Shopping on Amazon is something many of us do on auto-pilot – but there’s a secret art to deepening your discounts while also getting the most out of your dollar. We interviewed an Amazon insider to educate readers on 14 ways to make sure you’ve scored the lowest prices possible in your cart.
First and foremost, get the free perks. Take advantage of more than 30 individual benefits for Amazon Prime members (that go way beyond free two-day delivery). Redeem everything from a year of free Grubhub food delivery to free prescription delivery, Kindle Freebies, Prime Video subscriptions, Amazon Music, and more. You’re probably not maxing out every benefit you could be with your Prime membership.
Discover Amazon's hidden Outlet section for clearance-level discounts up to 50% off overstocked items across all categories. This little-known gem offers dramatic deals on excess inventory. The Outlet store spans across every category, so if you’re into $70 markdowns on appliances and single-digit prices on quality kitchenware, look no further.
Allow us to demystify Amazon coupons. Just below the price info on your product of choice, look for a digital Amazon-only coupon (shaped like a flag). In order to activate it, all you need to do is check the box—don’t miss it (it’s quite small)! Before you head to checkout, check below that coupon clipping for ANOTHER coupon in the form of a promo code — copy that to paste when you’re ready to pay.
Amazon’s super fast shipping is undoubtable a huge draw for shoppers. But if you’re not in a huge rush, you can earn credits (often worth $1 or more each time) by choosing a single shipment at a slightly later time. Often only delayed by a day or two, you’ll see this option at checkout and then receive the credit in your account once your item actually ships. It’s like getting paid for patience!
Aesthetic preferences can sometimes cost – or save – you money! Although color has zero impact on the function of a product, because of inventory or popularity, certain colors can be more (or less) expensive than others. Be sure to click around the color options before adding to your cart.
Currently, a regular Prime subscription is $14.99 a month or $139 annually, but you may qualify for an even cheaper rate, according to an Amazon spokesperson. There are many different tiers and discount options — for people on government assistance programs like SNAP EBT or Medicaid, Prime Access is $6.99 a month, for instance. For students enrolled at two- or four-year colleges, Prime Student is available for $7.49 a month or $69 a year.
Amazon may offer those winter boots for 17% off, but how good a deal is that, really? Amazon prices change constantly, so double check what you’re seeing on CamelCamelCamel. This price tracking site allows you to see any Amazon product’s price history to understand if you’re actually getting a deal or should wait for a better discount. “The Camelizer” alsso emails you when it detects a price drop on your chosen item.
Sometimes Amazon reviews seem too good to be true because they are. Fakespot is a browser extension that can help separate the real from the bots by using AI to analyze the reviews and letting you know which are from real customers and which are not.
Amazon offers a trial version of Prime free for 30 days, so you may be able to get all the value you need in those first 30 days and then cancel your membership before you’re charged. Make sure to set a reminder to cancel before the 30 days expire so you don’t get charged for the next month.
For everyday items you buy every month like clockwork, if you choose the “subscribe and save” option, you could save up to an extra 15% on purchases by initiating an auto-delivery of the product every month. This also saves the brain space of continually remembering to order them as they’ll arrive automatically until you cancel.
These excellent offers are linked from the Amazon homepage and they change daily, running for limited times. Today’s Deals are usually live only for that day and Lightning Deals are usually even more limited (and therefore may offer even steeper discounts). An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to us that lightning deals are sometimes only live for a few hours or until inventory runs out.
You can save an additional 5% on all your Amazon purchases with an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card. In addition, the card rewards you 5% at Whole Foods, 2% at all restaurants, drug stores and gas stations and 1% back on all your other purchases. If you do a lot of your shopping at Amazon, this no-fee card could really pay off.
An Amazon spokesperson also gently reminded us that unlike Netflix, your Prime subscription is actually (officially) shareable. Amazon Household allows you to share your subscription between two adults, two teens and four kids. That means kids at college don’t necessarily need to pay for a separate Prime membership, as long as they’re still teens on your account.
Make sure to save money throughout your whole transaction by checking your item’s return policy before you buy. Of course, free returns are best, but whatever the item’s policy, be aware that you may be on the hook to pay return shipping if you change your mind and you don’t want the surprise of a big fee you hadn’t anticipated.
Found this information valuable? Check out more insider guides like our complete breakdown of Amazon Prime Benefits or our ultimate Walmart shopping hacks next.
Liz Zack is an experienced lifestyle and shopping writer who has been reporting on family topics for over 20 years. Her shopping guides have been published in outlets like Wirecutter, Byrdie, Bestproduct, and Forbes. As a veteran deal-hunter passionate about maximizing value, Zack delivers proven tips to help consumers get the most for their money. She graduated with her master's in journalism from the University of Missouri. Connect with her on Instagram.
