Tech Made Simple

Hot Topics: How to Fix Bluetooth Pairing Problems | Complete Guide to Facebook Privacy | How to Block Spam Calls | Snapchat Symbol Meaning

We may earn commissions when you buy from links on our site. Why you can trust us.

author photo

6 Ways to Save Money Shopping on Amazon

by Techlicious on December 06, 2016

6 Ways to Save Money Shopping on Amazon

One of the best places to find a deal online is Amazon. However, not everything is the bargain it appears to be. Just as in the offline world, doing a little research pays.

Check out these tips to ensure you're getting a great deal while navigating the virtual aisles at Amazon.

1. Shop the bargain bins

Look for what you want in the bargain bins, found through a link named “Today’s Deals” at the top of every Amazon page. On the Today’s Deals landing page, you’ll find the Best Deals section loaded with bargains in every category, the Lightning Deals section with time-sensitive sales—lasting several hours or until the item is sold out—and a Deal of the Day discount of up to 75 percent off several items that change daily.

There are a couple more links worth using: those to Amazon’s Outlet Center and Coupons pages.

2. Use a price checker browser plug-in

InvisibleHand

Don’t assume that any of the prices are the lowest available anywhere, especially if the seller is a third-party store. We've seen stores on Amazon sell products for as much as twice the retail price, often for products that are outdated or even obsolete.

Check other retailers’ prices, and prices at specialty websites—Best Buy for electronics or Home Depot for tools, for example. If it is a hard-to-find item and you really MUST have it at any price, go ahead—at least you're making an educated choice. Using a browser plug-in, like InvisibleHand (for Firefox, Chrome and Safari), can make this process easy. When you're browsing on Amazon, the plug-in will display a notification pop up with the price and location of the better deal if it knows of one.

3. Check the suggested retail price

Know what the real suggested retail price is of the product. Whether by design or error, it’s not that unusual to see inflated retail pricing so your discount appears higher than it actually is. 

4. Use a price tracking browser plug-in

CamelCamelCamel

If you find an item at Amazon and you’re hoping the price will fall later, consider CamelCamelCamel plugin for Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Once installed, you'll see a graph showing the Amazon price history, if it's available.

You can also sign up to receive email alerts if the price drops below a level. 

5. Check out the seller

Look carefully at who is selling and who is shipping the item you want. An item may be shipped by Amazon on behalf of another seller with a returns or exchange policy that is different from Amazon’s—and not to your liking. Items that are both sold and shipped by Amazon will be tagged as eligible for “Super Saver Shipping” or for free shipping via “Amazon Prime” (a $99 pre-paid premium membership plan).

And check out a seller's feedback rating before buying. If it has very few reviews or a satisfaction rating less than 90%, you may want to take your business elsewhere.

6. Use Super Saver Shipping

Super Saver shipping is available only if the total value of everything you’re buying at once is $49 or more—but being just shy of that minimum can push the cost with shipping charges past the price of the item elsewhere. In this case, check out Filler Item Finder. This sites suggest items on Amazon priced at exactly the amount you need—or slightly higher—to bring your order to $35. You can sort your results by category, including books, music, grocery and more.

This article has been updated on 12/6/2016.

[credit card on keyboard via BigStockPhoto]


Topics

Computers and Software, Tips & How-Tos, Fab Websites, Shopping, Money Savers, Tech 101


Discussion loading

gravatar

From Ernesto Colina on December 06, 2012 :: 12:00 pm


In you bought a Kindle Fire tablet, you have automatically several days of Amazon Prime for free, which allows you to have free shipping.
Or if you decide to actually pay the Amazon Prime fee, after a few buys, it pays by itself, plus you have the free movies and books.

Reply

gravatar

From Rebecca Cagle on December 06, 2012 :: 12:14 pm


You can read Kindle books free if you are an Amazon Prime Member.  You get one free book per month.

Reply

gravatar

From Sally Goodrich on December 06, 2012 :: 3:09 pm


I am not familiar with what plugins are or where to get them and where do you find the bargain bins?

Reply

gravatar

From Josh Kirschner on December 06, 2012 :: 5:50 pm


Hi Sally,

We added some links to the bargain bins in the story above to help you find them. A browser plugin is just a little application (program) that works with your browser. We have links to the shopping assistant plugins in the sections above.

Best,
Josh

Reply

gravatar

From Roxy on December 20, 2012 :: 5:13 pm


I learn so much from your website.  I don’t have time to be a techie and there is so much information out there.  You all make everything “techie” easy to understand. Thank you so very much!

Reply

gravatar

From Josh Kirschner on December 22, 2012 :: 1:57 pm


Hi Roxy,

Glad you’re finding the articles helpful! Have you subscribed to our newsletter?

Best,
Josh

Reply

Home | About | Meet the Team | Contact Us
Media Kit | Newsletter Sponsorships | Licensing & Permissions
Accessibility Statement
Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookie Policy

Techlicious participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which provide a small commission from some, but not all, of the "click-thru to buy" links contained in our articles. These click-thru links are determined after the article has been written, based on price and product availability — the commissions do not impact our choice of recommended product, nor the price you pay. When you use these links, you help support our ongoing editorial mission to provide you with the best product recommendations.

© Techlicious LLC.