Clever Amazon Prime Delivery Hacks (That You Had No Idea Existed)
With the over-hyped and under-delivered Amazon Prime Day, I figured it was time to share some lesser known tricks (or shopping hacks) at Amazon. Tricks that’ll be useful when an item shows up late, damaged, broken, or worse yet, doesn’t show up at all. You’ll be glad to know you have some recourse with the online retail giant, some of which can add up to significant money. Here’s what you need to know…
1. Prime Shipping Guarantee Not Met?
Amazon has guaranteed delivery dates and they try to meet them if at all possible, and they usually do.
But what happens if they don’t meet their Prime 2-day shipping guarantee?
After all, if they’re going to use the word “Guarantee” and charge you a $199 annual fee for the service, you absolutely have the right to hold them to this guarantee.
So if they don’t meet the guarantee, and your item arrives after 2 business days, you can contact customer service and hold their feet to the fire.
Politely explain the situation via live chat, or a phone call, and depending on the order size, they’ll typically give you a $5 credit, a $10 credit, or a 1-month Prime membership extension.
2. Broken or Damaged Item? Get a Free Replacement
There is nothing more frustrating than placing an order online only to have the item show up at your door broken or damaged.
Whether it’s the fault of the person who boxed the item at an Amazon warehouse, or a lazy delivery person who decides to shot-put your package from 20 feet, Amazon has your back.
Simply tell a customer service rep about the problem and if the item is valued at less than $50, they’ll typically send you a replacement without having you ship the original item back.
Better yet, they’ll often send it via overnight shipping if you ask for it.
Keep in mind that this works only for items sold directly by Amazon.
If you bought it from a 3rd party seller, you’ll have the option of getting your money back or getting a replacement in 3-4 business days.
3. Item Late or Never Showed Up?
If you order something from Amazon, and for whatever reason the item has not shown up after 3-4 business days, you have some surprisingly good recourse.
Simple contact Amazon customer service, explain the situation, and they’ll typically upgrade the shipping to “next-day” if the item hasn’t left their warehouse, or create a replacement order post-haste if it got lost in transit.
Ask the Reader: Have you ever used any of these Amazon shopping hacks when they didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, or maybe your order got lost or damaged? Or do you consider these tips to go over the “proper etiquette” line?
By Kyle James
I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)
