Amazon delivery fees are annoying. £4.99 for something you could get in 5 days for free? Here's how to never pay for delivery again.
Free Delivery Threshold: £25
Orders over £25 = free standard delivery (3-5 working days). Under £25 = £4.99 delivery fee.
Hack: If your order is £22, add a £3 item to hit £25. You've saved £1.99 and got an extra item.
Amazon Prime: 30-Day Free Trial
Prime gives unlimited free next-day delivery. If you have a big order coming up, sign up for the free trial, place your order, cancel before 30 days.
Student Prime: 6 months free (vs 30 days), then £47.49/year (half price).
Subscribe & Save: 5-15% Off + Free Delivery
Subscribe & Save items get:
- 5% off with 1 subscription
- 10% off with 5+ active subscriptions
- Free delivery (no £25 minimum)
Hack: Subscribe, get the first delivery, cancel the subscription. You've saved 5-15% and got free delivery.
Works on toiletries, pet food, cleaning products, vitamins, etc.
Amazon Locker: Free Collection
Select "Amazon Locker" at checkout. Your order is delivered to a locker (train stations, supermarkets, petrol stations). Collection is free, no delivery fee.
Plus: Your parcel doesn't get stolen from your doorstep.
Amazon Fresh / Morrisons Delivery
Prime members get free grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh or Morrisons when you spend £40+.
Non-Prime: £3.99 delivery fee (still cheaper than Ocado).
Pantry Discontinued (RIP)
Amazon Pantry used to offer free delivery on bulk grocery orders. It's been discontinued. Use Subscribe & Save instead.
Combine Orders to Hit £25
If you're buying multiple items over a few days, add them all to your basket and check out once. One big order = free delivery. Multiple small orders = £4.99 each.
Amazon Business Account (Free)
Sign up for Amazon Business (free, doesn't require a registered company). Some items have lower prices on Business accounts, and you get:
- VAT-exclusive pricing (if you're VAT-registered)
- Bulk discounts
- Free delivery on some business items
Worth trying if you're buying office supplies or tech.
Free Returns = Another Way to Avoid Fees
Amazon offers free returns on most items. If you order something and decide you don't want it, return it at no cost.
Drop-off locations:
- Amazon Lockers
- Post Office
- WHSmith
- Co-op stores
No printing required - show the QR code on your phone.
Amazon Warehouse: Open-Box Deals
Amazon Warehouse sells returned, refurbished, or open-box items at 15-50% off. These often qualify for free delivery (if over £25).
Everything still has the same return policy. It's legit.
Add-On Items (The Annoying Exception)
Some cheap items are marked "Add-on Item" - they only ship with orders over £25. You can't buy them alone.
Example: £1.50 phone case marked "Add-on Item." You need to add £23.50 of other stuff to check out.
Workaround: Buy from a third-party seller on Amazon (not "Sold by Amazon"). Third-party sellers don't have the Add-on restriction.
Lightning Deals: Free Delivery Included
Lightning Deals (limited-time offers) almost always include free delivery, even if under £25.
Check the "Today's Deals" page daily for these.
Black Friday and Prime Day
During big sale events, Amazon often waives delivery fees entirely. Even orders under £25 get free delivery.
If you're not in a rush, wait for Prime Day (July) or Black Friday (November).
Cashback on Amazon
Click through TopCashback or Quidco before ordering. Amazon offers 1-3% cashback (rare but worth checking).
CodeLand Amazon Tracker
We track Amazon Lightning Deals, Subscribe & Save promotions, and free delivery hacks. When Amazon runs a "no minimum spend" delivery promo, we post it.