Four Top Amazon Buying Tips

Picnic_2

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet: If you're a student with an "NUS-Extra" Card, you get an extra 5% discount at Amazon. Just login to the NUS-Extra website http://www.nusextra.co.uk/discounts/amazon/ and they will e-mail you a promotional code that you can use at the "checkout" stage of your order. My parents and younger brother often ask me to buy things for them (they then refund me obviously!) so they can take advantage of my discount!

Footpather

littlescarlet wrote: »

Be really careful when buying 'used and new'. There can be some great bargains there from genuine sellers (like me!!) but because the postage is fixed per transaction, and there is no facility to combine postage, I was really stung when I first started buying. I bought several books on learning Spanish at 1p but because Amazon charges £2.75 PER ITEM for postage some of the books came and their list price was 99p, with postal costs of about 65p because they were so light, yet I paid £2.76. You do the math - I was pretty peeved. Some bargain etailers take very good advantage of this - be warned and remember that no book is ever cheaper than £2.76.

I got caught out the other way on this. I won some books and some of them didn't interest me so listed them on Amazon. Have sold several over a matter of time but I sold one last week that cost me £7.70 to post. I only got £7 for the book plus £2.75 postage less fees and vat, I will be credited with £7.19 so I have given the book away and lost a little money on it as well.

I emailed Amazon and they said I should have priced the book taking into account the postage but then it would never have sold anyway.

Oh well you live and learn.

ExiledWool

kabie wrote: »

If you go to the "help" menu, then "returns and refunds", press the "more" button and on the right there's "contact customer service by email".
Click here, sign in when prompted, select "other assistance" from the drop down menu: that's how I did it.

Found it - thanks Kabie :beer:

jo_b_2

Footpather wrote: »

I got caught out the other way on this. I won some books and some of them didn't interest me so listed them on Amazon. Have sold several over a matter of time but I sold one last week that cost me £7.70 to post. I only got £7 for the book plus £2.75 postage less fees and vat, I will be credited with £7.19 so I have given the book away and lost a little money on it as well.

I emailed Amazon and they said I should have priced the book taking into account the postage but then it would never have sold anyway.

Oh well you live and learn.

Hi Footpather.

As far as selling on Amazon Marketplace (rather than buying), you do tend to learn from your own mistakes!

Have a look at THIS THREAD for lots of useful advice and mutual support about selling your stuff on Amazon.

My top tip for buying on Amazon would be to check the marketplace for CDs (both new and used) as they start from 1p and P&P on CDs is only £1.24.

ExiledWool

ExiledWool wrote: »

Found it - thanks Kabie :beer:

£1 recovered - better in my pocket than theirs

PHILDAVIES4

Thanks for that Martin, Ive already claimed back £5!!
Very useful!

LameDuck

I am an amazon regular - 2 tips I have are steer clear of the marketplace have been bitten a couple of times so now only but direct from Amazon and 2. Always check your orders for the refund policy since finding out about it on this site I have claimed back about £80 in refunds - one yesterday for £8 on a PSP game which 3 hours later had gone back to its original price!!!!

shuggym

If you happen to be one of the lucky one's who is entitled to reclaim your VAT on all Amazon purchases Beware!

Dont just take their word for it that they have refunded you the correct amount of VAT, they seem to constantly refund in the region of 11% and not the UK 17.5%.

Bring it to their attention using the Email customer services link.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/contact-us/returns-and-refunds.html

Informing them the error of their ways and they normally refund the difference.

melbury

Thank you all so much for this thread, which I just happened to read this morning quite by accident.

I have checked the price of orders in the past, but did forget on my most recent order from Amazon. When I went onto the site I found that the two items purchased had dropped in price by a combined £16.77!!!

I immediately sent an email to them, holding my breath as 29 days have elapsed. Have just received confirmation email that the money wll be refunded. So I only just got my claim in on time. Will have to be more vigilant in future.

Thanks again everyone.

calleyw

shuggym wrote: »

If you happen to be one of the lucky one's who is entitled to reclaim your VAT on all Amazon purchases Beware!

Dont just take their word for it that they have refunded you the correct amount of VAT, they seem to constantly refund in the region of 11% and not the UK 17.5%.

Bring it to their attention using the Email customer services link.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/contact-us/returns-and-refunds.html

Informing them the error of their ways and they normally refund the difference.

Would not work on books anyway as they are vat free.

Yours


Calley