Blog

Have you ever looked at your overstuffed closet or garage full of unused items and thought, there must be a way to turn this into cash? Or perhaps you have an idea for a new product you believe people will love. In either case, selling on Amazon is a powerful way to reach millions of potential customers. It might seem a bit complex at first, but breaking it down into simple steps makes the process much more approachable.

Choosing Your Selling Path on Amazon

The first decision you need to make is how you want to sell. Amazon offers two main paths. The first is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where you send your products to Amazon’s warehouses, and they handle the storage, packing, shipping, and even customer service for you. The second is Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), where you store and ship all the items yourself. FBA is fantastic for hands-off scaling, while FBM gives you more control over the entire process.

Setting Up Your Seller Account

Getting started requires creating a professional selling account. You will need some basic information handy, like your bank account and credit card details for fees, a government-issued ID, and your tax information. Amazon will guide you through the setup, which is a straightforward process. Think of it as opening a shop front; this account is your key to the marketplace.

Finding the Right Products to Sell

What you sell is one of the most important choices you will make. If you are clearing out your home, this is easy—you are selling what you already have. For those looking to build a business, it is about research. Look for items that are in demand but do not have an overwhelming amount of competition. Use Amazon’s own bestseller lists and research tools to find a niche that fits your interests and has profit potential.

Crafting Listings That Convert

Once you have your product, you need to present it well. A great listing includes clear, high-quality photos from multiple angles, a descriptive title that includes key search terms, and bullet points that highlight the main features and benefits. Your description should tell the customer exactly why they need this item. Good listings answer customer questions before they even have to ask.

Your Launchpad to Amazon Sales

Selling on Amazon is a journey that begins with a single step. By choosing your fulfillment method, setting up your account, selecting your products carefully, and creating excellent listings, you lay a strong foundation for success. It is a process of learning and adjusting, but with a gentle and consistent approach, you can turn your items or ideas into a steady stream of sales.

If you’ve ever been about to check out on Amazon and seen the promise of free two-day shipping, you’ve likely wondered about the cost of an Amazon Prime membership. It’s a question many shoppers ask as they weigh the benefits against the monthly or annual fee. The price isn’t a single number, as Amazon offers a few different plans to fit different lifestyles and budgets.

Let’s break down the cost so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.

The Standard Prime Membership Cost

For most individuals, a standard Amazon Prime membership is priced at $14.99 per month. Alternatively, you can choose to pay for a full year upfront, which costs $139 per year. Opting for the annual plan is like getting almost two months free compared to the monthly rate. This membership is all-inclusive, covering one adult account with a full suite of benefits.

Other Prime Membership Options

Amazon provides flexibility with a couple of other plans. If you are a student with a valid .edu email address, you can get Amazon Prime Student for a six-month trial at no cost. After the trial, it’s just $7.49 per month, which is half the standard monthly rate.

For households, there’s also a Household feature. A standard Prime member can share most of their shipping, video, and photo storage benefits with one other adult in their home at no extra charge, which can be a great way to split the value.

What Your Prime Membership Includes

When you pay for Prime, you’re getting much more than just fast shipping. Your fee gives you access to a whole bundle of services. This includes the famous free two-day and even same-day shipping on millions of items. You also get access to Prime Video for streaming movies and TV shows, Prime Music for ad-free music, and free books each month with Prime Reading. It’s this combination of perks that makes the membership valuable for many people.

Is an Amazon Prime Membership Worth It?

Whether Prime is worth the cost really depends on your shopping and entertainment habits. If you shop frequently on Amazon and take advantage of the free, fast shipping, the fee can easily pay for itself. When you add in the value of the entertainment benefits like video and music streaming, the membership becomes an even stronger proposition for many households.

Ultimately, the cost of an Amazon Prime membership is an investment in convenience and entertainment. By looking at your own habits and comparing them to the bundle of benefits, you can make a confident decision about joining.

Have you ever rushed through an Amazon checkout only to realize your new purchase is heading to your old apartment? Or perhaps you need a birthday gift sent directly to a friend across the country. It happens to the best of us, but thankfully, changing your shipping address on Amazon is a straightforward process.

Whether you need to correct a simple mistake or manage multiple delivery locations, Amazon provides the tools to ensure your packages arrive exactly where you want them. Let’s walk through the simple steps to update your information and avoid any delivery day surprises.

Before You Place Your Order

The easiest time to change your shipping address is right before you finalize your purchase. As you proceed through checkout, look for the “Ship to this address” section. Here, you can select a previously saved address from the dropdown menu or choose the option to “Add a new address”. You can enter all the details for the new location, save it for future use, and then select it to complete your order. It’s the most direct way to handle a one-time change.

Correcting an Address After Ordering

If you’ve already placed an order, don’t worry. You can often still change the shipping address as long as the item hasn’t entered the shipping process. Go to “Your Orders” from the account menu. Find the order you need to modify and click “View order details.” If the option is available, you will see a button to “Change Delivery Address.” Please note that this is not possible for all items, especially those that are prepared for shipment very quickly.

Managing Your Address Book

For long-term management, it’s a good idea to keep your address book tidy. You can access this by going to “Your Addresses” in your account settings. From this page, you can add new addresses, edit existing ones, or remove old locations you no longer use. You can also set a default shipping address, which Amazon will automatically select during checkout, saving you time.

A Quick Tip for Prime Members and Gifts

If you’re sending a gift, always double-check the address at checkout. For frequent shippers, especially Prime members, taking a moment to verify the “Ship to” location before clicking “Buy Now” can prevent a lot of hassle. It’s a simple habit that ensures your purchases end up in the right hands every single time.

With these tips, managing your Amazon shipping addresses is simple. Keeping your address book updated ensures a smooth and reliable shopping experience, letting you shop with confidence.

When you think of a massive global company, Amazon is often one of the first names that comes to mind. From its humble beginnings as an online bookstore, it has grown into a colossal force in e-commerce, cloud computing, and logistics. A big part of what makes this giant tick is its workforce. The number of people working at Amazon is a figure that’s constantly in motion, reflecting the company’s immense scale and seasonal demands.

The Scale of Amazon’s Workforce

As of the end of 2023, Amazon reported having approximately 1.525 million full-time and part-time employees worldwide. This number solidifies its position as one of the world’s largest private employers. To put that into perspective, that’s a population larger than many major cities. This vast team is spread across hundreds of fulfillment centers, corporate offices, data centers for Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Whole Foods Market locations.

Where Do All These People Work?

Amazon’s workforce is incredibly diverse in terms of roles and locations. A huge portion of employees work in the company’s fulfillment and transportation network. These are the people in warehouses who pick, pack, and ship your orders, as well as the drivers who deliver them. Another significant segment works in the corporate sphere, handling everything from software development for Alexa and AWS to marketing and finance. After acquiring Whole Foods Market in 2017, Amazon also gained over 90,000 employees in the grocery retail sector.

A Look at Seasonal Hiring Spikes

It’s important to note that the employee count isn’t static. The number you often see in official reports is a snapshot from the end of the year. During the holiday rush, from October to January, Amazon goes on a massive hiring spree to handle the surge in orders. In recent years, the company has hired hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers for this period. This temporary influx can cause the total headcount to swell dramatically before settling back down in the new year.

What This Number Means for You

Understanding the size of Amazon’s workforce helps explain the company’s capabilities. That immense pool of talent is what enables fast shipping through a complex logistics network, powers the cloud services that run much of the internet, and drives constant innovation in smart home technology. It’s a direct reflection of the company’s mission to be the “Earth’s most customer-centric company,” with a human engine working to make it happen.

In the end, the number of people at Amazon is more than just a statistic. It’s a testament to the company’s global reach and the intricate human network required to deliver the convenience millions of customers have come to rely on.

You’re at the checkout on Amazon, ready to buy that new book or gadget, and you think, “Can I just use Apple Pay here?” It’s a great question. Many of us love the convenience and security of Apple Pay for in-store and in-app purchases, so it’s natural to want that same ease when shopping online. Let’s clear up how it works on the world’s largest online store.

The Simple Answer About Apple Pay and Amazon

As of now, you cannot use Apple Pay directly on the Amazon website or in its main shopping app. Amazon has not integrated Apple Pay as a standard payment method. The platform primarily relies on its own payment system, Amazon Pay, along with credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards. While this might be disappointing, there are still ways to use your Apple Pay-linked cards for your Amazon purchases.

How to Use Your Apple Card on Amazon

If you want to use a card that’s stored in your Apple Wallet, like the Apple Card, the process is straightforward. You simply need to add the card details to your Amazon account manually. Open your Wallet app, select your Apple Card, and tap on the three dots to find the card number. You can then copy this information and add it as a new credit card in your Amazon payment options. This way, you can still earn your Daily Cash back on purchases.

Making Purchases Through the Amazon App on Your iPhone

While the main Amazon app doesn’t support Apple Pay, your iPhone itself offers a clever workaround. If you are using the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad to visit Amazon.com, you can use Apple Pay during checkout if the site supports it. More importantly, when you make in-app purchases within other mobile apps or games that use Amazon Pay as their payment processor, you often can select Apple Pay as your method. So, the functionality is there, just not on Amazon’s own storefront.

Other Secure Payment Options on Amazon

Amazon provides several other secure and convenient ways to pay. You can securely save your credit or debit card information for faster checkout. Amazon also offers the option to pay with a checking account, use monthly installment plans for eligible items, or even check out with an Amazon gift card balance. Their system is designed to be just as secure as any other major retailer.

So, while you can’t tap to pay with Apple Pay on Amazon just yet, you have plenty of reliable options. The easiest method is to manually add your preferred card from your Apple Wallet to your Amazon account. This lets you shop with ease while still using your favorite payment card.

Who doesn’t love getting something for free? When it comes to a giant marketplace like Amazon, you might be surprised at the number of legitimate ways you can get products without spending a dime. It’s not about secret loopholes, but rather about knowing where to look and how to participate in programs Amazon already offers.

From testing new products to leveraging credit card rewards, there are several paths to scoring free items. Let’s walk through some of the most effective and safe methods you can start using today.

Join Amazon Vine for a Chance to Review Products

Amazon Vine is an invitation-only program where trusted reviewers receive free products from participating vendors. The goal is to generate early, honest reviews for new items. You can’t apply directly, but building a reputation for writing high-quality, helpful reviews on the platform can increase your chances of receiving an invitation over time.

Become a Product Tester

Many sellers are eager for feedback and will offer free or heavily discounted products in exchange for a review. You can find these opportunities by searching for “Amazon review groups” on social media platforms or by checking seller websites directly. Always remember that you must follow Amazon’s review guidelines, which require you to disclose that you received the product for free or at a discount.

Earn Free Gift Cards with Rewards Programs

While not a direct way to get a physical product, earning free Amazon gift cards is a fantastic alternative. You can accumulate credit through various reward apps and websites that pay you for completing surveys, watching videos, or shopping through their portals. Once you have enough credit, you can essentially shop for “free” on Amazon.

Maximize Your Credit Card Perks

If you have an Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card or similar, you can earn points on your everyday purchases that are redeemable as statement credit on Amazon. This effectively makes a portion of your Amazon shopping free, funded by your regular spending. It’s a simple way to turn your grocery bill into a new book or kitchen gadget.

Keep an Eye Out for Lightning Deals and Promotions

Sometimes, sellers will run promotions where an item is listed for $0.00 for a very short time, often to boost its ranking and visibility. Using camelcamelcamel or other price trackers can help you monitor items, but catching these deals requires speed and a bit of luck.

Getting free things from Amazon is absolutely possible with a little patience and know-how. The key is to focus on legitimate methods that provide value back to the community, like writing thoughtful reviews or participating in reward programs. Happy hunting!

Every time you search for a product or browse categories on Amazon, the platform takes note. This browsing history helps Amazon recommend items you might like, creating a personalized shopping experience. But sometimes, those suggestions can feel a bit too personal, or you might simply want to clear your digital footprint for privacy. The good news is that managing this data is straightforward.

Why Clearing Your Amazon History Helps

There are a few great reasons to clear your browsing history. If you share an account with family, it keeps surprise gifts a secret. It also gives you a fresh start with product recommendations, clearing out old interests and making room for new ones. Most importantly, it’s a simple step toward taking control of your personal data and privacy on a site you likely use often.

Steps to Clear Your Browsing History on a Computer

Start by going to Amazon.com and logging into your account. Hover over ‘Account & Lists’ in the top right corner and click on ‘Browsing History’. You’ll land on a page showing all the items you’ve recently viewed. To remove a single item, simply click the ‘Remove from view’ button below its image. If you want to clear everything, look for the ‘Manage history’ dropdown on the right. Click it and select the option to Remove all items from view. A confirmation pop-up will appear, and once you confirm, your history will be wiped clean.

How to Do It on the Amazon Mobile App

The process is just as easy on your phone. Open the Amazon app and tap the three-line menu icon. Scroll down and select ‘Browsing History’. Here, you’ll see your list of recently viewed items. To delete one, simply swipe left on the item and tap ‘Remove’. To clear your entire history, tap the three dots (often in the top right) and select ‘Clear all browsing history’. Confirm your choice, and you’re all set.

A Note on Your Browsing and Search History

It’s helpful to know that Amazon keeps two types of histories. Your Browsing History is the list of products you’ve clicked on. Your Search History is the record of what you’ve typed into the search bar. Clearing one does not clear the other. If you want a completely clean slate, you’ll need to manage both sections separately within your account settings.

Taking a moment to clear your Amazon browsing history is a quick and effective way to refresh your shopping experience and maintain your privacy. It puts you in the driver’s seat of your own data.

We’ve all been there. That moment of excitement when an Amazon package arrives, followed by a pang of disappointment when the item isn’t quite right. Maybe the shoes are the wrong size, the gadget is faulty, or it just doesn’t look the same as it did online. Don’t worry, returning an item to Amazon is a surprisingly straightforward process designed to get you a quick refund or replacement.

Starting Your Return from Your Orders Page

The entire return process begins in your Amazon account. Navigate to “Your Orders” page, where you’ll see a list of your recent purchases. Find the item you need to send back and click the “Return or replace items” button next to it. Amazon will then guide you through a few simple steps, asking for the reason for the return. Your reason can sometimes affect the return options available to you.

Choosing Your Preferred Return Method

This is where Amazon’s flexibility shines. You’ll typically be presented with several convenient ways to send your item back. A popular and easy option is dropping the item off at a nearby Kohl’s, Whole Foods, or UPS Store. Often, you don’t even need to pack it in a box—just bring it and the QR code Amazon provides. Alternatively, you can schedule a pickup from your home or drop it off at a UPS location yourself. Amazon will provide a pre-paid return label for these methods.

Packing Your Item Securely for Its Journey

To ensure your return is processed smoothly, it’s important to pack the item securely. Place it in its original packaging if possible, along with any parts, manuals, or tags. Then, put that box inside a larger shipping box with some protective cushioning, like bubble wrap or packing paper. If you’re using a label, be sure to seal the box well and attach the label clearly on the outside, covering up any old shipping labels.

What to Expect After You Drop Off Your Return

Once your return is on its way, you can relax. You can track the status in your “Your Orders” section. Amazon will process your refund within a few days of receiving the item. The timing of the refund appearing in your account depends on your original payment method, but it’s usually quite fast, especially if you opted for an Amazon gift card refund.

Returning an item doesn’t have to be a hassle. With multiple easy drop-off options and a clear, step-by-step process online, Amazon makes it simple to correct a shopping misstep and get you what you really want.

You’ve just placed an order on Amazon, and then it hits you—you sent it to your old address. Don’t worry, it happens more often than you think. The good news is that changing your shipping address is often a quick process, but timing is everything. Let’s walk through how to get your package headed to the right place.

Act Quickly to Update Your Shipping Details

The most important factor is how soon you make the change after placing your order. Amazon’s system begins processing orders almost immediately. If your order is still in the "Shipping Soon" stage, you’re in luck. Head to "Your Orders," find the item, and look for the option to "Change Shipping Address." This is the simplest and most direct way to correct the mistake before your item enters the shipping pipeline.

When You Can’t Change the Address Yourself

If the "Change Shipping Address" button is grayed out or missing, it means your package is already being prepared for shipment. At this point, the system won’t allow self-service changes. But all is not lost. Your best course of action is to contact Amazon Customer Service directly. They have more tools at their disposal and may still be able to intercept the shipment or help you redirect it, especially if it’s being shipped by Amazon.

Managing Deliveries with Amazon’s Tracking Tools

For packages that are already on their way, use the tracking information in your order details. If you have a Amazon Logistics delivery, you might see options for "Track Package" where you can sometimes see delivery instructions or access features like Amazon Key to guide the driver. For a package sent to a previous address, you can also try using the "Your Addresses" section in your account settings to ensure your default shipping address is correct for future purchases.

A Simple Step to Prevent Future Mix-ups

To avoid this situation altogether, take a moment to double-check your shipping address at checkout. Amazon allows you to select from saved addresses, so make sure the correct one is chosen before you click "Place your order." You can manage and delete old addresses from your address book to keep things clean and simple.

While changing an Amazon order’s address requires swift action, it’s often a manageable task. By acting fast and knowing your options, you can usually ensure your purchases find their way home.

We’ve all been there. That package arrives from Amazon, you tear it open with excitement, and then… it’s not quite right. Maybe the shoes are the wrong size, the gadget is defective, or it just wasn’t what you pictured. Don’t worry, returning an item on Amazon is a process designed to be as painless as possible.

With a few clicks, you can often have a return label printed and a refund on its way. The exact steps can vary slightly depending on the item and the reason for the return, but the core process is straightforward. Let’s walk through how to get that item back and your account credited.

Starting Your Return in Your Orders

The entire return process begins in your Amazon account. Navigate to “Your Orders,” which you can find by hovering over the “Account & Lists” section at the top right of any Amazon page. Here, you’ll see a list of your recent purchases. Find the item you need to send back and click the “Return or replace items” button next to it.

Selecting Your Return Reason and Method

Amazon will then ask you to select a reason for the return from a dropdown menu. Your choice here can affect the return options available to you. For instance, a return based on an item being defective might offer different shipping choices than a return for an unwanted gift. After selecting the reason, you’ll choose your preferred return method, such as dropping it off at a nearby locker, a Kohl’s store, or a UPS location.

Packaging and Dropping Off Your Item

Once you’ve completed the online steps, Amazon will provide you with a return label and any specific instructions. In many cases, you don’t even need a box—just tape the label over the original product box. For items that are not hazardous or fragile, you can often drop them off at a designated location without any packaging at all. Keep any email confirmations until you receive your refund, just to be safe.

What to Know About Refunds and Exchanges

Your refund is typically processed a few hours after the carrier scans your return package. The timing for the funds to appear in your bank account or as an Amazon gift card balance depends on your original payment method. For exchanges, the process is similar, but Amazon will ship the replacement item as soon as your return is initiated in some cases.

Returning something on Amazon is a system built for convenience. By following these simple steps through your account, you can resolve your issue quickly and get back to finding the perfect product for you.