If there's one thing that people all love, it's free stuff. There’s nothing quite like getting something and having not to give anything in return.
Some of us get this feeling by opening gifts under the Christmas tree, while others wait to be surprised with free stuff at their doorstep after ordering something online. The great news is that Amazon Direct Ship is a great way to surprise yourself and receive free stuff - literally.
No, we are not talking about free shipping or handling fees here! We're talking about the kind of gifts you would expect to find under your Christmas tree: ones that you don’t have to pay for.
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In this article, we will show you how to make the most of your online shopping and receive free items from Amazon direct ship. We'll also speak about the scams that you need to avoid and how you can identify the real deals from the fake ones.
What Amazon Direct Ship is
Let's start with explaining what Amazon direct ship is.
Since many suppliers use Amazon to store and ship their products, they also must pay Amazon for storage space. Amazon charges a flat fee based on the weight and size of the product. A lot of suppliers use this to their advantage since they are based in various countries.
If they had to keep stock themselves and ship every order, it would end up costing them an exorbitant amount each time they had to fulfill an order.
The problem arises when the goods in question end up on Amazon's shelves for an amount of time that’s greater than what Amazon deems as fair. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as:
If a product is on Amazon's shelf for too long, the costs that Amazon charges suppliers for storage begin to pile up.
This is where Amazon Direct ship comes into play. At the point mentioned above, suppliers can opt to remove the product from Amazon and send it directly to people that have raised their hands and said that they’d like to receive such products.
This way, Amazon is removed from the equation in a couple of ways. Firstly, the products are no longer stored in their warehouse. Secondly, Amazon is no longer responsible for shipping the item - this means that you are dealing directly with the supplier.
Are Amazon direct ship deals real?
The short answer is yes - they are real. However, there are some things you need to watch out for. While Amazon direct ship deals are indeed real, you'll need to be extra cautious not to fall for a scam.
The first thing you should do is check the product page of the item in question, as well as Google to see if anyone else has managed to get this free good from a particular supplier.
If all of the sources you find are speaking positively about one supplier, it is more than likely that they are legit. If not, such suppliers might not be real and might be trying to take advantage of a seemingly good offer (we'll speak more about this later).
The difference between dropshipping and direct shipping
Before continuing, let’s have a look at the difference between these two terms that are widely used when it comes to Amazon. By understanding the difference between them, you’ll be better able to understand why Amazon direct ship can be a fantastic way to get your hands on free stuff.
Dropshipping is a method widely used on various eCommerce sites. Whether it’s eBay dropshipping or Amazon dropshipping, online retailers use this method to sell products without having to worry about stocking, storing, and shipping.
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In its essence, dropshipping is a sales model that allows businesses to have products drop-shipped from a supplier or wholesaler straight to the customers.
While there are many advantages of using dropshipping, as consumers, we don't get much insight when it comes to the differences between models such as dropshipping / Fulfilment by Amazon (here’s our guide if you’re a beginner to Amazon FBA) or even self-service.
In reality, as consumers, we only care about the end result - i.e. that the products that we order end up making their way to our doorsteps.
However, when it comes to direct shipping, things do become interesting for the consumers.
Since the supplier just wants to get rid of stock so as not to pay high fees to Amazon, consumers can get their hands on products for free.
However, there is only one problem with this - keep reading to find out what this is.
What can you get your hands on as a consumer using direct ship?
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Since Amazon has more than 350 million products, you can't really find out what suppliers are shipping to your doorstep with Amazon direct ship - that is, until the product arrives.
Some of the most famous Amazon categories include:
If you are OK with not knowing what you will end up getting when you take advantage of Amazon direct shipping, then this might be a great opportunity for you.
How long do products take to arrive?
This is another question to which the answer is, “it depends”. Since this method takes Amazon out of the equation, delivery time will depend on the seller as well as how urgently the items need to be passed on to the consumers (i.e. you).
If the seller isn't in a rush, you could be looking at waiting for weeks or even months to get your item.
On the other hand, if the supplier needs to make space for new products in Amazon's warehouse, they will prioritize these deals. If you are in luck and the supplier is in a rush, you could get your product within just a few days.
Legit suppliers using Amazon direct shipping
The key to making direct ship freebies work for you is in ensuring that the right direct shipping suppliers are used. Let’s explore a bit more what this means.
Even though there is a huge percentage of suppliers that are genuine and really do need to clear out space in Amazon’s warehouses, there are also tons of direct shipping scams out there. This means that you do need to do your research before proceeding.
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Legit amazon sellers receive tons of reviews (on sites other than Amazon - more on this in a sec) so you should do your research and find out if they have a good reputation. The best way to do this is by taking a look at some of the most popular direct ship Facebook groups that are used by Amazon customers.
One of the most commonly known groups is KC's direct ship freebies group.
In addition, the following groups are just some other great groups when it comes to finding products on Amazon directly shipped items:
What can you expect when using these Facebook groups?
This depends on how much work you want to put in but in general, you'll be seeing posts with free products that might interest you. People share their experience with products they got or ask questions about specific suppliers or items.
Doing your research means that you will avoid direct shipping scams and end up only with the best deals in hand.
How to be part of Amazon direct ship freebies
A quick Google search will reveal to you that there are not many resources out there when it comes to applying for direct shipping deals.
However, if you work your way through the best Facebook groups mentioned above and ask around on related forums, you should be able to get in touch with a seller or supplier looking for people to take up their direct ship offers.
These sellers are looking to get rid of excess stock, so they are likely to be quite responsive when you start getting in touch with them. These sellers will usually ask you to fill in a form so they can evaluate your interest in their direct ship offer.
They will then review your form before deciding whether you are someone that qualifies for their products - so you might have to wait for a while before hearing back.
If asked, it's also important that you are transparent about why you are interested in their products since some sellers only want people who really want the item and not just taking advantage of their direct shipping offers.
Identifying the real deals from the scams
As mentioned, one of the most important things to do when you get in touch with a direct shipping seller is to find out if their offers are indeed real.
If something seems off, it probably is - trusting your gut feeling and moving on can be a good idea. One key thing to look out for is the amount of detail required when you are filling in the forms mentioned in the previous point.
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The more questions you have to answer, the more likely it is that this is a scam.
If you are required to fill in any details related to a bank account, social security number, etc, then you are most likely looking at a scam - in that case, run.
Think about it - what were the details that you had to know the last time you wanted to ship something to someone?
The answer is probably a name, delivery address, email address, and maybe a phone number. Anything else is typically not required for shipping. This means that if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't worth proceeding with.
However, don't let potential scammers ruin your experience because direct shipping freebies are possible to get with enough research and effort put in!
Protecting yourself as best as you can
When filling out forms, make sure you are using a VPN - this will ensure that no one can steal your actual IP address and know where you live. Simply go to a good VPN provider site, read their reviews and select the one that suits your needs best.
In addition, it’s a good idea to use data that might not necessarily be ‘factually yours’ when filling up these forms.
What we mean is that when it comes to your address, setting up a PO box with your name is the safest option if you plan on filling up several different forms related to Amazon direct shipping.
On top of that, it's also possible to use a temporary or disposable email address for this purpose as well.
This way you avoid the possibility of having your personal email hacked by scammers since they will be getting an email address that you won't be using for anything else - and not your primary one.
The same can be said for your phone number. If you have a burner phone that you can use for this purpose, then why not?
What to do when you receive your products
Once you receive your products, you might be tempted to leave reviews that show your experience when it comes to the products that you received.
Before you do, you have to remember why you got the items in the first place - it was because the seller was looking to get rid of excess stock that couldn’t be sold through Amazon.
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This is a crucial point to remember so you need to think carefully before posting any reviews. If you do post reviews for something that you didn't buy, you are going against Amazon's TOS and could be banned from buying future products through Amazon.
Even though you might be grateful for the seller and the products that you got, you have to keep in mind that Amazon (naturally) frowns on activity that goes against their policies.
What you can do is go back to the direct shipping Facebook groups, websites, or seller pages. These were the pages that you would have initially used to confirm that the seller was actually genuine. On these pages, you can then post a review, telling others about your experience.
When you do that you are free to express your opinion without fear of repercussions because you won't be doing it through Amazon.
Apart from leaving reviews, you could also use the products you got for a good cause, donating them to charity, or even decide to become a reseller yourself. The possibilities are endless when you have the products in your hand.Amazon Direct Ship - FAQ
No, this is a legit way of getting your products for free. This is perfectly legal, ethical and doesn’t go against any of the policies set by Amazon (as long as you don't leave reviews on the actual site - as we mentioned before).
It depends. Based on the seller's urgency to get rid of their stock they might ship it to you instantly or they might take a few weeks.
You can leave reviews as long as they are not on Amazon's site. Since you are dealing directly with the seller, Amazon isn't involved and you are free to post reviews as long as they aren't on Amazon's platform.
That depends - some people have been very successful with this method and managed to get great products, while others might not be that lucky.
The key is doing your research and finding out where the best offers are (Facebook groups, sellers, etc). If you do that then yes, I can say that it's worth giving a go!
All you typically need is your full name, email, and delivery address. Typically those are the requirements when filling out forms.
As mentioned, if you are required to fill in extra details, be very wary about it because you might be getting yourself into a scam.
The answer to that question is definitely yes. While direct ship freebies might not be enough to start a fully-fledged business, they could definitely get you started and pointing in the right direction.
Selling on Amazon can become a full-time career once you understand the basics and fundamentals needed to make this work. In fact, selling both physical and digital products online has led to many people quitting their traditional jobs and focusing solely on this endeavor.
It is also one of the jobs that we mention in our post about the best self-employed jobs - we highly recommend that you check it out if you’re interested in learning more about this.Conclusion
In conclusion, Amazon Direct Ship is a great way to save money and get your hands on new products.
It's all legal and Amazon has no issues with it. As long as you stick to the rules and don't provide reviews on Amazon, everything will be good.
Taking advantage of Amazon Direct Shipping freebies can be a great way of getting some nice products for free.
Further Recommended Reading
If you’re interested in learning more about how to make it online, here are some further recommended articles to go through:
