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There are two kinds of people in the world:
those who do their Christmas shopping all year long, stashing away small gifts in the spring and summertime and squirreling them away; and those who rely on two-day shipping and extended hours at department stores to get their gifts in time.
You will not get any judgment from us if you fall into the latter camp, but there are several advantages to getting a jump start on your holiday shopping. You can score some incredible Amazon deals and will probably spend less money overall. The choices you make are bound to be a bit more thoughtful. Last but definitely not least, shopping early will reduce your stress and allow you to truly enjoy the holiday season.
We have gathered up some of the best insider tips and tricks for getting your money is worth from the king of e-commerce sites. Read on to learn how to save big on Amazon!
Try the Warehouse First
Do you know about Amazon Warehouse? This sister site of the online shopping OG should be your first destination each time you fire up your browser in search of bargains.
Amazon Warehouse is where customer returns, refurbished items like electronics, and any slightly imperfect goods go — not to die, but to be resold for truly remarkable prices. They are often "open box" products, meaning that they have been removed from their original packaging but not actually used. What is inside, therefore, is every bit as good as what you would buy brand new.
Check out Warehouse deals for electronics, small appliances, furniture, video games, books, clothing, and more. If Amazon carries it, chances are there will be an equivalent up for grabs at a discount through Amazon Warehouse.
Next, It is On to the Outlet
And then there is Amazon Outlet. This, like Amazon Warehouse, offers a huge selection of items. It’s definitely worth checking out before you pay full price for something on the original site — or anywhere else, for that matter.
While the Warehouse deals are returns and open-box items, Outlet carries closeout items, overstock goods, marked down products, and the like. Filters allow you to search by active and upcoming deals.
Of course, shopping an outlet store of any kind can be hit or miss. The items that are up for sale on Amazon Outlet change on a daily basis, but it’s an awful lot of fun to browse and see what kind of deals you can score.
Comparison Shopping and Discount Code Apps
Many online stores offer periodic coupon codes or promotional codes — usually, it is a phrase like "SPRINGTIME" or "NEWCUSTOMER10" or similar. Amazon doesn’t really deal in discount codes, but that does not mean you’re stuck paying full price every time you buy something on the site.
There are apps and Chrome extensions that will search Amazon for products identical to the one you are looking at, and automatically let you know if another seller has it for a lower price. Sometimes these alternatives are not eligible for Prime shipping, but that may not matter to you (especially if you are stocking up for the holiday gift giving season now!).
Others will create a "drop list" of your favorite items and send you a text or email when the price on any of them drops. Still other services will track your shipments and help you get a refund on any late packages, issue rebates quickly and easily, and check any e-commerce site for valid coupon codes just in case.
Deals of the Day
Yet another little-known feature on Amazon is its Deals of the Day. As the name implies, these are short-term sales on a huge variety of options. You may have heard of Amazon’s Lightning Deals, and the Deals of the Day are similar.
We recently found a robotic vacuum with over 84% five-star ratings discounted for 35%. The original price was $399.99, but the Deal of the Day cost was just $259.99. That is a pretty hefty discount on a high-ticket item!
With both of these kinds of deals, you will have to be ready to pull the trigger on a purchase right away. If you are the type of person who likes to mull over a purchase before plunking down the cash — or if you are strapped for funds and have to wait until the next payday to buy something — this might not be the best way for you to shop.
Black Friday and Beyond
First, there was Black Friday. Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving was a good time to go shopping for Christmas gifts simply because most people had the day off from work. In recent decades it is morphed into a much bigger (and even more dangerous!) deal. It has also spawned Small Business Saturday and, most recently, Cyber Monday.
Amazon celebrates these so-called "holidays," but certainly does not restrict itself to one day for each. Just as its "Prime Day" has now stretched to a 48-hour period, there are deals galore of all varieties during the weeks leading up to Christmas. So many, in fact, that it can be a bit overwhelming.
One way to get through the holiday season without suffering buyer’s remorse is to let someone else do the bargain shopping legwork for you. Kinja Deals is a great way to do that — sign up for the daily email or just check in when your gift-giving inspiration has run dry. There are plenty of similar services out there. All of them can help you wade through the multitude of discounts and deals without getting confused — or worse, sidetracked.
Ready To Go Get Some Amazon Deals?
Online shopping is certainly convenient, but it also can be lots of fun. There is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get when you score killer Amazon deals! This year, get ready to wow your friends and family with thoughtful holiday gifts and still save some cash so you can treat yourself, too!
What are some of the best Amazon deals you have ever seen? Did we forget any ‘tried and true’ tips for bargain hunting online? Let us know in the comments!
