Online retail giant Amazon changed its threshold for free shipping and instead of paying $35 you'll have to spend a total of $49 to get free shipping.
The company may be trying to push more of its customers into signing up for a Prime account. Prime customers get free two-day shipping and unlimited music and video streaming, but have to pay $99 a year for a Prime subscription.
Shopping blogger Kyle James from rather-be-shopping.com said he's found ways to beat them at their own game.
Here are four ways to save on Amazon.com orders:
1. 7-day price protection
According to James, an Amazon chat representative said that they’ll give shoppers price protection for up to seven days after an item is delivered. In order to get it, you have to start a chat session and inform the rep that the price of an item has decreased since you purchased it. James said as long as the order was filled by Amazon and not a third party seller, you'll be refunded the price difference.
2. Amazon coupons
James said most shoppers he talks to don't know Amazon offers coupons. They have a little-known section on their site dedicated to coupons. Here's a breakdown of the most popular categories.
3. Trade-in unwanted stuff for Amazon gift cards
Amazon has a trade-in program that accepts unwanted items. According to James, it will automatically look through your old Amazon orders and tell you what items are worth. You can also sell things that you didn't buy from Amazon. The items have to be in working condition. Plus, Amazon will send you a pre-paid label for shipping!
4. Don't always trust search results
According to James, you should always browse through the “customers who bought this item also bought” carousel as well as the “sponsored products related to this item” section on the individual product page. You may find a cheaper version of the item, either sold by a third party or the manufacturer.
To see four more ways to save on Amazon.com, you can read James' blog.
