Can You Use a Product’s Coupon on Amazon?

 

Hey, y’all! Today, let’s talk about online coupons in the context of using them at Amazon. A topic that befuddles even the biggest of brains, ha ha.

 

When it comes to shopping for everyday items like groceries, clothing, toiletries, and other household items, one of the most popular retailers that probably 9 out of 10 of us would say is Amazon. Because of their convenient shipping services, vast array of products, and their super-competitive prices, Amazon, over the last nearly three decades, has become the go-to online shopping destination for many, if not most, of us.

 

But despite Amazon's growing popularity and huge user base, there is at least one thing they do that leaves me frowning a bit. And that is the fact that they do not accept manufacturer coupons. Does this drive any of y’all crazy, too? So why don’t they do this? And what kind of coupon system, if any, does Amazon use in lieu of a product’s manufacturer coupon? That’s exactly what we are going to explore today…

 

This article will discuss why Amazon does not accept manufacturer coupons, as well as explore their own coupon system: Amazon Coupons. We will take a look at how Amazon Coupons are different from traditional coupons and how you and I, their customers, can take advantage of them.

 

 

Amazon Coupons

 

One common misconception among many shoppers is that Amazon does not accept any type of coupon. While it is most certainly true that they do not accept manufacturer coupons, they actually do have their own coupon system in place. Amazon uses digital coupons, cleverly named…Amazon Coupons, ha ha. These are much the same as manufacturer coupons, in the sense that they can be used to save money while shopping online. But, honestly, the main difference with Amazon Coupons is hopefully pretty obvious; it is that they are specific to Amazon and can only be used when making purchases through Amazon’s platform (i.e., their website, mobile app, etc.).

 

Amazon Coupons are similar to traditional coupons in that they provide customers with pretty solid discounts on their final purchase price. The difference lies in exactly how they are distributed. Yup, rather than being available at physical outlets, those little flyers you get in your mailbox, etc., etc., Amazon Coupons are distributed digitally through their official website and mobile app. They can also be obtained via exclusive email offers directly from Amazon and, in some super-rare occasions, when there has been a partnership formed, you may get a few offers from third-party websites. But the latter, there, is quite rare, overall.

 

Third-Party Coupons

 

Often, when products are listed by third-party sellers on Amazon, the seller has their own pricing system, so the manufacturer coupon will not apply. The reason this happens is because the manufacturer has reached a deal with the seller directly, and, while Amazon allows them to list the product on their website, they simply will not recognize those third-party coupons from the manufacturer.

 

Manufacturer Coupons
 

Another reason why Amazon will not recognize manufacturer coupons is that it is against their terms of service. Amazon is focused on creating a convenient shopping experience, and they argue that allowing “outside” coupons would add an unnecessary layer of complexity to the process. They also are holding the line that, since coupons are unlimited, the seller would bear the brunt of the cost, anyway. And this ultimately would result in raising prices for all Amazon shoppers. No bueno.

 

 

More on Amazon Coupons

 

So, now that we know that Amazon is not in the practice of allowing the use of scary “outsider” coupons, let’s discuss more about their system and how you may be able to use it to save money when you are shopping on any of their platforms.

 

Amazon's coupon system works a bit differently than the traditional coupons you and I are used to, but it is still worth taking advantage of, no doubt. Instead of posting discounts or special offers in a physical format, as many stores do, Amazon offers coupon codes and discount codes that shoppers can apply to their orders and still save heaps of cash. This code can be input manually by the shopper (or they can “wishlist” and save items for future coupon codes) or automatically applied if they have the Amazon Cash Back program set up.

 

 

Subscribe & Save

 

Amazon also uses a "Subscribe & Save" system, which allows shoppers to schedule shipments of a particular item on a recurring basis. This system not only offers convenience, but it will also qualify the customer for additional discounts—usually around 15% savings on certain products. 

 

One of the best parts to Subscribe & Save is that you can cancel at any time with no financial repercussions. So, if one were so inclined to get that discount, they would just need to pick a frequency that is adequate for how often they need that product. If said product is about to ship and you do not need it quite yet, no problem! Just change the frequency or even just unsubscribe. You can always subscribe back when you have a better idea of your timeline frequency for needing that product! Boom!

 

 

Buy In Bulk

 

Finally, because of Amazon's inconceivably huge selection of items, shoppers are often given bundled packages that offer your favorite products in bulk for a really nice discount. This is especially true for Amazon Prime members. Buying in bulk is something you can do pretty much anywhere, that is true. But…

 

The cool thing about Amazon and how they operate is that you can stack a lot of these savings methods most of the time, whereas other retailers usually give you one method of savings and nothing more. Amazon has an added benefit of allowing many, or maybe even most, of these saving strategies to be used in unity. If you play the game with some intentionality, you can really do well. On more than one occasion, I have personally checked out on Amazon and paid nothing for what is in my cart. 100% true story.

 

Final Thoughts

 

In conclusion, Amazon does not accept manufacturer coupons for a variety of reasons, but that does not mean you won’t find any deals at all. They have their own system of coupons, discounts, and special offers that customers can take advantage of when shopping. Amazon Coupons are a great way to save money on a wide range of items, like books, electronics, and other random household items. Even if there is not a coupon available for the particular item you are looking for, there are almost always some type of discount and/or deal available, y’all!

 

Amazon also offers discounts via their Amazon Prime membership, which offers all kinds of benefits in terms of shipping, music streaming, and other features. Prime members get access to Amazon Coupons and discounts that non-Prime members simply do not, so it is always worth joining if you’re shopping often anywhere within the Amazon ecosystem. 

 

It’s also worth keeping in mind that coupons and discounts can be stacked, in many cases. Buying in bulk. And the list goes on. As I talked about earlier, if you use just the tiniest amount of strategy and do you shopping intentionally, you can almost always do better with Amazon’s many saving options vs. just using the traditional manufacturer product coupon we all have grown up with. Period.

 

Overall, the fact that Amazon does not accept manufacturer coupons shouldn’t put you off from shopping there…which I am sure it doesn’t, ha ha. Yeah, it might not be the most ideal or convenient way to save money, but using their available options may actually be more lucrative to your bottom line. In other words, there are still plenty of ways you can save tons of cash. Just make sure to keep an eye out for offers and take advantage of Amazon Coupons and the other discounts we have discussed here today. And you will def. be able to stretch your shopping budget to the max!

 

Thanks for reading and, until next time, happy shopping!