Get the Best Deals on Amazon With These 8 Techie Hacks
Amazon is something I’ve come to rely on in my life pretty heavily, and I have a sneaking suspicion I’m not alone. Scratch that! I know for a fact I’m not alone! Since first coming on the scene about two decades ago, Amazon has steadily gotten bigger and bigger, reshaping the way we shop, budget, and overall live. I know that’s definitely true in my life.
One of Amazon’s biggest success tactics has been a simple one: reeling people in with deals they just can’t refuse. Prices are low on Amazon, often lower than what you might find at the store. One of the things you’ve probably noticed is prices for items on Amazon can sometimes fluctuate, meaning you have to do your due diligence to keep an eye on them. Simply put, finding the best deals on Amazon can be a bit like wandering a maze. Well, with that in mind, what I want to give you today is the map or cheat sheet for finding the best deals on Amazon.
These eight great hacks for techies like me involve finding efficient ways to stay on top of prices or using apps to earn free Amazon gift cards. While a little different, all of these hacks offer a great way to get the most out of your budget and ultimately save yourself money. That’s something I know I’m excited about, and I’m sure you are too. So, without further ado, let’s get into eight techie hacks to get the best deals on Amazon.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 1: Search Online
Okay, so this piece of advice about how to get the best deals on Amazon might sound a bit obvious and not exactly like a techie hack, but the simple truth is it really works. You can often find the best deals on Amazon by using your favorite online search engine and entering “best deals on Amazon.”
The reason why this is so effective is there are plenty of publications out there that regularly round up the best deals on Amazon. Seeing as prices on the website tend to change all the time (sometimes from minute to minute if you click away) this is a really helpful thing to know about. Of course, these roundups won’t always have exactly what you’re looking for, but, who knows, you could end up getting a great price on something you forgot you needed.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 2: Join Amazon Prime
To get the best deals on Amazon, it’s crucial to join Amazon Prime. When users purchase a new Amazon Prime membership (the $119 membership, specifically) through Shopkick, they receive a $20 gift card. For that price, you get unlimited two-day shipping on the millions of items included in Amazon Prime, as well as associated discounts. I mean, I don’t think there’s any question about this one. If you don’t sign up for Amazon Prime, you just won’t be able to get the best deals on Amazon, no matter how many of the other techie hacks on this list you use!
In addition, signing up for Amazon Prime also gets you access to the Prime Video service, which has all kinds of cool movies and TV shows you can watch on your compatible devices. Plus, Prime Music has approximately 2 million songs that you can stream without having to listen to ads. You can pre-order video games through Amazon, often discounted by 20 percent.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 3: Learn to Love the Amazon Best Sellers List
Did you know that Amazon keeps a running list of its best-selling items? Well, if you didn’t, now you do! It’s really helpful when it comes to finding the best deals on Amazon. Why? Because it turns out that the overwhelming and vast majority of people really like to save money, and as a result, items that are marked down and listed at extremely affordable prices.
It’s also super easy to sort through the Amazon Best Sellers list because it breaks it down items into more than 30 different categories. There are also easy-to-read red and green arrows on the list that show you which products happen to be rising or dropping in popularity. That doesn’t necessarily help you find the best deal, but it is a cool little thing to check out. I highly recommend making this list a usual part of your regular Amazon browsing.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 4: Clip Amazon Coupons
Remember when you were a little kid and your mom or dad used to clip actual coupons out of the newspaper or from junk mail? I do. My mom used to keep her coupon clippings in a kitchen drawer. She must have gotten some great deals that way because she did it throughout my entire childhood. Part of getting the best deals on Amazon involves collecting coupons, too.
Thankfully, like everything on Amazon, you do it entirely online. You just head on over to the Amazon Coupons Hub and check out the digital coupons that are featured. When you find one, use the “Clip Coupon” button to save it to your cart. Then, it’s automatically applied to your total at checkout. It’s definitely easier than cutting out paper coupons with scissors and stuffing them into a drawer.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 5: Don’t Sleep on Amazon Warehouse Deals
I can also remember times when my dad used to love going to places like Best Buy and Target to see if there were any open box deals on display. I think usually these were items that someone had bought and returned. Obviously, the stores couldn’t sell them for full price because the boxes had been opened, but they could put them on sale at a discount for guys like my dad. There’s actually a section on Amazon that sort of recreates this experience!
The Amazon Warehouse Deals section is another place on Amazon where you have to be diligent and always check because the page changes a lot—sometimes even from minute to minute. Basically, the Amazon Warehouse Deals section includes products that have been returned, warehouse-damaged, refurbished, or used. It also includes products that are new, technically speaking, but don’t live up to Amazon’s usual quality requirements for various reasons. If any of that worries you, all of the products are tested and given a grade you can see. Sure, you may be taking a risk, but because of the way it’s set up, you won’t be in for a whole lot of surprises, which I find to be pretty awesome.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 6: Subscribe to Household Goods and Snacks
I have a confession to make. When it comes to getting the best deals on Amazon, there was one thing I ignored for way longer than I should have: subscribing to certain products. I’m sure you’ve noticed a lot of things you’re likely to repeatedly buy—things like toilet paper, toothpaste, or granola bars—have an option for you to subscribe at a lower price.
Well, I noticed that for a long time, but it wasn’t until now that I started to actually use the subscription service. I guess I was worried I wouldn’t need the stuff when it shipped or the savings wouldn’t be significant enough. Well, let me tell you, neither of those things are really a problem. You can space out how much you subscribe to purchase, and even if the savings seem minor at first, they really add up. I absolutely recommend subscribing household goods and snacks as a way to get the best deals on Amazon.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 7: Amazon Family
This is maybe the most specialized tip on to get the best deals on Amazon on our entire list because it basically only applies to folks who have a family. If you have kids, it’s a hack that will save you a ton of money. Amazon has a parent-focused page where you can find some really great deals on things like diapers, lotion, and other must-haves for little ones.
The best part, though, is by subscribing to those items—which any parent will tell you is a must given how fast kids go through basically everything—you can get up to a 20 percent discount. Remember earlier when I said subscriptions don’t seem to save you that much in the beginning? Well, this category is a definite exception! This is also where you can set up things like baby registries, which I’m sure all your friends and family will very much appreciate.
Amazon Techie Hack No. 8: Use Shopkick
Out of all the choices on our list, my absolute favorite hack is this shopping rewards app called Shopkick. Unlike the other techie hacks for the best deals on Amazon we’ve been through today, this one is actually a third-party app that gives you rewards for buying groceries and really any other type of shopping that you do. How it works is pretty simple. Shopkick gives you points for things you do when you go out shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to your favorite stores, including Best Buy, Starbucks, and, of course, Amazon.
There are also literally tons of ways that Shopkick users can get rewards right from the app without having to physically go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also earn kicks for dollars spent by shopping Amazon Home’s selection through the Shopkick app. This is why I think Shopkick is my favorite out of all the great tips and strategies on our list. There are just so many ways to earn points that can get you free Amazon gift cards.
While you’re shopping on Amazon through Shopkick, users can earn kicks for dollars spent by shopping for Amazon Private Label Fashion brands, such as Lark & Ro, Mae, Ella Moon, and Arabella. These brands are Amazon’s own brands, and they’re great for stocking up on basics as well as more trendy pieces. Further, users can also shop for accessories, luggage, and even shoes while earning points! Users can also earn kicks when they purchase Amazon subscriptions through Shopkick, like Audible, Music Unlimited, and Kindle Unlimited.
These are just some of the tips and techniques that I’ve picked up during my many years of using Amazon. As an early adapter to things like online shopping, I like to think I have a pretty good handle on quickly figuring out how to get the most out of these platforms, and that includes finding the best deals on Amazon. I hope that my advice ends up being just as useful for you as it has been for me!
Like I said, though, my all-time favorite of all of these is Shopkick, which is a great way to save money on your Amazon shopping, as well as many of the other stores that you like to shop at. So, that’s my advice to you: learn the many ins and outs of getting the most out of the Amazon platform. You’ll be amazed at the deals you start to score!
Start using one of these great techie hacks to get the best deals on Amazon. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.
And, if you love social media as much as you love catching up with friends, be sure to join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.
