A Dozen Tips And Hacks Every Amazon Shopper Should Know

2025-11-05 02:04:01

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Everyone loves the convenience of online shopping, but Amazon must be doing something special to get this many people to commit to a $99 subscription.

As of 2025, about 57% of Canadian adults subscribe to Amazon Prime (1) representing roughly 17 million Canadians.

Part of the draw is the convenience. According to Queue-It, a leading developer of virtual waiting room services, a significant portion of consumers now prefer online shopping during big shopping days, like Black Friday. In 2023, in-person sales activity increased by 2.2%, while online sales increased by 6.3%, year-over-year. Amazon is one brand that's led the surge in online shopping.

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In 2023, the Amazon reported that it's extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday was its largest-ever sales (for that shopping period), with customers worldwide purchasing over one billion items. In 2024, online holiday spending in Canada hit $5.4 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, according to the Retail Council of Canada (2).

Turns out small business benefits from the growth in online sales. According to Amazon data, independent selling partners, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, accounted for more than half of Amazon's sales during the Black Friday to Cyber Monday timeframe in 2021, and the proportion of small businesses relying on Amazon as a sales channel continues to grow.

That said, this e-retailer has become so successful and gargantuan that it's easy to lose track of all of its many offers, programs, sales and deals. Here are some of the many ways you can save money when shopping at Amazon, including a few hacks Jeff Bezos probably hopes you don't know (such as how to get free Amazon gift cards ).

Find marked-down and used items at the Amazon Warehouse

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The rush of getting a great deal on a previously loved item isn't restricted to garage sales. Amazon Warehouse sells items that have been opened, used or slightly damaged - sometimes at incredibly low discounts.

Keep an eye out for“Used” listings from Amazon Warehouse to snag these deals. Known as "renewed items" or "certified refurbished" these products typically come with warranty. the Amazon listing will tell you the condition of the item, which helps you decide whether you're actually getting good value for the price.

Read more: Are you drowning in debt? Here are 3 simple strategies to help crush your balance to $0 in no time

Maximize Amazon Prime Day no-minimum spending

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Add-on items are typically small, inexpensive products that require a $25 minimum purchase. However, by using Amazon Day - also known as Amazon Prime Day - you can ship an 'as-is' item, or pre-order an upcoming book or video game, even if you don't meet the minimum $25 spend for free shipping. That's because Amazon Prime Day offers free shipping on all products even when minimum spending thresholds are not met.

Snag free games and loot with Prime Gaming

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Prime members can download free games each month via Prime Gaming. You also get exclusive in-game loot, like characters and skins, as well as free Twitch channel subscriptions, providing additional value if you're a gamer. Prime Gaming now includes monthly free games and exclusive in-game content for mobile and console games, including EA titles and Riot Games.

As long as you have a PC or smartphone you can download the Amazon Games App and claim free titles every single month.

Get a six-month free trial if you're a student

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Students need all the financial help they can get.

With Amazon Prime Student, college and university kids get an extended, six-month free trial of Amazon Prime and only pay half the regular membership fee if they choose to continue their membership while they're in school. Like the regular Prime subscription, the student Prime subscription includes all the benefits of Prime, like two-day shipping, access to Prime Video and Prime Music. Plus, your student Prime subscription makes you eligible for exclusive deals and discounts, so keep a look-out for textbooks and other college essentials.

The deal: Amazon Prime Student includes 6 months free, then $4.99 per month (half the regular price).

Watch even more movies and shows for free

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Don't look down on Prime Video as a Netflix wannabe. The streaming service has some great content and you won't need to pay extra if you already have a Prime membership.

If you run out of free Prime movies and TV shows to watch, don't worry. Amazon allows you to add on“Prime Channels” like HBO, Showtime and CBS All Access for an additional fee. Each additional Prime channel typically includes a 30-day free trial, so you can binge all four seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon, then cancel your subscription before the trial ends if you don't feel like paying for more.

Just keep in mind that Prime Video has an ad-supported tier in Canada unless users pay an extra fee (typically another few dollars per month).

Two-Day Delivery is just the start

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Everyone knows about Amazon's Two-Day Delivery, which gets you unlimited free two-day shipping in most cities. But the online retailer offers other free delivery options with a Prime membership as well.

Shoppers in select metro areas are able to get One-Day Delivery or Same-Day Delivery, depending on what they're buying, as long as it's before the order cut-off time and meets the $25 threshold. You can check your to see whether you're eligible for these options (3).

You can also get Release Date Delivery for certain pre-order items, like books and games, on the day they become available, as long as you order them at least two days in advance.

Amazon Prime subscribers, who live in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, and Ottawa can get Same-Day Delivery for orders over $25.

Dig deep into the digital library or upgrade to Kindle Unlimited

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Prime members get access to Prime Reading - a digital library with hundreds of titles to choose from.

You can use a Kindle E-reader, Fire tablet or just download the Kindle app to your phone to check out some good reads. You can download up to 10 titles at a time and opt for Audible narration on some books if you don't feel like reading.

For bookworms who aren't satisfied with the regular service, you can try a 30-day free trial of Kindle Unlimited in order to explore over a million titles. The premium service lets you borrow books without worrying about due dates and is available for $9.99 a month if you decide to commit after the trial.

Plus, Prime members can now get Canada's localized reading selection and Audible Canada discount (launched in 2024).

Give unwanted items a Second Chance

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If you've got some old electronics hoarded away in your closet, don't let them languish in the dark.

The e-retailer has a Second Chance Program that can help you figure out how to repair broken items or recycle them. To recycle old electronics and accessories, just fill out the online form and drop off your items at the nearest UPS location. Amazon will cover the shipping costs for you.

Though, if you'd prefer cash for your old electronics, there are a bunch of other services you can use, like eBay.

Save with Subscribe & Save

Amazon

Are you the type of person who buys everything online, including toilet paper and batteries? Long-accustomed Amazon shoppers know that signing up for the Subscribe & Save program can make repeat shopping easier and get you better deals.

When you subscribe to purchase items that you'd buy regularly and get them delivered automatically, you not only get free shipping and automatic delivery, but you can also unlock savings. In most cases, expect a 15% discount for recurring deliveries - however, these savings can rise and fall depending on the item and delivery schedule.

To take advantage of Subscribe & Save, Amazon will ask you to establish a recurring delivery date. For instance, you could schedule cat food delivery for every month, every two months, or whatever schedule fits your needs. And don't worry about overstocking on items: Amazon will send you a reminder email before each delivery with the list of items and applicable discounts, so you can skip or cancel an auto-purchase at any time.

One more incentive is that Prime members now save 15% through Subscribe & Save (while non-members can save 5%, although, the minimum purchase amount to get the discount is $25 per order).

Get deeper discounts at Whole Foods

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Yet another reason to get a Prime membership: deals on groceries.

The business world was shocked in June 2017 when Amazon said it was acquiring the Whole Foods Market chain for $13.7 billion. "They make it fun to eat healthy," Bezos said in the official announcement.

Prime members can get special deals at Whole Foods; plus, all customers get free shipping on orders over $35 when they're shipped by Amazon; however the delivery range for Whole Foods is limited to Toronto and Vancouver.

Shop Amazon Outlet for clearance items

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While Amazon Warehouse gets you discounts on opened and refurbished items, it's pretty skewed towards tech and electronic items. Amazon Outlet, on the other hand, lets you save on all sorts of products, from gardening tools to jewellery.

Items on this digital sales rack haven't been used or opened already, but include overstocked, seasonal and clearance inventory.

A new option for Amazon Outlet shoppers is the inclusion of Amazon Outlet in“Lightning Deals” and“Warehouse Clearance” - offering even more savings.

Wait for Amazon Prime Day

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This virtual holiday usually occurs over the course of 48 hours in July in celebration of Amazon's birthday. In 2024, Amazon reintroduces a second Amazon Prime Day in October - starting on October 8 and ending October 9, 2024. On Prime Day, prices get slashed on hundreds of items across departments and even on some of Amazon's paid services, like Amazon Music. In 2025, Amazon Prime Day was July 15 and 16, 2025, and Prime Big Deal Days was Oct 8 and 9, 2025.

Keep in mind, you will have to be an Amazon Prime member to participate.

Amazon Prime features only available in America Amazon Family account

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New parents? Say no more. Prime members who sign up for Amazon Family can save 20% on diapers, get a 15% baby registry discount and a free Baby Registry Welcome Gift, which includes full- and sample-size products for both parent and child. Amazon also sends out a helpful email newsletter with parenting tips from experts, product recommendations and exclusive deals. Unfortunately, the Amazon Family account is not offered to Canadians.

Amazon Prime Wardrobe

Prime Wardrobe is a“try before you buy” program that let's you try on clothes at home before committing to the purchase. It's a great way to shop for clothing without worrying about returns. Unfortunately, the program is not available to Canadian Amazon Prime subscribers.

Amazon is testing out the Amazon Try Before You Buy is being tested in Canada in 2025 as a pilot. However, most clothing purchases made through Amazon do come with a 30-day money back guarantee - meaning you can“try before you buy” even without the official Wardrobe program. Just be sure you read the return policy for the retailer, as some only accept returns for specific items or reasons, while others may charge delivery or restocking fees.

Ways to earn while you spend

Increase your cash back or reward earnings by combining your Amazon shopping with a credit card that offers appealing earn rates for Amazon purchases.

As a Prime member, you'll earn 1.5% to 2.5% on eligible purchases at Amazon and Whole Foods Market. Check out promotions that let you double earnings for the first few months. You can find great options through the Money list of the best Canadian credit cards for Amazon purchases.

Other ways to save

Consider tracking price drops using Amazon Assistant or third-party tools like CamelCamelCamel and Keepa. These tools track price history for specific items and help you determine if you really are getting a deal.

Another option is to consider alternative marketplaces like eBay, Best Buy, or Walmart for price matching (4).

- with files from Romana King