I‘m sure you‘ve heard of Amazon Shop With Points before, but weren‘t totally sure how it works or whether it‘s really worth using. Well, you‘ve come to the right place!
In this detailed guide, I‘ll be answering all of your questions about Amazon Shop With Points. I‘ve done tons of research on credit card reward programs just like you probably have, so I know exactly what questions and concerns are top of mind when it comes to this loyalty program.
To start, let‘s cover the absolute basics…
What Exactly is Amazon Shop With Points?
Amazon Shop With Points allows you to convert credit card rewards points into cash credits that can be redeemed on Amazon purchases.
By linking your credit card to your Amazon account, your rewards points balance becomes available as Amazon credits. It‘s almost like getting free money to shop on Amazon!
This program has been around for years, and continues to be a great way to maximize the value of your credit card rewards if you shop frequently on Amazon.
How Does Enrolling in Amazon Shop With Points Work?
Signing up to use Amazon Shop With Points is super quick and easy.
Here‘s a simple step-by-step walkthrough:
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Visit the Shop With Points page on Amazon and find your credit card rewards program.
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Click "Enroll" and enter your credit card details when prompted.
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Accept the Amazon Rewards Program Terms & Conditions.
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Consider setting Shop With Points as your default payment method for future convenience.
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Start shopping and redeem your points!
The process only takes about 2-3 minutes. Amazon will link your credit card rewards balance directly to your Amazon account, making those points available as spending money on Amazon purchases. Pretty cool right?
How Do You Use and Redeem Points on Amazon?
Once your eligible credit card is enrolled, you can start redeeming points towards Amazon orders right away.
When you go to check out, your Shop With Points balance will show up as a payment option, along with your credit cards and gift cards.
You can then choose how many points you want to redeem on that order. The points will be converted to dollars to reduce your order total. So if you have a $50 order, and 10,000 points worth $100 in credit, you could use all 10,000 points to cover the $50. Or just a portion of your balance.
The value of points can vary slightly depending on the credit card program. But in most cases, 1 point = 1 cent in credit.
So if you have a Shop With Points balance of 50,000 points, that would equate to $500 in Amazon credits! Pretty awesome deal.
Do You Need an Amazon Prime Membership for Shop With Points?
Nope! An Amazon Prime membership is not required to enroll in and use Amazon Shop With Points.
As long as you have an eligible credit card connected to an Amazon account, you can utilize Shop With Points regardless of Prime membership status.
However, Prime members may find that they can maximize savings by combining Prime discounts with Shop With Points redemption. So it‘s something to consider if you shop on Amazon frequently!
Does The Shop With Points Program Expire or Have a Maximum Balance?
One of the best things about Amazon Shop With Points is that there is no expiration on your accrued balance. As long as your linked credit card and Amazon account remain open and active, your points will stay available.
There is also no maximum cap on how many unredeemed points you can stockpile. You can keep accumulating points and letting that Shop With Points balance grow over months or years if you want.
Whether you have 5,000 points or 500,000 points, they won‘t expire! And you can use them on Amazon anytime with no rush.
Are There Any Restrictions On How Points Can Be Used?
Amazon does prohibit using Shop With Points on certain categories of products including:
- Kindle books, music, and other digital content
- Amazon Fresh grocery delivery
- Subscribe & Save purchases
- Amazon Prime Pantry orders
- Textbook rentals
- Cell phone plans
But other than those restricted categories, your points can be redeemed towards millions of eligible physical products that ship directly from and are sold by Amazon.
So while there are some limitations, you can generally use points on most of what you‘d buy on Amazon – from electronics to home goods to kitchen products, toys, fashion, and more.
How Does Shop With Points Compare to Other Rewards Programs?
Amazon Shop With Points functions similarly to loyalty programs offered by other major retailers.
For example, Target‘s REDCard rewards work much like Amazon‘s program – you link an outside credit card to your Target account to earn points on purchases to redeem later.
Shop With Points also stacks up well against airline and hotel loyalty programs. You earn points on everyday credit card spending just like you would with an airline card, and can redeem towards Amazon purchases rather than just flights.
The value, flexibility, and ease of use makes Amazon Shop With Points a top-notch rewards program compared to many others out there. Especially if you frequently shop on Amazon already.
What Are Some Big Pros of Using Amazon Shop With Points?
There are definitely some great benefits to using your credit card rewards through the Amazon Shop With Points program:
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Seamless integration – It‘s very convenient to have your points applied automatically to Amazon purchases.
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Instant savings – You redeem points and see the discounts on Amazon orders right away.
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No expiration – Unlike airline miles, your Shop With Points balance never expires.
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Flexible redemption – Points can be redeemed in any increment, no forced fixed amounts.
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Works on millions of items – Points work on most products Amazon sells directly other than the restricted categories.
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Easy to accumulate points – You earn just through normal everyday credit card spending.
What Are the Potential Downsides of Shop With Points?
There aren‘t too many, but some drawbacks to note include:
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May not be the optimal redemption value – Points may be worth more when redeemed for cash back or statement credit.
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Doesn‘t include third-party sellers – Points only work on items shipped and sold directly by Amazon, not by third-party sellers.
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Limited to Amazon – The credits can‘t be used on other sites or in physical stores.
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No sign-up bonus – Unlike some rewards cards, no big bonus for enrolling.
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Delayed point balance – Your balance during checkout reflects your last statement, not newly earned points.
For most users the pros heavily outweigh the cons, but wanted to provide some balanced info!
How Do Credit Cards Calculate The Shop With Points Value?
You may be wondering how credit card issuers determine the Shop With Points conversion rate – how many points equal how much money?
The exact formulas vary by credit card program. But here are some of the factors that generally impact the valuation:
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Reward points structure – Some programs value points at 1 cent each, while others use different point tiers.
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Card benefits – Does the card offer bonus categories that help users rack up points quickly? Higher earn rates mean lower redemption rates.
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Number of users – How many cardmembers are participating in the program. More users equals greater liability.
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Engagement – How frequently people are converting points into Shop With Points credits (vs. other redemption options).
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Cost per point – What amounts the issuer has to pay partners per point earned. Want to minimize these costs.
According to J.D. Power‘s 2022 credit card satisfaction study, the average value of a reward point is 1.04 cents. But it can range from 0.5 cents to over 2 cents depending on the card.
Tips to Maximize the Value of Amazon Shop With Points
To get the absolute most from the Shop With Points program, here are some smart tips to follow:
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Do the math – Calculate your points value in cents and compare it to other redemption options to ensure Amazon offers the best return.
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Combine point sources – Link rewards from multiple credit cards to your Amazon account to accumulate points faster.
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Shop during sales – Making big purchases during Prime Day or holiday sales magnifies your savings when redeeming points.
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Use the Amazon Visa card – It offers 5% back on Amazon purchases, the best way to quickly earn a ton of points.
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Automate it – Set your Amazon credit card as the default payment method to seamlessly apply points to each order.
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Don‘t forget your rewards – Check your points balance regularly and make an effort to actively redeem them on purchases.
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Buy gift cards too – When you‘ve exhausted items you need, buy Amazon gift cards to extend your savings.
How Many Reward Points Do Shoppers Have?
To give you an idea of how many reward points the average shopper has, here are some statistics:
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78% of credit card holders actively earn and redeem reward points
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The average American has over 200,000 unused credit card points
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57% say their points never expire
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Individual points balances range from 9,000 to over 1 million
According to a 2019 report from CreditCards.com, the median points balance is 29,600. So while totals vary quite a bit based on spending habits, most active rewards program users have thousands of points at their disposal.
Plenty to convert into some nice credits to use on Amazon!
Examples of Amazon Shop With Points in Action
Let me walk through some examples to really give you an idea of how this all works:
Sarah enrolled her Citi Premier card in Amazon Shop With Points.
- She has 80,000 Citi ThankYou Points
- With her card, 1,000 Points = $10 in Amazon credits
- So her 80,000 Points equals $800 in spending money for Amazon
Mark linked his Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
- He has 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points
- His points are worth 1 cent each as Amazon credits
- So he has $1,000 to redeem on Amazon with his 100,000 points
Ashley connected her Amazon Rewards Visa.
- She earned 35,000 points last billing cycle
- Each point is worth 1 cent, so she has $350 in Amazon credits
- She redeemed 30,000 points on a $300 air fryer
- And has 5,000 points ($50) left to use next time
As you can see, points earned on your credit cards can rather quickly translate into some major savings and free money to spend on Amazon!
How Does Amazon Shop With Points Compare To Other Loyalty Programs?
To give some additional perspective, let‘s compare Amazon Shop With Points to a few other major retail loyalty programs out there:
| Program | What You Earn | How to Redeem |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Shop With Points | Credit card reward points | Convert points to Amazon credits to spend on purchases |
| Target REDcard | 5% back on Target purchases | Earned rewards apply as Target gift card credits on future purchases |
| Walgreens Balance Rewards | Points on purchases | Redeem for Walgreens cash rewards to save on items in store |
| Starbucks Rewards | Stars on drinks/food | Stars lead to free drinks, food, and other redeemable rewards |
| Kroger Loyalty Program | Fuel points on groceries | Earn 1 fuel point per $1 spent. Redeem 100 points for 10 cents off per gallon at fuel station |
As you can see, Amazon Shop With Points holds its own against other popular loyalty programs. The direct cash back earned on Amazon purchases makes it very competitive!
How Can I Learn More About Amazon Shop With Points?
If you still have additional questions about the Amazon Shop With Points program, here are some helpful resources:
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Check the Amazon Shop With Points FAQ page for info directly from Amazon
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Look on your credit card‘s website under rewards or points programs for program details
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Search for your credit card name + "Amazon Shop With Points" to find program terms
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Check third-party credit card and personal finance sites like NerdWallet, CreditCards.com, and The Points Guy for articles and reviews
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Ask an Amazon customer service agent through online chat or phone if you have a specific unanswered question
Don‘t hesitate to reach out to Amazon or your credit card issuer directly if you need any assistance enrolling in the points program or redeeming rewards. They have teams ready to help!
I hope this guide gave you a full 360-degree look at how Amazon Shop With Points works and what it can offer you! Let me know if you have any other credit card or shopping related questions!
