9 tips for shopping on Amazon this holiday season

If you want to take advantage of the many benefits of a Prime membership during the holiday season and beyond, now’s a great time sign up for savings, convenience, and entertainment all in one membership.

Anyone can join Prime for $14.99 per month or $139 per year, or start a free 30-day trial if eligible at amazon.com/prime. Additionally, 18-24 year-olds can try Prime for Young Adults with a six-month $0 trial at amazon.com/youngadult, then pay a discounted rate of $7.49 per month or $69 per year for a membership. Qualifying government assistance recipients and income-verified customers can get Prime Access for $6.99 per month at amazon.com/getprimeaccess.

More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store are from independent sellers—most of which are small and medium-sized businesses—providing a vast selection of amazing products, competitive prices, and convenience for consumers.

This holiday season, Amazon is making it easier than ever to shop small through the Small Business Holiday Shop. The shop features unique products from small businesses across a wide range of categories. Shoppers can look for the Small Business Badge and browse holiday gift guides to find one-of-a-kind gifts and can't-miss deals.

Customers can enjoy a 360-degree view of products, real-time tracking and delivery updates, and even get alerts when their saved items go on sale by using the Amazon app. Learn more.

Customers can find exactly what they’re looking for, instantly with Amazon Lens Live. Open Lens Live by clicking the camera icon in the search bar to scan and shop in real time, compare options, add to your cart or wishlist, and get quick insights from Rufus on each product.

Rufus—Amazon’s AI assistant for shopping—can help customers discover the perfect present for everyone on their list, making holiday shopping easier than ever before. Rufus is the ultimate shopping companion and can help customers navigate questions and recommendations on gifts, holiday décor, and even matching pajamas for the whole family.

With Alexa+, customers can get instant notifications when an item in your cart, wish list, or saved for later drops into your price range.

You can even ask Alexa to monitor for specific items and when they go on sale, she can seamlessly complete the purchase on your behalf, and send order details to your phone or email. Set it up once and shop confidently knowing you won't miss savings on those must-have gifts.

Subscribe & Save helps you never run out of the things you order most on Amazon.com. The program has no fees, and you can cancel or adjust your subscriptions at any time. You can even unlock extra savings—up to 15% off—on eligible subscriptions when you receive five or more subscriptions in one auto-delivery.

From detergent to toothpaste to dog treats, you can subscribe to all of your everyday essentials and take advantage of free delivery with Subscribe & Save.

Browse gift guides within the Holiday Shop to find low prices and gifts for everyone on your list, including trending items from top brands across more than 35 categories. While you’re at it, be sure to explore Amazon’s annual Toys We Love list.

Deals on Amazon are another great way to shop items at great prices. Visit the Today’s Deals page to find limited time promotions on products across Amazon, on everything from fashion to bedding to tech for great savings.

Our goal at Amazon is to make buying online—and returning—as easy as possible. We offer free, convenient returns on most items delivered in the U.S., and customers should look for the FREE Returns badge under the price to confirm it is a qualifying item.

Amazon offers easy, no-cost, and convenient returns, with options for no-box-or-label needed. Four out of five Amazon customers in the U.S. have at least one label-free, box-free return drop-off point within a 5-mile radius of their home. We offer more than 8,000 U.S. drop-off locations for label-free, box-free returns, including Amazon's physical stores such as Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Go, as well as partners like Staples, Kohl's, and The UPS Store. For the 2025 holiday season, most items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2025 can be returned through January 31, 2026. Apple-branded products purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2025 can be returned through January 15, 2026.