Online shopping is one of the best innovations that has come from the Internet. You can buy anything you want without leaving the house or facing the crowd. Even better, you can get your purchases done at your doorstep in just a few days or in some cases the same day.
A good bet is that you shop a lot on Amazon too. After all, it is by far the largest online store and carries almost everything. As a knowledgeable online buyer, you probably know that you can set up alerts so that you know when the price of an item drops.
However, there are some other fun little tricks you might not know about that could make your online shopping easier or save you money. Here are five tips any Amazon user can appreciate. We will also offer a bonus for Amazon Prime customers.
1. Availability Alerts
Knowing when the price of an item drops is great, but what if the item you want to buy isn’t even in stock? You don’t want to check back to see when it’s available. Who has time?
Luckily, if you look right next to the product’s title you’ll see a button that says, “Email me.” Click on it and Amazon will let you know when the item is back in stock. If you want to manage your alerts later, log in to your account and go to the Availability Alerts area.
2. Text Shipment Alerts
The Internet has made it possible not only to order something, but to watch its entire progress from the warehouse to your doorstep. Of course, this includes going to your computer and viewing it.
If you want to send regular updates to your phone, you can sign up for shipment updates via text. Amazon will send you regular updates on your package. Don’t worry, it is active only between 10 AM to 11 PM. Eastern so it won’t wake you up in the middle of the night.
3. Email Subscription
It’s fun browsing online stores for products and seeing new and exciting things. In fact, it’s more fun than going to the regular store because you can be on the couch in your PJs. Plus, you get to read hilarious reviews.
On the other hand, random browsing means that you often miss out on new products or great deals. You must have seen the right place at the right time. Instead, send the deals you want to know about, straight to your inbox.
Go to Amazon’s e-mail subscription page and select the categories you want to watch, such as Amazon Video, Books, DVDs, Deals and more. You’ll receive email alerts when new products are added, products become bestsellers or great new deals. If you receive too many emails, you can always unsubscribe from the ones you don’t want.
4. Turn Off Personalized Ads
You know those personalized ads that pop up on Amazon and then follow you across the rest of the Internet by showing you items you’ve already seen? We’ve told you how to stop them on Facebook and Google, and now we’re going to tell you for Amazon.
Click this link and select “Do not personalize ads from Amazon for this Internet browser” and then click Submit. That’s all there is to it, but now you’ll only see generic ads, not ads that are following you online.
Oh, by the way, while you’re in your Amazon settings, be sure to check your public profile. Whenever you create an account, Amazon automatically creates it for you. It’s only going to show reviews and public wish lists, but double check to make sure it’s not sharing something you don’t want people to see.
5. Earn Extra Money
When you’re browsing Amazon, you may come across things you already have and don’t really want anymore. Check just below the “Add to Cart” button on the product page and you might see a “Sell on Amazon” button.
This allows you to list your item for sale and earn some money back. You can then use that money to buy something else. Plus, you can sign up for Amazon Flex, a program that lets you earn money by delivering Amazon packages.
Are old phones, tablets, and other gear just sitting there? Amazon has one way to sell them, but click here to learn more about trading in your goods for Amazon credit.
Bonus: Amazon Prime Share Shipping
If you have Amazon Prime, you know the joy of free two-day shipping. Why not share that happiness with your friends and family? It is better to give than to give.
Go to the Manage Prime Membership page and scroll down to the “Share Your Prime Benefits” section. You can create an Amazon household and share Prime benefits with other adults and up to four children, like two-day shipping, Amazon Video, and more.
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