How to Shop on Amazon: Useful Tips for Beginners

Those who know how to shop on Amazon receive their packages within a week.

On July 5th, the popular American marketplace turns 30 years old. Over this time, the store that Jeff Bezos created in his garage has undergone significant transformations. Starting in 1994 with the sale of books, Amazon now trades millions of products.

During sales events like Amazon Prime Day (July 12, 2024) or Black Friday (November 25, 2023), there are huge discounts. To take advantage of these deals, it’s not necessary to live in the United States. Modern payment services and delivery companies allow Ukrainians to order products from the world’s largest marketplace and receive them by mail within a week. How to do this – read in our guide.

How to Shop on Amazon: Top 5 Tips

TIP #1 – Be Prepared for Sales! Shopping on Amazon starts with an account. Creating a standard account is simple: Hover your cursor over the “Account and Lists” button in the top right corner of the website. Then, click on the “Start Here” link in the pop-up window.

To register, you need to create a username, provide your email address, and set a password that will be used to access the site.

A premium account (Prime) is convenient for shoppers in the USA and some other countries where Amazon operates. It allows for fast delivery (from a few hours to two days) for free, as well as access to discounts.

Spending $99 a year on this subscription is only worthwhile if you are a fan of the internet giant’s audio and video content and want unlimited access to this resource for a whole year.

TIP #2 – Check Prices

The first thing that catches the attention of a buyer who visits Amazon for the first time is the promotional prices.

Written over significant sums, they can entice anyone to click the Buy button. But don’t be too trusting. American sellers can also deceive buyers.

You can check how the price of an item has changed over the past few months on the CamelCamelCamel website. To do this, simply enter the URL of the product. The price history will show whether the seller has genuinely reduced the price or is just trying to offload the item.

Our editorial team decided to check the honesty of a seller of gel pens. He promised to “give” the buyer $35, reducing the price from $59 to $24. We checked this item through the Camel service and found out that a couple of days ago, these same pens were sold for $9. The average price over the past six months was $17.

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TIP #3 – Look for Discounts

Now that you know how to spot real discounts, it’s time to find out where to look for the lowest prices. Amazon has several specialized sections for discounted products:

Today’s Deals – Daily Deals You never know what you might find in this section, but that’s no reason to skip it. Discounts here can sometimes reach up to 90%. The range of products varies from e-magazines to gardening tools.

Open Box & Used – Discounted Items This section sells items with damaged packaging or used items.

Outlet – Stock Clearance The outlet section typically features products that were not sold during regular sales.

Coupons – Coupons In the coupons section, you can find discounts of up to 25% on various groups of products and use them during checkout.

TIP #4 – Let Discounts Find You

If you don’t have time to hunt for discounts, let the experts handle it.

Wishlist – Wish List Mark products you like – after a few days, likes will turn into personalized discounts.

Online Price Alert – Price Tracking Service Enter your email, the URL of the product you’re interested in, and the price you’re willing to pay. If the seller runs promotions and lowers the price, Online Price Alert will notify you in time.

Here are some tips on how to buy on Amazon:

Create an Account: Start by creating an Amazon account with your email and a secure password.
Check Prices: Use tools like CamelCamelCamel to track price history and ensure you’re getting a good deal.
Prime Membership Benefits: Consider a Prime membership for free, fast shipping and access to exclusive deals during events like Prime Day.
Look for Discounts: Explore sections like Today’s Deals, Open Box & Used, Outlet, and Coupons for discounted products.
Use Wishlists and Alerts: Save items to your wishlist to track price drops, and set up price alerts to be notified when prices decrease.
Read Reviews: Always check customer reviews and ratings to make informed purchasing decisions.
Compare Sellers: Compare prices and seller ratings to find trustworthy sellers with good customer service.
Pay Safely: Use secure payment methods like credit cards or Amazon Pay for added buyer protection.
Check Shipping Policies: Understand shipping costs, delivery times, and return policies before making a purchase.
Stay Informed: Follow Amazon’s newsletters or social media for updates on upcoming sales and promotions.