Before you buy something on Amazon, make sure you’re getting the lowest price possible on the website.
In this article, I’m going to outline some savings strategies I’ve put to good use when shopping on Amazon over the years.
If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper like I am, you know that finding the best price is as much a sport as it is a science. In these tips below, I’ll share some tried-and-true ways that may save you money on your next Amazon purchase.
How To Shop and Save on Amazon
There’s a reason these savings tips are important, as money expert Clark Howard has pointed out on his podcast.
“Most of the time, Amazon’s not cheap anymore. It’s about convenience. So if you’re about the lowest price, Amazon ain’t it most of the time,” Clark says.
What Clark says is absolutely true. That’s why you’re going to have to put forth a little effort to get deals on Amazon. Here are some ways to save money on the site.
1. Sign Up for Amazon Prime
Like me, you could decide to sign up for Amazon Prime. For $119 a year, the perks include exclusive deals that help you save money. Prime benefits include:
- Free, fast delivery on most items
- Prime Video streaming service
- Prime Music, which includes access to 2 million songs
- Whole Foods Market discounts
There are also deals available only to Prime members. One example: this Netgear range extender. At the time of this writing, the Prime price was nearly half off its regular price and cheaper than the same brand at Walmart and Target.
If you choose to become an Amazon Prime member, make sure you plan to use all (or many) of the perks.
See all the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership.
2. Share Your Prime Benefits
If your family members don’t have Prime, you can let them use your account so they can enjoy the benefits. Amazon Household shows you how to add another adult to your account. You can also add up to four teens and four child profiles.
3. Look for Lightning Deals
Lightning Deals are limited quantities of items offered for less than the site’s regular price. Lightning Deals can be found on the Today’s Deals page as well as throughout Amazon.com. You can also join the Lightning Deal Waiting List if a deal expires before you can purchase the item you want.
4. Try the Amazon Trade-In Program
You can also save by trading in certain items in the Amazon Trade-In Program.
You can get an Amazon.com gift card in exchange for eligible items. Some of the things you can trade in include Amazon devices, games and phones.
I entered information about my used iPhone 8 to see how much Amazon would give me for it: $98.
5. Check Amazon Warehouse
If you don’t mind pre-owned or open box items, Amazon Warehouse is a great way to get those things for less money.
Some of the merchandise available on Amazon Warehouse includes:
- Computers and tablets
- Furniture
- Small kitchen appliances
- Tools
- Video games
6. Shop on Amazon Renewed
Similar to Amazon Warehouse is Amazon Renewed. which has pre-owned electronics and other things for sale at cheaper-than-new prices.
The only difference I have been able to find between the Amazon Warehouse and Amazon Renewed is that the latter offers only “tested and certified” items. They typically come with 90-day windows of protection.
Thinking about buying refurbished electronics on Amazon? Here’s my experience with Amazon Renewed.
7. Try Subscribe & Save
Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program is another way to save money on things you buy regularly. The subscription service comes with free shipping.
And if you subscribe to five or more products and choose a single auto-delivery to one address, you get up to 15% off.
8. Look for Gold Box / Today’s Deals
Amazon’s Gold Box Deals are also known as Today’s Deals, the retailer’s bargains of the day. These deals cover all categories on Amazon.com, so it’s a good place to check to see if you can save money.
What kinds of items can you find on Amazon’s Today’s Deals page? It changes daily, but when I checked the page, among other things, there were sunglasses, a wireless doorbell and an alarm system — all discounted.
9. Check Out Amazon Family
Amazon Family sends you curated offers and recommendations for baby and children’s products. You can create a baby registry here in advance of your little one’s arrival.
Note: When you sign up, you’ll be required to enter some personal information to create a profile for your child.
10. Use the Amazon Rewards Card
The Amazon Rewards Card issued by Visa offers several ways to put money back into your pocket including 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores and 1% everywhere else.
Learn more about the Amazon Rewards Card.
11. Delay Your Order
Slowing down your Amazon delivery can earn you rewards. At checkout, you can choose no-rush shipping, which means your order will arrive in six business days. Amazon will then credit your account with rewards you can use toward certain future purchases.
12. Check Amazon Coupons
One of the first places you should look before you start shopping on Amazon is the Coupons section. You may be surprised at how much you can save on regular items you use every day.
To use the coupon, click on the item and it will be “clipped” and applied to your purchase.
13. Browse Amazon Outlet
The Amazon Outlet is a great way to save money on discounted items. Think of Amazon Outlet as a clearance page. That means you may be able to find things that are out of season for cheap.
14. Earn Amazon Gift Cards
Several sites, including Survey Junkie and Fetch Rewards, allow you to earn Amazon gift cards.
Want to go that route? Read Team Clark’s review of Survey Junkie.
15. Shop on Amazon Prime Day
If you want to save on electronics and more, Amazon Prime Day is an annual retail holiday that features plenty of sales. In addition to Amazon.com, you’ll find Prime Day deals at some other retailers as well.
16. Sign Up for Amazon Prime Student
Prime Student offers similar benefits to Amazon’s regular Prime membership but at a cheaper cost. Students can sign up for Prime and get a six-month trial as of this writing. After that, a Prime Student membership costs $6.49 a month.
17. Use Amazon Price Trackers
Amazon is such a huge site that there are Amazon price-checking websites you can use to make sure you get the lowest price.
Here are some top sites and apps where you can check Amazon prices:
Here’s how to use Camelcamelcamel.
18. Browse for Bargains on Woot
Woot started in 2004, and Amazon purchased the company in 2010. You can find special daily deals and limited-time offers on the site. Plus, Prime members get free standard shipping. (Thanks for this tip, Bob!)
19. Check ClarkDeals.com
If you want to see the latest Amazon sales, the team at Clark Deals has the latest Amazon deals here!
20. Partner with Amazon Smile
This last tip isn’t really a way to save money, but it may help you feel better about spending it. Amazon Smile is a program that allows you to choose a charity; Amazon then donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible items to your selected charity.
Final Thoughts
Want to make sure you’re getting the best price before you buy on Amazon? If you’re like me and tend to keep items in your shopping cart for several days, Amazon can act as a price checker as well.
At checkout, Amazon can tell you which items have increased since the time you put them in your shopping cart. This information can inform your decision-making on whether you want to shop elsewhere for these items.
Here’s how my shopping cart looks and the price differences:
If you’re someone who does a lot of online shopping, Amazon is probably one of your favorite sites. But as a savvy shopper, you should try to save money with every purchase you make.
Bookmark this article so that the next time you’re on Amazon.com, you can use some of these strategies to save.
Want to know more about saving money when you shop on the web? Read Team Clark’s Online Shopping Guide.
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