Have you ever wanted to try a product before you actually purchase it? If yes, then you might have been disappointed with the lack of options in this regard. However, Amazon direct shipping caters to the same.
In simple terms, Amazon direct shipping is a direct interaction between the seller and buyer. Here sellers send their products to buyers directly without involving Amazon in between. The products are directly shipped from the warehouse to the buyer.
Since Amazon is not involved, you cannot get products from Amazon as part of the direct shipping. Here we will tell you all about Amazon direct shipping and what all falls under it.
Table of Contents
Need for Amazon Direct shipping
First of all, you must understand why do sellers opt for Amazon direct shipping. The thing is that most of these sellers are based overseas and sell the products in US and UK markets. Wherever the seller is based, Amazon offers them inventory storage, transport, and warehouse facilities.
All these services come under the Fulfilment by Amazon service. Any business would find this access to warehouse facilities as a valuable asset to their business. But if Amazon is doing the storage and handling, it will charge a humongous fee for the same. If your business is still in the starting stage, the chances of you making a profit are rather slim. This, coupled with Amazon’s fees, makes the going difficult.
The fees that Amazon charges are based on the inventory the seller keeps in the warehouse. Often Amazon charges a long-term storage fee at the end of the financial year. This is apart from the monthly fees. In totality, it is a considerable amount to pay.
So, businesses decide to remove their inventory. That means customers get products for free. The only thing is that customers cannot contact the seller through the Amazon platform.
Difference between Dropshipping and Direct shipping
At present, you might have also heard of the term Dropshipping. Many users are turning it into a profitable business option for themselves. But there is a difference between both of them. For a consumer, maybe both of them are equal, but for a seller, they are quite the opposite to each other:
Dropshipping: It is when a seller purchases products from a supplier. Later he ships the same products to the buyers acting as a mediator.
Direct shipping: On the other hand, Amazon direct shipping is when the seller sends his own products directly to the customer.
Dropshipping is rather prominent these days. Graphic designers, artists, etc., just upload their art online. The website then prints it and sells as and when they receive orders for the same. Some websites want to sell their branded products online. They upload the same on a drop shipping company like Shopify. Now they don’t have to maintain the inventory yet can make a profit.
How often do customers receive Amazon direct ship freebies
Amazon direct shipping is the seller’s way of avoiding extra storage fees. Hence how often customers will receive their product will depend upon multiple factors like:
- The date on which amazon charges the storage fees- Sellers usually try to clear off the inventory before the last date of fee payment. This way, they can sell as many products and maximize their profit.
- The number of products they need to remove- Some sellers may have 5000+ products to sell-off. At the same time, there would be some who have a somewhat limited inventory to dispose of. The number of products you receive will be dependent on the same.
- The number of applicants for Direct shipping- The more the number of applicants to direct shipping, the lesser products you will receive. This is because the seller would equally divide all of them amongst all the customers.
- The time it takes to arrange shipping- The seller will have to arrange the shipping from the Amazon warehouse to your home. Naturally, such an extensive process may take time and decide how often they will send the products.
Is Amazon direct shipping legal?
After reading all this, you would want to know if this process of getting freebies is legal. Don’t worry; there is nothing wrong if you get free products. The sellers would have to pay a hefty fee in lieu of storing their products like this. For them, this is an easy way to get some loyal customers in return.
But you must still proceed over the same with caution. Avoid offering any extra personal information unless it is required. Also, doubly check the authenticity of each of the offers before you proceed further. The crux of the matter is being careful and protecting yourself from any scams.
Places from where you can get direct shipping offers
Now that we have aroused your curiosity, you will surely want to know how to proceed. You must look at the right places to get some direct shipping offers. Here are the sites where such offers are regularly posted:
Facebook groups
As a marketing tool, Facebook groups serve an extensive purpose. These groups help you collaborate with like-minded individuals. Plus you also get information about promotions that could be really helpful. If you face any difficulties in signing up for any offers, the group members rush to your help.
If you are entirely new to the Amazon direct shipping offers, start with Facebook groups. Do a quick search in the FB groups, and you will find plenty of options. The sellers post their forms on such groups. Pick up the sellers whose products evince your interest. Apart from sellers, other consumers also share any direct shipping offers they find elsewhere.
Another benefit of using these groups is that you get information on whether an offer for direct ship freebies is reliable or not. Some direct shipping offers are just scams to get your personal information. By being in such groups, you get notified of all such offers.
While you will get loads of groups offering you freebies, it is better to stick to the top few. Read the group rules before you join up. Such groups are heavily moderated, and your carelessness would lead to you being thrown from the group.
Freebie websites
The second-place you may look at is the Freebie website. You just have to type your requirement in Google search and get all the details. Some of the prominent websites offering such freebies are:
Internet Steals and deals– This is probably the biggest site in this category. At a given time, the site shows around 391 offers for you to browse. Apart from the amazon direct ship list, there is a lot of freebies content to have a look at. Even if you do not get any direct shipping offers, you can still bag other freebies. Basically, the site is a treasure of freebies, whichever way you like them.
Consumer queen– This excellent website has more than 100 offers on display. Once any form is closed, the administrators update the information. This saves you a lot of trouble. The site has been operating since 2008 and offers you tips on saving money online as well.
Gimmie Freebies– Operational for the last ten years, this is another perfect place to grab freebies. For each offer they list, you will get the form link, offer details, and how to join. You will have to go through each link to figure which one you are interested in.
Upfreebie– This website just has the link to many direct shipping offers. You will have to open each one of the forms and register. Once you do that, you will start receiving the freebies.
This is another place where freebies and direct ship amazon offers are shared in abundance. You may search the platform for the kind of offers you are looking for. The best part here is that you do not have to join the website to access the offers. Just browse through and access all the offers.
Use the search tab and write ‘direct shipping offers, ‘‘freebies, ‘and ‘Amazon direct shipping.‘ This will display all the related links for you to sort from. You could also join sub- Redditt’s, which have similar offers on display. But to do so, you will have to register on the website.
Again each sub-Reddit has a set of rules. Better read them before you associate with any of them. Plus, here, you will also get answers to some of the common queries in this regard. Check through these guides so that you do not end up making any mistakes. You can also save yourself from being scammed by just being a little careful.
How to fill a Direct shipping Google form
Most sellers use the Google form to get more buyers to sign up for their offers. All the seller needs is a Google account to create the form. After filling in all information they expect from buyers, the form is circulated online. Since the form is online, the seller can quickly access all the information you post. Adding your details in the form is relatively easy too.
Open the form and read all the options carefully. Some sellers may even ask for your social media handle details. Provide the same only if you do not mind receiving offers from the seller. You may also have to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Doing that will inform you of any future updates.
Do verify the authenticity of the form before entering your information. If the form has details asking for your banking information, then you must not fill the same. In case you found the form online, go to Facebook groups and ask if anyone else can verify whether it is reliable.
In any situation, do not mention your Social Security number anywhere on the form. If someone is asking you for the same, you must not fall into the trap. Also, avoid offering your credit card details to anyone else.
How to avoid facing any scams while opting for Direct shipping
Despite being careful, the chances of falling prey to an online scam remain relatively high. The number of people affected by identity thefts is rising considerably. If you share your details yourself, then you cannot blame anyone else for this identity stealing. Here are some valuable tips you can use to stay safe from Amazon direct shipping scams:
Give limited information– The most significant precaution you must take is providing only basic information in your form. Just include your name, email address, postal address, and telephone or mobile number. If you do not want to share your home address, you could add the P.O. address instead.
Set up a burner email address– If you provide your primary email address, it will be swarmed with future offers. To avoid that, create a burner email address just to get notifications related to direct shipping. Make sure this email address has none of your essential information linked to it. You could also use a secondary telephone number so as to not receive calls and messages at all times.
Avoid giving credit card information- When you open the form, you can have a look at the information required. In case the form has a row for any financial details like credit card number or bank account details, it is a red signal. This shows that the seller is operating a scam and is not legit at all.
Do your research-There is no sure shot way of knowing if the seller is genuine. You can still check for authenticity through Facebook groups and other forums. If users can vouch for the trustworthiness of the offer, you may fill the form. Even if a few users complain that their security was breached, stay clear from the offer.
What kind of products you can receive
There is no specific limitation to the type of products you may get. The reason for this is relatively simple. Amazon has lakhs of sellers offering their products for sale. Amazon itself has around 12 million products to sell. If you combine all the marketplace sellers, the amount reaches a staggering 353 million.
The freebies could be anything ranging from:
- Toys
- Clothes
- Beauty products
- Baby products
- Office items
- Household stuff
- Cleaning items
But since it is all free to use, you have nothing to complain about.
Why do some sellers want a signature on the delivery of the product
As part of direct shipping amazon, some sellers might actually ask you to sign before taking the product. This is usually a part of Amazon’s policy and is meant for high-value products. Apart from that, some sellers have to deal with certain untoward situations. Customers receive the freebies and claim that they have not. To avoid such fraud, certain sellers may ask you to sign on the delivery form.
Moreover, if a package is not claimed, the seller would have to pay return shipping costs. That is actually another burden for the seller as he is already fending on the shipping.
Do you have to review these products on Amazon?
Your next question obviously would be if you have to review these products on Amazon. The answer is a big NO. Writing any kind of review in exchange for freebies is clearly a violation of Amazon’s terms and conditions. You would not want Amazon to think that you are getting items in return for your reviews.
If there is any suspicion of your doing so, Amazon might terminate your account forever. You can, however, share your opinion through a Facebook post and add the Amazon product link there. This way, you may express your gratitude to the seller. Also, the seller may himself ask you to review the product on their website, which you can do. Amazon, however, should in no way get an idea of your contact with the seller.
Pros and cons of Amazon direct shipping
Amazon direct shipping is an innovative and beneficial concept. It serves a dual purpose and serves both customers and sellers. However, like everything, it also has its advantages and disadvantages. Let us have a quick look at them.
Pros
- You receive products for free. This means even the shipping cost is waived off—a totally beneficial situation for the customer.
- You can try out products before you actually buy them. This is without you having to spend any extra money.
- If you receive any extra items, you can either gift or resell them. Thus you make extra money without any investment from your side.
- You can always recheck the offers before you fill the form. Many forums provide only legitimate offers.
- There is no compulsion on you to fulfill any seller’s obligations. Once you receive the product, you are absolved of any responsibilities.
Cons
- You do not get the chance to decide which products you require. The products sent to you are entirely random, and you cannot even offer a recommendation.
- There is no way to know when you will receive the products. Usually, the seller does the shipping just before his fee payment date approaches. But you cannot find that date and be prepared for the items.
- Apart from that, there is no guarantee that you will receive the products or not. Sometimes the sellers are able to finish their inventory and do not have products to dispatch. You may keep waiting but get nothing despite filling the form.
- It is also possible that you get so many items that it is hard for you to manage them. This will usually happen when you sign up for many offers together. To avoid this, stick to a few offers and see how the products are provided to you.
- You should be wary of all the scams that could bother you. Scammers have a way to figure out your details, and therefore, discretion is vital.
Conclusion
For any layman consumer, Amazon direct shipping is an exciting way to grab some freebies. But at no point should you forget that there is always a danger of identity theft. Therefore though there is no harm in applying for such offers, we must be cautious. Apply only at places where you are absolutely sure that you will get the items delivered.
Sellers have to offload their stuff as it is, and adopting direct shipping saves them from paying extra storage fees. Most of them honor their commitment, but there are some who use direct shipping for scamming. It is this group of people you must stay away from.
If you are a newbie, taking suggestions from other FB group members will surely help. Do remember that receiving these freebies is a matter of luck. Sometimes a seller would send you numerous products. Still, there may be occasions when you might not receive anything at all. Keeping this fact in your mind will make it straightforward for you to deal with the direct shipping concept.
FAQ’s
Q 1 What are Amazon Direct shipping freebies?
Often sellers have extra inventory that they have to dispose of. Since they do not want to pay any additional fees, they ship it to interested customers. The only thing that you should remember here is that products come from sellers directly. Amazon does not come into the picture at all.
Q2 Which companies send their products?
It is the sellers on the Amazon marketplace who will ship you their products. The items they ship could include cosmetics, baby products, clothes, etc.
Q3 Are the freebies totally free?
Yes, these freebies are given to you absolutely free. You do not even have to provide the shipping costs. If you get extra items, you can always sell them to someone else.
Q4. What is the wait time for freebies?
There is no specific time duration in which you will receive your products. Sellers send these items when they have to offload their products quickly. Therefore no one can tell when they will ship your product. It is totally the seller’s call.
Q5. Should I offer any banking details?
In no situation, you should share your banking details in the form. If there is any seller who is asking for such information, avoid that offer. Mainly only sellers intending to spam you will ask for any such information. The only information you must share is your name, email address, address, and phone number.
