7 Expert Tips For Getting the Best Deals on Amazon This Holiday Season

I’m a sucker for a good deal, especially during the holiday season. In years past, I have gotten almost all of my deals on Zulily (see Zulily-specific tips below) and Amazon. You can get some really good deals on Amazon via their lightning deals, and they feature thousands daily, but you can get a little overwhelmed (and waste time) if you don’t plan. Here are some good tips for the getting the best deals on Amazon.

If you don’t have Amazon Prime, sign up for the free trial ahead of time so that you can get early access to the prime deals. If you have already signed up for the free trial in the past, sign up your spouse, or sign up for Amazon Family if you are eligible.
Make a list of the things you are looking for so that you don’t end up buying a lot of things that aren’t on your list.
When you start your day (or even the night before), go to Today’s Deals and then click on “upcoming” and narrow down to the category you want (I often narrow down to just toy deals)
Make a note of when the deal starts and set a timer on your phone so you don’t forget (You will want to set your timer for about 10-20 minutes before it starts so that you can be ready to add it to your cart the moment the deal goes live). It’s also a good idea to add the item to your cart ahead of time to save you that extra step. The price will usually update when the deal is live (but make sure that it does).
Make sure you already have your payment settings updated so that you just have to click add to cart and then purchase.
Join the Waitlist. Don’t get discouraged if something is 100% claimed, oftentimes if you quickly join the waitlist, you can still score the item, just stay on Amazon for a little bit to see if you get alerted. Many people change their minds, so join the waitlist!
If you download the Amazon App, not only will you get a $5 Amazon credit, but you can set alerts for certain deals.

**If you are pregnant, now is a good time to sign up for an Amazon Registry so that you can get holiday pricing on your baby gear, combined with the registry discount.

Zulily-Specific Tips

I have also scored many awesome deals (well below Amazon sometimes) on Zulily, but you need to follow these tips:

Only buy from trusted brands. If you have never heard of the brand before, look up ratings on Amazon or elsewhere. Because Zulily doesn’t accept returns doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them, just make sure you know what you are buying. My first experience on Zulily I bought a generic “kids guitar” and it was crap, and obviously straight from China. Had I let that ruin my experience with Zulily, I would have missed out on subsequent deals. Watch for awesome brands.
Take advantage of the shipping deal. Zulily offers free shipping for the rest of the day once you have made a purchase. They also offer lower shipping for lower amounts of items. So if you are buying more than one item, buy the smallest item first (cheapest shipping) and then buy the other items with the free shipping you are awarded with!
Returns. Don’t let the “no returns” scare you away. There have been a couple times that I wasn’t 100% satisfied, and they were quick to fix things. They have awesome customer service (and no, I am not being paid to say that).

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Tina M

I'm six-foot tall mother of three and I'm enjoying the view! I'm currently fighting a battle with Lyme disease and am determined to come out victorious. I enjoy warm summer rain, peanut butter everything, having dance parties with my husband and kids, natural remedies and healthy living. Most days I'm just looking for another excuse to avoid the piles of laundry.