If you got a lot of gift cards over the holidays, then you’re probably looking for the best deals on shipping online. After all, an Amazon gift card gives you a great opportunity to buy items you’ve had your eye on.
But if you’re looking for the best deals on shipping and want to get your packages quickly, you’ll need to use a few tricks and tips. After all, the world of online shopping is a bit different than shopping in person.
If you’re looking for a good deal on your shipping and you’re shopping on Amazon, then you should probably think about getting a subscription to Amazon Prime. If you only plan to buy a few items with your gift card and then not use Amazon again for a while, you can safely disregard Prime.
But, if you’re planning on buying numerous items from Amazon and want to avoid paying higher fees for shipping, Prime is a good option. Not to mention, several items are eligible for two-day shipping with Prime, which is a great upgrade for impatient shoppers who use the service often.
When you’re using a gift card, see if you can find a way to get free shipping on smaller retailers’ sites. Often, if you order a high enough volume of items, you can qualify for free shipping. Sometimes, it can be cheaper to buy another small item to push your cart total above the free shipping threshold than it would be to get fewer items but pay full price for shipping.
This will vary based on the retailer. Some retailers only offer free shipping as a bonus for members, while others just have no option that waives the shipping fees. Do your research before you hit “buy now!”
Do you need every item to arrive within a few days of ordering it? If you don’t mind waiting a bit longer, you can often save big on your online orders. For instance, if you opt for standard two-week shipping, you can usually pay far less for shipping than you would for an expedited package.
As long as you’re ordering something you don’t need to have in hand in a short two days, it can be a good option for people on a budget to opt for slower shipping services. Just remember that you can always find a deal online if you look hard enough!