So, you splurged on Amazon Prime Day and now you’re facing a tangible reminder of your regret. You certainly aren’t alone — Amazon just bragged that it had its biggest Prime Day ever.
“The first day of Prime Day was the largest sales day in Amazon’s history,” said Doug Herrington, CEO of Amazon Stores in a statement. While no specific numbers were given, we can only imagine that impulse buys made up a major chunk of those sales.
Prime Day, in particular, tends to trigger some out-of-control spending. First of all, the deals are pretty dang good. Second, the two-day window creates the sense of urgency that makes you snag a half-priced Instant Pot that you’ll use once and store in the back of your cabinet for eternity.
If those impulse buys are causing you to fall into a regret spiral now that the 48-hour shopping extravaganza has officially ended (although there are still plenty of unofficial Prime Day deals still live), here’s what you can do.
How to return Prime Day purchases
Good news: if your Prime Day purchase was shipped and fulfilled by Amazon, you can most likely return it within 30 days of receipt in its original packaging. There are, of course, some exceptions to the rule: some luxury items cannot be returned once opened, downloadable software products, grocery items, gift cards, some health and personal care items, and more cannot be returned. If your Prime Day purchase came from a third-party seller, you may be offered the same 30-day return window, but it’s not guaranteed. You’ll want to check out the Returns and Refunds Policy section of the seller’s profile page to learn more. If an item is returnable, you’ll be able to initiate a return request from the Your Orders page.
Most importantly, don’t put off sending back a Prime Day purchase you regret. Once that 30-day window closes, your opportunity to return it is gone.
Here’s how you can return Amazon packages in 2023
What to do if you can’t return your Amazon Prime Day purchase
Whether you happened to grab a third-party product with a bizarre return policy, have a non-returnable product, or you miss your 30-day return window, there are still some ways to soothe your purchase regret anxiety. You essentially have three options: sell, give away, or donate. If you want to make some money back from your splurge, websites like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, LetGo, OfferUp, ThredUp, Depop, Mercari, Poshmark, and even Craigslist allow you to get rid of your regretful purchases for a profit. Some may take a percentage of your profit, but it’s better than nothing, right?
Regifting is a great way to put your Prime Day splurge to good use. Sure, the holiday season is months away, but maybe your purchase would make a perfect gift for someone else in your life. Your regret could be someone else’s gain. Better yet, that’s one last gift you have to buy come December. Win-win.
If all else fails, you can always donate your Prime Day purchase. Amazon offers a Give Back Box program that allows you to donate your items directly to charities who need them. All you have to do is print out a free shipping label, package it up, and drop it at the post office or a local UPS store. You can also make use of Amazon Lists to donate to individuals or organizations in need, or give back to local charities, churches, schools, or hospitals depending on the product.
How to cancel your Prime membership to avoid future regret
According to this Google survey from May, nine out of 10 say they experience buyer’s remorse from impulse purchases, while 42 percent say they’ve bought something while it was on sale, only to regret it later on. So, your post-Prime Day purchase regret is completely understandable. Amazon Prime definitely makes it easy for impulse buys to become a regular part of your life. If you want to avoid future buyer’s remorse, it may be time to cancel your Prime membership.
Head to your “Account Settings” and scroll down to “Manage membership.” From there, choose “End membership.” This will take you to a page that shows you how many days are left in your billing cycle and lists the Prime membership benefits. Keep scrolling and choose “Continue to cancel.” Finally, you’ll see a page that allows you to confirm your cancellation by clicking “End on [date].” So long, Prime (and all the regrets that come with it).
If you’re not quite ready to part with Prime, you can also make use of Amazon’s wishlist feature during the next Prime Day to avoid impulse buys. Make a wishlist ahead of time for the items you really need, and only buy those items if they go on sale.
