Account
A less common but still effective way to save money on Amazon is to use the account of someone you know who gets discounts on Amazon Prime. For example, college students get half-off along with people on government assistance.
If you have friends or family members in this situation, see if you can work something out with them when ordering or using streaming services. You might even offer to pay for their account if they agree to set it up in their name.
4. Capitalize on Prime Rewards Visa
Really want to know how to get the best price on Amazon? Use Amazon’s Prime Rewards Visa option. It can get you a $70 gift card upon approval and 5 percent back on purchases you make through the website.
5. Track Pricing and Online Promotions
A simple means for how to shop on Amazon for even better discounts than regular price involves online coupons. Search through these deals for some of the best codes that will apply to your Amazon purchases. Also, consider saving items for later to be notified of pricing changes.
6. Make $25 Minimum Purchases
Some people just can’t see the value in Amazon Prime for shipping alone. That’s understandable. You don’t have to pay the annual membership fee to capitalize on the site’s shipping options.
You can simply hold off on ordering until you’re ready to purchase enough items to get access to free shipping for non-members. Currently, that threshold is $25 orders. With all the different products that Amazon sells, that’s a relatively simple number to meet.
7. Be Patient on Shipping
Learning to wait a little longer for your package is another good option when you get ready to purchase. This especially is true when you don’t have enough items in your cart to qualify for the free shipping on purchases over $25. It also keeps you from losing money on the expensive two-day shipping you’ll have to purchase if not a member of Prime.
Learning How to Save Money on Amazon Is an Incredible Skill
You may think simply shopping online will save money. But if you really want deep discounts, you have to know how to save money on Amazon.
The site has obvious and, as you can see here, not-so-obvious ways to save. You just have to know where and how to look for them. And for more life hacks and money-saving tips, be sure to check out our other posts.