When it comes to shopping online, there is one name that dominates the market: Amazon.com.
In reality, the online retail giant is actually not just one site - there are 13 country-specific Amazon stores. However, that means that there are plenty of places that don’t have access to their own Amazon store.
Then, there’s the original - Amazon US.
There is any number of reasons you might want to shop from Amazon US and ship internationally. You may not have access to Amazon. Or perhaps you’re looking for something that your country’s Amazon doesn’t have.
Depending on where you live, you may also find that certain goods are cheaper on Amazon US than on your own. While it’s important to make sure that you calculate shipping costs on top of any bargains you might be receiving.
In this article, we’re going to cover the ins and outs of how to shop from Amazon US and ship internationally, including how Forwardme can help save you time and money.
How to buy from Amazon US
So now that you understand a little bit more about how Amazon works internationally, it’s time to look at how to access Amazon US.
Although the individual storefronts are curated, there isn’t anything actually stopping you from buying from Amazon US - no matter where you live in the world.
If your web browser automatically relocates you to your location-specific Amazon store, there is a super-easy way around this.
All you need to do is to navigate to Amazon’s Select Country page. Once you’re here, you can specify the country and region website, in order to see what’s on offer.
However, the prices that you see in the store may be affected by the amount you pay for shipping and any import taxes.
Another factor comes in the form of US State Sales Tax. This can dramatically alter the cost of goods - but read on to find out how we can help mitigate that cost.
How do you get a US Amazon account?
If you’ve already got an Amazon account, then you’ll be able to just log in to your account and then adjust the country using the previous step.
So you don’t need to make a specific Amazon US account unless you don’t have an Amazon account at all.
You’ll find that navigating the site works in the exact same way that it does in any country’s Amazon, so while the options might be different, all of the navigation should seem familiar.
International Shipping from Amazon US
The truth of Amazon is that you’ll very likely be able to order from Amazon US and have it delivered internationally. But for a price.
While you can access the store, there’s absolutely no guarantee that every option will be available for your location. On the shop item itself, it will specify next to the ‘In Stock’ or 'Out of Stock' option whether or not it can be shipped internationally.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be cheap.
There are several reasons that the cheap item price may end up costing more than you think. Physical goods sent internationally may be subject to duty and sales taxes applied on top.
Then there’s the extra shipping cost, for international delivery. As Amazon isn’t particularly interested in encouraging people to shop from international stores, the cost of their international packaging may be far more expensive than courier costs.
Finally, the currency conversion can have charges if your bank account incurs costs for the conversion.
Once you’ve factored in all of these extra charges, it might not seem like the best deal that you expect it to be.
Cheaper ways to shop at Amazon US
Perhaps the cheapest way to shop from Amazon US and ship internationally is to have a US address to ship it to. Having friends or family in the US can make it cheaper to buy and ship goods internationally from Amazon US.
But if you don’t have this kind of access, you don’t have to go without it.
Forwardme can provide you with a permanent US street address that’s yours, and free for life. Not only that but as your address is registered in Delaware, you’ll enjoy 0% sales tax on your purchases.
Import taxes and duties will be worked out and paid upfront, so there are no hidden surprises once you’ve placed your order.
We work with some of the best international shipping firms - FedEx, DHL, USPS, and Aramex, so as soon as your goods are shipped from our warehouse they’ll be with you in good time.
Should you have any problems with your credit card being accepted by Amazon US, your personal shopping concierge will be able to buy the goods for you without any difficulty.
Once your order is placed, you’ll be notified via email - all of this can be tracked through your Forwardme account.
Package Consolidation
If you’ve decided that you’d like to buy several packages, you can wait to consolidate your packages so that you can enjoy the greatest savings on shipping.
With all of these options, there really is no reason that you can’t shop to your heart’s content on Amazon US, safe in the knowledge that you’ll enjoy the best international shipping rates.
To help you plan your shopping experience, we’ve also established an Amazon US deals page - helping you to get the best possible deals, and arrange when you want to get them delivered.